by Amedeus Mastrangelo
Saturday, Oct 30, 2021
Game Time: 4:00 pm ET, Saturday, October 30, 2021
Venue: Houchens Industries L. T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Charlotte +17.5, WKU -17.5; Over/Under: 73 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Charlotte +17.5, WKU -17.5; Over/Under: 73 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Charlotte +18, WKU -18; Over/Under: 73 points
Season Record
Charlotte 49ers: 4-3 (3rd place, C-USA East)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: 3-4 (4th place, C-USA East)
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Charlotte 49ers vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Preview and Analysis
Recent Form
Charlotte 49ers: lost at home on Oct. 21 against the Florida Atlantic Owls 38-9.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: won on the road on Oct. 23 against the Florida International Panthers 34-19.
Charlotte 49ers Analysis
Charlotte is coming into this game with a 4-3 record overall and they are 1-2 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. This will be their 4th conference matchup of the year and they are in a good position right now with a 2-1 record in their conference games this season. Their 2 wins came against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and the Florida International Panthers while their 1 loss came against FAU in their last game. That game was close in the first half as Charlotte carried a lead into halftime but FAU came out in the second half and dominated them, not allowing Charlotte to score at all in that half. Chris Reynolds struggled in that game as he completed 22/31 passes for 219 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Calvin Camp led the team in rushing with 38 yards on 7 carries but they did not really have anything going for them on the ground in that game. Victor Tucker had a nice day as he led the receivers with 105 yards on 6 receptions while Grant DuBose had 5 catches for 70 yards and 1 touchdown. Solomon Rogers led the defense in that game with 4 solo tackles and 3 assisted ones. Kofi Wardlow and Derek Boykins both combined for the only sack in that game for them while no one on the defense was able to come away with an interception in that one. They have scored 188 points in their 7 games this season averaging 26.9 PPG and they have allowed their opponents to score 192 points against them allowing 27.4 PPG. Their offense is averaging 398.9 YPG while their defense is allowing 444.7 YPG.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Analysis
WKU is coming into this game with a 3-4 record overall and they are 1-2 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. This will be the 4th conference matchup on their schedule this year and they are in a good position right now with a 2-1 record in their conference games this season. Their 1 loss came against the UTSA Roadrunners while their 2 wins came against the Old Dominion Monarchs and against FIU in their last game. FIU jumped out to a lead in the first quarter of that game but WKU took it back in the second quarter and never gave it back, extending their lead throughout the second half. Bailey Zappe played a great game as he completed 39/49 passes for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns. Adam Cofield led the team in rushing with 74 yards and 1 touchdown on 15 carries. Jerreth Sterns had a nice day as he led the receivers with 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 receptions while Nicholas Days had 79 yards and 1 touchdown on 6 receptions. Jaden Hunter, Dominique Bradshaw, and Kahlef Hailassie all led the defense in that game with 4 solo tackles each. Marcus Bragg led the defense in sacks with 2 while no one on the defense came away with an interception in that one. They have scored 279 points in their 7 games this season averaging 39.9 PPG and they have allowed their opponents to score 231 points against them allowing 33 PPG. Their offense is averaging 542.9 YPG while their defense is allowing 448.3 YPG.
Charlotte vs Western Kentucky Prediction
Charlotte is coming into this game as a 17.5 point underdog with the current betting odds according to Draftkings Sportsbook. WKU has been playing well in their conference games recently blowing out their opponents but they have not really faced anybody strong with the teams that they did beat. Charlotte has also been playing well in their conference games and they will be looking to bounce back after a bad loss to FAU. The best bet to place in this game is on Charlotte to cover the spread as their offense will be able to keep up with FAU and keep this a close game.
Charlotte Western Kentucky Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, October 30, 2021 (4:00 pm ET start time) is WKU 45 Charlotte 38.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
Charlotte 49ers: 8-13 ATS as an underdog of 10.5 to 21 points. 33-36 ATS In all games. 25-30 ATS as an underdog. 13-18 ATS as a road underdog. 16-19 ATS in road games.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: 84-79 ATS in all games. 25-19 ATS when the total is greater than or equal to 63. 14-8 ATS in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 63. 56-47 ATS against conference opponents.
Key Injuries
Charlotte 49ers: G. Howard (CB) Ques Sat - Ankle injury. D. Robinson (DB) Out indefinitely - Bicep injury.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: J. Simon (TE) Out indefinitely - Knee injury. J. Moses (RB) out for season - Knee injury.
Notable Quotes
“I don’t know anything other than to say we got embarrassed on our home field. They kicked our rear end. Humbling, frustrating and disappointing. We’ve got a long way to go. We were not ready for the opportunity and the moment, and that is 100% on the head coach.” - Will Healy on his team’s bad loss at home in their last game.
“I recruited Mike. I was here with Mike the first year he was here. Exceptional quarterback. I keep up with Mike. What I love about Mike is he’s a huge Hilltopper. Every time we win, he texts, ‘Great win, coach.’ He keeps up with all the players.” - Tyson Helton on Mike White getting his first start in the NFL this week, showing their hard work and efforts at WKU can pay off in the long run.
Starting Lineups
Charlotte 49ers
WR Tucker, Victor
WR Spencer, Elijah
WR DuBose, Grant
TE Carriere, Ryan
QB Reynolds, Chris
RB Camp, Calvin
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
WR Tinsley, Mitchell
WR Davis, Daewood
WR Sterns, Jerreth
TE Beljan, Joey
QB Zappe, Bailey
RB Whittington, Noah
Statistical Leaders
Charlotte 49ers
Passing: C. Reynolds (1537)
Rushing: C. Camp (394)
Receiving: V. Tucker (537)
Touchdowns: G. Dubose (5)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Passing: B. Zappe (3014)
Rushing: A. Cofield (303)
Receiving: J. Sterns (1077)
Touchdowns: J. Sterns (10)
Coaches:
Charlotte 49ers: Will Healy (3rd season)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Tyson Helton (3rd season)
Amedeus Mastrangelo
About the Author:
Amedeus Mastrangelo has been heavily wagering on all sports for years and plays just about everything, including sides, totals, favorites, underdogs, against the spread, alternative spreads, first half, second half, player props, and futures. The bottom line is, if Mastrangelo can see an edge in any way shape or form, then he's going to take advantage.
