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The Delaware Blue Hens take on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Delaware is favored by -1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -120. Middle Tennessee, meanwhile, enters as a +1.5 underdog and is +100 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The total sits at 47.5 total points.
Here’s my Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee prediction and college football pick for Tuesday, October 13.
Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Prediction
- Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee Pick: Middle Tennessee +1.5
My Middle Tennessee vs. Delaware best bet is on the Blue Raiders to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Odds
| Delaware Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
| Middle Tenn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
- Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Spread: Delaware -1.5 (-110), Middle Tennessee +1.5 (-110)
- Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Over/Under: 47.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Moneyline: Delaware -120, Middle Tennessee +100
Delaware vs Middle Tennessee College Football Preview
Delaware Blue Hens Betting Preview: No Minicucci, Big Problem
This summer, Delaware presented itself as an intriguing Conference USA contender returning a host of veteran all-conference players. But down its most veteran all-conference player, quarterback Nick Minicucci, Delaware is in free fall.
The Blue Hens were outmanned by Virginia and crushed, 42-3, behind 160 total yards. The next game, Delaware cycled through three quarterbacks and lost, 30-14.
The last time Delaware played was 11 days ago, with an extended bye as it moves to weeknight Conference USA action for October.
That should be enough time to sort out the QB mess, but if there's no viable option, then Delaware isn't in a better place than it was left on Oct. 2.
The Flames completely removed Delaware's second-best asset in Jo Silver, who rushed seven times for six yards. A panicked team tried six different ball-carriers and 11 different receivers, none of whom logged more than three receptions.
This grasping-at-straws approach has resulted in 17 points in two weeks, a defense that suffers significantly from being on the field all the time (43% time of possession split is ninth-worst in the country over the last three games), and absolutely no confidence in the team.
Defensive coordinator Manny Rojas' three-high safety structure prevents teams from piling up explosive plays, but it's so bad on a down-to-down basis — fans have grown weary of the look, which sits 86th in Success Rate allowed.
Teams can run off the tackle for chunks at a time because the other two safeties are so far off the ball and there's no one to set an edge. It's also poor defending chunk passing plays up the hash.
Consider the wind pulled from the sails of Delaware. This is a team I'm selling on without Minicucci the rest of the way.
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Betting Preview: Open Job Incoming?
Head coach Derek Mason has been abysmal at Middle Tennessee. In two-plus seasons, he's 8-21 with zero wins over FBS teams that either finished the season with a winning record or currently have one.
The last time on the field, MTSU was blasted by Kansas, 55-0, behind 136 total yards and a 1-for-11 on third downs.
Quarterback Roman Gagliano completed a paltry nine of his 26 passes (five players were targeted without a catch!), and 47 of MTSU's total 55 rushing yards came on two runs.
Though an amplified example, it's really just a microcosm of Middle Tennessee under Mason — no juice, almost no competitiveness and going nowhere fast.
On offense, MTSU doesn't roster anyone explosive.
Anticipated additions like running back Terrence Brown Jr. and linebacker Ashton Taylor have been complete no-shows.
Returning players like wide receiver Cam'Ron Lacy and Gagliano have been flat. There's no Holden Willis, Omari Kelly or Nicholas Vattiato to bail the Blue Raiders out this year.
MTSU ranks 134th nationally with just three sacks logged all season, 135th in Success Rate allowed and 133rd in yards per dropback allowed.
There are tackling issues across the board (including cluster misses by Taylor), but MTSU has benefitted from teams fumbling possessions away. The defense has seven turnovers on the season, a top-40 mark in the country.
Two things are of the utmost concern here, aside from the current lack of production on either side of the ball.
First, Mason is 0-15 in his career coming off a bye week (poor use of the extra planning).
Second, Floyd Stadium filled to less than 40%, 130th in the country last season. It's clear backing from both the fans and athletic department is waning. Without any obvious turnaround, MTSU is likely an open job this winter.
Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Pick, Betting Analysis
Delaware opened as a +1.5 favorite on the road Tuesday night but has flipped to a -1.5 favorite. Action Network PRO identified a couple sharp moves when the Blue Hens were underdogs, but buyback at MTSU +2.5 on Monday moved the line to MTSU +1.5.
The total was bet up from 46.5 at open to above 48 and then to 47.5.
The bottom line here is that Delaware shouldn't be laying points on the road against any FBS foe. Mason has been a really poor performer in his time in Murfreesboro, going just 8-16 ATS, but this is a situational spot where I favor MTSU.
Mason understands his job is on the line every game throughout conference play.
With a game on the horizon at FIU — a team playing lights-out on defense — the opportunities for wins are exceedingly scant. Expect a desperate effort Tuesday night at home.
Neither team is posting much explosively, and both defenses are good at preventing big plays (mostly because they're allowing too many 12-yard plays for that to happen).
With a low total, I'm leaning toward the home dog but not risking taking the moneyline thanks to (a) Mason's track record off a bye and (b) Tuesday night CUSA magic (see: Kennesaw State-Jacksonville State last week).
Delaware is a full-on fade team right now, with a messy offense.
Pick: Middle Tennessee +1.5
Delaware vs Middle Tennessee Betting Trends
