Charlotte vs Western Kentucky Expert College Football Picks

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium

L.T. Smith Stadium is the venue where Ty Storey and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will play the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday. Western Kentucky opens this contest as 9-point favorites. The 49ers are 2-4-0 ATS and 6-0-0 when betting on the total. The Hilltoppers are 2-4-0 when wagering on the over/under and 4-2-0 against the spread.

The last time they took the field, the Charlotte 49ers played the FIU Golden Panthers and lost 48-23. Taking the lead at quarterback for the 49ers was Chris Reynolds who went 6/10 with 114 yards through the air and completed 1 touchdown. He ended the game without an interception. Benny LeMay paced the team in rushing for the game. He had a long run of 48 yards and he notched 1 touchdown in the game. He scurried for 144 yards on 21 carries which had him averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Benny LeMay led the team in receiving yardage with a tally of 90 yards on 4 receptions. He averaged 22.5 yards per reception for the game. The 49ers ended up running the ball 41 times and added 217 yards which earned them an average of 5.3 yards per rush. Overall, the 49ers totaled 17 1st downs and they had 5 penalties for 30 yards which tells us their heads weren't always in the game. In the game, they ran 54 plays which gave them a total of 330 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Charlotte gave up 13 completions on 16 attempts totaling 160 yards, and a completion percentage of 81.3%. Overall, they allowed 512 yards but went the whole game without forcing a turnover. Against the run, the 49ers gave up 352 yards on 52 attempts which gave them an average of 6.8 yards per attempt allowed.

The 49ers come into this game with a record of 2-4 for this year. They are one of the most potent offenses in the country averaging 33.7 points per game, putting them 41st in the nation. As a team, they have an average of 220.3 rushing yards per game which is 1st in Conference USA. For total yardage, they rank 7th in the conference and 70th in the nation with 2,459 yards. The 49ers have one of the worst defenses in the nation, allowing 41 points per contest ranking them 14th in the conference. When it comes to passing yards, the 49ers have conceded 1,137 yards. Opponents are completing 66.9% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 8.1 yards per try. When it comes to yards rushing, Charlotte is allowing 232.5 yards per game putting them 13th in Conference USA and 125th in the nation. Opposing teams are running for an average of 5.6 yards per carry ranking them 13th in the conference and 122nd in the nation overall. Overall, they have allowed 1,395 yards rushing through 6 games.

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In their last game, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers went up against the Army Black Knights and notched a win by a score of 17-8. Gaej Walker paced the team in rushing for that contest. He broke a long run for 16 yards but wasn't able to convert a rushing touchdown. He rushed for a total of 132 yards on 25 carries which meant he averaged 5.3 yards per run. Lucky Jackson led the team in receiving yardage with a tally of 45 yards on 5 catches. He had an average of 9.0 yards per reception for that contest. Running the show from under center for the Hilltoppers was Ty Storey who went 21/30 with 140 yards passing but didn't get a passing TD in the game. He walked away from this game with no interceptions. The Hilltoppers ended up rushing 51 times and racked up a total of 225 yards which earned them an average of 4.4 yards per rush. On the day, they totaled 81 plays for 365 yards. For the game, the Hilltoppers earned a total of 26 1st downs and they had a total of 2 penalties for 28 yards telling us that they had a strong outing in terms of discipline. On the defensive side of the ball, Western Kentucky gave up 5 catches on 12 throws totaling 71 yards, and a completion percentage of 41.7%. Against the run, the Hilltoppers gave up 137 yards on 36 carries which gave them an average of 3.8 yards per run allowed. For this contest, they gave up 208 yards but finished the game without a turnover.

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The Hilltoppers head into this matchup 4-2. Western Kentucky hasn't done much to make teams fear their rushing game by averaging 118.3 yards on the ground per contest, ranking them 111th in the nation. As a unit, they have compiled a total of 710 rushing yards through 6 games, so they'll need to look to improve on these numbers if they want to compete with the better teams in the nation. The Hilltoppers average 337 yards per contest overall putting them 113th in college football and 10th in C-USA. The Hilltoppers are giving up 18.5 points per contest which puts them at 2nd in C-USA and 20th in Division 1. When talking about points allowed, they have given up 111 total points. In regard to rushing yards, they are giving up 115 yards per contest ranking them 28th in college football and 2nd in the conference. For 2019, they have allowed 690 rushing yards and 4.2 rushing TDs. Their passing defense is one of the top units in D-1. They are allowing 172 passing yards per game. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Hilltoppers currently sit at 2nd in C-USA.

Who will win tonight's 49ers/Hilltoppers NCAA football game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take the Hilltoppers -9

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