Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Troy Trojans Prediction, 9/23/2023 College Football Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Troy Trojans

Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023

Location: Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, AL

TV: ESPNU

Odds/Point Spread: Trojans (-4)

Total/Over-Under: 57.5

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (2-1) are headed to Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 23, 2023 where they will try to defeat the Troy Trojans (1-2). Troy opens as 4-point favorites. The total is set at 57.5.

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers head into this matchup 2-1 for this year. The last time they stepped onto the field, the Hilltoppers played the Ohio State Buckeyes and ended up losing by a score of 63-10. L.T. Sanders led the offense in rushing for the Hilltoppers with 7 carries for 26 yds (3.7 yds per carry). Austin Reed finished 21/37 with 207 yds through the air and 1 touchdown. He had a QB rating of 107.3 and finished the game with 1 pick. Against the run, the Hilltoppers gave up 204 yds on 33 attempts, which is an average of 6.2 yds per rush surrendered. Western Kentucky relinquished 22 completions on 27 tries for a total of 358 yds, and a completion rate of 81.5%. Once the final whistle blew, they ran 72 plays for 284 yds. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers ended up running the ball 33 different times and compiled 80 yds, which had them averaging 2.4 yds per attempt.

Concerning putting the ball in the endzone, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are sitting at 34.3 points per contest. As a team they're averaging 108.0 yards in the run game which is 114th in Division 1. The Hilltoppers currently have 1,182 total yards for the season. When it comes to scoring touchdowns, Western Kentucky has totaled 8 passing touchdowns and 3 rushing touchdowns. Western Kentucky has compiled 64 first downs as a team, and they have been called for 16 penalties for 129 yds. They have turned the football over 4 times.

Concerning yards through the air, the Hilltoppers are conceding 737 yds which puts them in 91st in college football. They have relinquished 245.7 yards per game via the pass as well as giving up a completion percentage of 61.0%. For the year, they are giving up 490.0 yards per outing which has them ranked 129th in D-1. They have surrendered 7 touchdowns via the pass and 6 touchdowns via the ground game. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 5.7 yards per rush on the ground and 244.3 yards on the ground per game for the year. Overall, they have allowed 733 rushing yards through 3 games. The Hilltoppers rank 122nd in college football regarding team defense, giving up 36.3 points per game.

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The Trojans step onto the field holding a record of 1-2 for this season. The last time they took the field, the Trojans took a defeat with a final score of 16-14 when they faced the James Madison Dukes. Gunnar Watson (2 touchdowns) ended the contest with 333 yds on 25/46 through the air while his QB rate was 125.2. He tossed 1 pick and his average yards per attempt was 7.2. Kimani Vidal ran the football 11 times for 27 yds, ending the game with 2.5 yards per carry for Troy. Troy ran for -0.6 yds per carry, finishing with a total of -12 yds on 19 carries. The Trojans finished the contest with 321 yds while they ran 65 plays (4.9 yards per play). The Trojans pass defense allowed a completion rate of 69.2%, relinquishing 200 yds on 18 for 26 passing. Troy surrendered 39 rushing attempts for 90 yds (2.3 yds per rush).

When it comes to their ability to score points, the Trojans are ranked 91st in D-1 scoring 25.0 points per contest. The Troy Trojans average 382.3 yards per game, which is good for 74th in college football. The Troy offense has 105 penalty yards on 14 infractions, which has them ranked 102nd in Division 1 in terms of helping out the other team. They have given away 3 picks while allowing opponents to recover 4 fumbles and they have obtained 58 first downs. During the season thus far, the Trojans have racked up 747 yards through the air as well as an average of 249.0 passing yards per contest, which ranks 57th in D-1. They have an average of 133.3 yards via the ground game and have rushed for 400 yards overall.

The Trojans are allowing 29.3 PPG, which has them sitting 102nd in the country. Troy has conceded a total of 341 yards rushing (113.7 yards/game) as well as 5 touchdowns rushing for the season. This year, they have surrendered 88 total points. They have surrendered 4 touchdowns from the passing game as well as 195.3 yards per game, which has them sitting 43rd in college football. The Trojans defense has participated in 194 plays, which is good for 63rd in the country. They have totaled 0 fumbles recovered and 2 interceptions over the course of the season.

Who will win tonight's Hilltoppers/Trojans college football game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Hilltoppers +4

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