Subscribe
Follow Us
Louisiana Tech looks to move to 3-0 in conference play as they host Western Kentucky. It is time to continue our College Football odds series with a Western Kentucky- Louisiana Tech prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Western Kentucky enters the game at 3-2 on the season with a 1-0 conference record. First, they beat USF 41-24. They followed that up by scoring 52 points against Houston Christian and winning 52-22. Then, they faced Ohio State. Ohio State was clicking on all cylinders during the game. They would lose that game 63-10 before facing Troy. Troy played great defense all game long, as their running back Kimani Vidal scored twice to take the win for Troy and knock Western Kentucky to 2-2 on the year. Last week, it was domination though. Western Kentucky scored early and often on their way to a 31-10 win over Middle Tennessee in Conference USA play.
Louisiana Tech is 3-3 on the season. They opened with a conference win over FIU. It was a close game though, as Louisiana Tech was down 17-13 at the half, but scored ten points in the fourth quarter to take the 22-17 win. SMU was next, and it was a 38-14 loss, but LA Tech would rebound to beat Northwestern State 51-21. After losses to North Texas and Nebraska, they would have their second conference game of the year. Traveling to UTEP, Louisiana Tech played great defense, holding UTEP to just ten points and winning 24-10.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Western Kentucky-Louisiana Tech Odds
Western Kentucky: -6.5 (-105)
Louisana Tech: +6.5 (-115)
Over: 59.5 (-110)
Under: 59.5 (-110)
How to Watch Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech Week 6
TV: ESPNU
Stream: ESPN App
Time: 8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PT
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Western Kentucky Will Cover The Spread
Austin Reed leads this Western Kentucky offense. On the year he is 131 for 212 passing for 1366 yards and 11 touchdowns. According to PFF, he has 11 big-time throws, and he is playing great. He has just two interceptions this year but does have eight turnover-worthy passes this year. Meanwhile, Reed has done great with pressure this year. Reed has been pressured 63 times this year on 222 dropbacks. Still, he has been sacked just twice and scrambled away for positive yards six times. Reed has been solid on the ground when running. He has three touchdowns on the ground with year with 53 yards of scrambling.
Western Kentucky does not have the best rushing attack, but it is highly effective. LT Sanders has run for 117 yards on 18 attempts this year, averaging over six yards per carry. He is getting over four yards downfield before first contact this season. Markese Stepp has also been solid this year. He has run for 101 yards this year with a touchdown on 27 attempts.
Meanwhile, Western Kentucky has given different receivers over 100 yards receiving this year with another one sitting at 97 yards. All seven of their top receivers have at least one touchdown reception this year, while all of them have brought in over 50 percent of these targets. Easton Messer has been great. He has hauled in 21 of 23 targets this year, for 273 yards and three scores. Meanwhile, Malachi Corley has 331 yards this year and two scores.
The defense has not been perfect against the run this year, but good. They have 81 stops for offensive failures this year, right around a 50 percent success rate on run defense. Still, of their four top tackles in the run, three of them have an average depth of tackle over three yards downfield. Further, they have missed 45 tackles this year. On the pass rush, they have been better. Western Kentucky has 15 sacks this year while having 87 pressures. It is the safety Kendrick Simpkins who leads the way with 14 pressures and four sacks this season. Meanwhile, Western Kentucky has forced five interceptions this year, with 14 pass breakups in the passing game.
Why Louisiana Tech Will Cover The Spread
Hank Bachmeier is listed as day-to-day right now. On the season he has been solid, going 72-109 passing with five touchdowns. He has thrown two interceptions though, and two other turnover-worhty passes. If it is not Bachmeier, Jack Turner will be going for Louisana Tech. He is 49-80 passing with 590 yards and three touchdowns. He has four interceptions and seven other turnover-worthy passes in two games. While Turner has taken fewer sacks per pressure than Bachmeier, he has struggled with the pressure on throwing this year.
Louisiana Tech has been great on the ground this year. They have run for over 1,000 yards already with ten scores. Tyre Shelton has 318 of the yards this season receiving 37 of 44 targets. He has scored three times and has been solid after contact. This year, he is averaging 8. y yards per carry, with 4.76 coming after first contact. Meanwhile, Keith Willis Jr. has 242 yards and three scores. He has also been a benefactor of good blocking, with nearly three yards of space before first contact. Rounding out the group is Charivs Thorton. Thorton has run for 125 yards on just 24 attempts this year, also with a score.
Still, to slow down Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech needs two things. First, they have to rush the passer well. That is not something they have done well this year. The Bulldogs have just 14 sacks this year with 84 pressures in three games. Second, they have to cover well. They have been great there, breaking up 27 passes and forcing 33 incompletions. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech has picked off three passes and dropped three other interceptions. Still, they have allowed seven passing touchdowns this year. Overall, Louisana Tech is sixth in the nation against the pass.
Final Western Kentucky-Louisana Tech Prediction & Pick
Hank Bachmeier looms large in this game. If he plays, Louisana Tech has a much better chance to cover. Western Kentucky has a weak pass defense that can be taken advantage of. If he does not play though, then the Hilltoppers will have a must better chance. With the line movement moving towards Western Kentucky this week, it looks like Bachmeier will not play. Western Kentucky will need to run the ball more than they would like in this game, with a poor Louisana Tech run defense, but they will also be able to hold the Bulldogs enough to cover.
Final Western Kentucky-Louisiana Tech Prediction & Pick: Western Kentucky -6.5 (-105)
