The Marshall Thundering Herd (2-0 overall, 0-0 C-USA) and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1-2, 1-0) hook up at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Ky., for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday. Below, we analyze the Marshall-Western Kentucky college football betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Marshall at Western Kentucky: Betting odds and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:35 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Marshall -278 (bet $278 to win $100) | Western Kentucky +220 (bet $100 to win $220)
- Against the spread/ATS: Marshall -7.5 (-110) | Western Kentucky +7.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 44.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Marshall at Western Kentucky: Three things to know
- Marshall received 46 votes in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports this week, most among Conference USA teams. In their last game, the Thundering Herd bumped off then-ranked Appalachian State 17-7 on Sept. 19. They have allowed just seven points through two games, ranking No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense while posting a plus-2 turnover ratio. They are 2-0 SU/ATS but have yet to travel in 2020.
- The Hilltoppers earned their first win last weekend against winless Middle Tennessee 20-17 but failed to cover a seven-point number. They’re 1-2 SU/0-3 ATS through three outings.
- Western Kentucky’s strength is also its defense, allowing just 231.0 passing yards to rank 29th in the country, while giving up a respectable 27.3 PPG to check in 35th. That number is skewed slightly after yielding 35 in a 14-point loss at Louisville to open the season.
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Marshall at Western Kentucky: Odds, betting lines and picks
Prediction
Marshall 26, Western Kentucky 13
Money line (ML)
Marshall (-278) has been nasty defensively, locking down FCS Eastern Kentucky and a good Appalachian State team, but we haven’t seen the Herd play a road game yet. Risking nearly three times your potential return is never anything I will recommended. I’d rather look to the spread instead. AVOID.
Against the spread (ATS)
MARSHALL -7.5 (-110) laying seven and the hook makes me a bit nervous, but it has covered each of its first two games, including a 25.5-point number against EKU while winning outright as a six-point dog against App State. I’d go a little harder if this were a flat 7 or under a touchdown, but as it stands, the Herd are just the better team here. The ‘Toppers are unlikely to generate much offense against the Herd’s stingy D.
Over/Under (O/U)
If you’re a regular reader of mine, you know I do not care for playing the Under in college football games, let alone those with lines in the 40s. But UNDER 44.5 (-110) is the play here, as Marshall has yielded just seven total points, and is showing no signs of any chinks in the armor on defense. The Herd enter this game 100 percent healthy, too. The Hilltoppers also haven’t shown an ability to move the ball consistently, and they barely scraped by a poor, and very giving Middle Tennessee team last weekend.
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