Ray “The Razor” Monohan – Last Updated on December 21, 2022 2:43 pm
Free NCAA Football Prediction: UAB vs. Western Kentucky Odds
Looking for UAB Blazers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers free picks? College football betting sees the Blazers taking on the Hilltoppers on Friday, October 21, 2022, at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, KY. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football game predictions like this Blazers Hilltoppers free pick.
College Football Handicapping Analysis: UAB Blazers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
UAB Blazers (4-2) vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4-3)
Date: Friday, October 21, 2022
Time: 8:00 pm EST
Venue: Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
NCAA Football ATS Spread Odds: UAB +2.5 / W. Kentucky -2.5 (Bet Now!)
NCAA Football Moneyline Odds: Blazers +125 / Toppers -140
NCAA Betting Total Odds: O/U 57.5
Week 8 college football sees the Blazers and Hilltoppers meeting at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium on Friday night in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The Hilltoppers are favored by -2.5 points in this Conference USA matchup, and we see a 57.5 showing on the total.
UAB Blazers
The Blazers have found wins from three of their last four games to reach the 4 – 2 mark on the campaign, and that means that it will take just two more wins to put UAB back in bowl season. Blazers Head Coach Bill Clark has taken the Blazers to the post-season four times through his first six years in Birmingham, but the road ahead will not offer easy wins.
As you may or may not have noticed, I seem to keep jumping on the UAB games this year. Totals have been a tricky proposition, and I will admit that I gave Middle Tennessee more respect than they deserved when they played UAB a couple of weeks ago. We all know that defense is a Bill Clark staple, and it’s been the strength of the Blazers program over the last few years.
As you peruse the defensive rankings, UAB ranks in the top-20 in just about all of the major categories, including the ability to be causing turnovers. UAB ranks 15th in the Nation taking the ball away from their opponents, and stopping the pass has been their strength this year.
Offensively, the Blazers are putting up 244 yards per game on the ground which is good enough to land the 8th spot in the national rankings. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see #9 take the field in green and white, you should take the time on a Friday night to check his game out. Dylan Hopkins does it all, and you can find him tossing the rock, toting the rock, and doing them both well.
Hopkins is 3rd on the depth chart with 118 rush yards including 2 scoots to pay dirt, and that’s on top of his 6 – 2 TD to INT ratio in the passing game. What you will likely see is his good friend wearing the #22 jersey in his backfield shredding dudes up.
DeWayne McBride is only a Sophomore, and all he did last year was bring in 1,371 rushing yards and a 2nd-Team All-Conference USA honor. Let’s go on a limb and say that if he stays healthy we might see a 1,500 yard+ campaign this year. He is already at 778 yards, but he wants no part of catching ball out of the back field. That might effect an NFL scout, but it won’t stop him from an easy 1,000-yard year again. Imagine if he stays here all 4 years? He could easily end up breaking some records with this program.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
UAB is not coming into Bowling Green scared in the least, and just because the line setters slapped chalk on the Hilltoppers it only motivates the Blazers even more.
Coach Helton is in year 4 with the Toppers, and despite that 5 – 6 season in 2020 this program has still landed in a bowl in all 3 of his campaigns in charge. That is no easy task, and it will be fun to see how the new Conference alignment effects the Toppers next year.
Western Kentucky has tasted defeat in four of the last five meetings with UAB, so being favored is all well and good but it means nothing in the grand scheme of things. We are talking about a 2-3 point line so let’s not make it out to be like it’s some kind of huge disrespecting number.
It is what it is, and Western Kentucky now has to come out and finally get over this UAB hump because they have bowl game aspirations with 4 wins on the campaign. Keep in mind that the Hilltoppers are playing 13 regular season games in 2022, so it will take a 7th win to be over .500 and bowl eligible. A 6 – 7 record will likely not be enough to get one of those backdoor invitations again with so many teams hogging up winning records.
Austin Reed was a big wild card coming in from West Florida, and let’s just say that he has passed the test of nerves and ability to perform at the FBS level. This dude has already thrown 21 touchdown passes through 7 games, and the addition of his dual-threat ability is huge.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- Blazers are 7-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Blazers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 road games.
- Blazers are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 conference games.
- Over is 4-1 in Blazers last 5 conference games.
- Over is 7-2 in Hilltoppers’ last 9 Friday games.
- Over is 37-17 in Hilltoppers’ last 54 home games.
4* Free UAB Blazers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers NCAA Betting Final Analysis:
That total says 57.5. Excuse me while I go clean up my shirt from spitting up my soup all over myself! So, think about this and close your eyes… 41 – 38.
Now, open them and tell me what you see. Yeah, that’s about 79 points, thanks! Oh, and UAB isn’t done owning the Toppers either so think dog, baby!
4* Free UAB Blazers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers NCAA Betting Pick: Over 57.5
If you’re looking for more picks like this UAB Blazers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers matchup we’ll be providing 4* free College football game predictions on the blog all season long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free CFB Football picks!
Register here for a FREE NCAA Football Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!