The Kennesaw State Owls take on the Florida International Panthers in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Kennesaw State is favored by 3 points on the spread with a moneyline of -160. FIU, meanwhile, enters as a +3 underdog and is +135 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 49.5 points.
Here’s my Kennesaw State vs. FIU prediction and college football picks for Tuesday, October 21.
Kennesaw State vs FIU Prediction
- Kennesaw State vs. FIU Pick: FIU +3.5
My FIU vs. Kennesaw State best bet is on the Panthers to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Kennesaw State vs FIU Odds
| Kennesaw State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -115 | 49.5 -110o / -110u | -160 |
| FIU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -105 | 49.5 -110o / -110u | +135 |
- Kennesaw State vs FIU Spread: Kennesaw State -3, FIU +3
- Kennesaw State vs FIU Over/Under: 49.5 Points
- Kennesaw State vs FIU Moneyline: Kennesaw State -160, FIU +135
Kennesaw State vs FIU College Football Betting Preview
Kennesaw State Owls Betting Preview: In Title Contention
Kennesaw State is clearly ahead of schedule with its transition in Year 1 under head coach Jerry Mack, who has this team in contention for a conference title in its second year of FBS football.
The offense has been humming of late behind quarterbacks Amari Odom and Dexter Williams II.
In the Owls' last game against Louisiana Tech two weeks ago, it was Williams throwing for 290 yards and four touchdown passes to lead Kennesaw State's second-half flurry.
The ground game has been serviceable without being explosive, as the Owls have been very methodical on offense.
They also have a couple of quality receivers in Gabriel Benyard and Christian Moss, who have hauled in a combined 50 passes for 670 yards.
The matchup to watch will be the Owls' receivers and their ability to create separation against an FIU secondary that's at full strength and played really well last week on the road against Western Kentucky.
Defensively, KSU has played pretty well during its four-game home win streak, holding opponents to just 116 yards rushing per game and 3.2 yards per carry.
The secondary has given up some yards through the air, predominantly due to KSU playing with second-half leads.
While there's nothing exceedingly eye-popping with this bunch, the red-zone defense and third-down defense has been good, and the back seven flies to the football. The Owls will be a tough out the rest of the way.
Florida International Panthers Betting Preview: Jenkins, Owens Leading Offense
FIU put together an incredible defensive performance last week on the road against Western Kentucky, and the outright win as a 10-point underdog kept it alive in the Conference USA race.
The Panthers received a big boost when quarterback Keyone Jenkins played with renewed energy and effort following a players-only meeting preceding the game.
The ground game gashed the WKU defense. Running back Kejon Owens ran for 195 yards and averaged 8.9 yards per attempt. The offense posted its best offensive output of the season but did have to settle for four field goals in the red zone.
Defensively, the Panthers pressured and confused WKU quarterback Maverick McIvor, who struggled throughout and was eventually replaced after throwing three interceptions.
FIU returned some key contributors in the secondary last week, and that unit had one of its better performances this season. The Panthers surrendered only one explosive play on 41 passes from the Tops.
Kennesaw State vs FIU Pick, Betting Analysis
This line opened up at Kennesaw State -1.5, and the Owls have been taking a ton of money with bettors riding the hot hand of a team that has won and covered four straight.
The line has moved out to 3.5, and that's where I want to back the Panthers here.
FIU didn't play very well in its recent games that preceded the WKU contest last week, but the bye week really helped refocus this group. I loved what I saw from the Panthers defense on the road, and the energy and attitude made a huge difference for the stop unit.
This defense will have major advantages when lining up against the Kennesaw State offense.
The Owls rank just 134th in Offensive Success Rate and 120th in Finishing Drives. On the defensive side of the ball, KSU comes in at 68th in Success Rate allowed and 34th in Finishing Drives allowed.
Kennesaw’s offensive line hasn't played particularly well this year, ranking eighth in the conference in pass blocking and 11th in run blocking, per PFF.
I expect the Owls to struggle to run the football here, and the pass game — which ranks 129th in Passing Success Rate — will be stressed to make plays against this FIU secondary.
The Panthers rank 37th nationally in Passing Success Rate allowed and 51st in EPA Per Pass allowed. As long as they don’t give up the big play, they should be able to contain the Kennesaw State offense.
Jenkins and Owens caught fire last week, and I expect solid performances at home on Tuesday night. Kennesaw State hasn't played a road game since Sept. 6 and is now walking into the buzzsaw that is "Vice Night" in Miami.
FIU will have a ton of energy in the building for its annual fan event, and I expect a rock-solid home performance here.
Kennesaw has played well at home, but I can't lay more than a field goal on the road in this environment. I wouldn't be surprised if FIU wins this game outright.
Pick: FIU +3.5
Kennesaw State vs FIU Betting Trends
