The UAB Blazers meet the Jacksonville State Gamecocks Wednesday in a neutral-site game at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery Ala. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Below, we look at the UAB vs. Jacksonville State odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
The Blazers managed an impressive 6-3 record last season en route to its second Conference USA championship in the past three seasons. That was the good news. The bad news was they didn’t get to play in a bowl game as their Gasparilla Bowl opponent South Carolina pulled out due to COVID-19 taking a toll on the program, leading to the bowl being canceled.
Jacksonville State went 3-1 last fall, including a 19-10 win over FIU of C-USA. The Gamecocks also played a spring schedule, going an impressive 6-1. Their season concluded with an FCS playoff loss to Delaware 20-14.
UAB vs. Jacksonville State odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:34 a.m. ET.
- Money line: UAB -850 (bet $850 to win $100) | Jacksonville State +550 (bet $100 to win $550)
- Against the spread (ATS): UAB -16.5 (-112) | Jacksonville +16.5 (-108)
- Over/Under (O/U): 51.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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UAB vs. Jacksonville State odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
UAB 38, Jacksonville State 16
Money line
Playing UAB (-850) will cost you eight and a half times your potential return in this mid-week opener, and that’s not a recommended play. Over the long term, those type of costly chalky bets will come back to bite you and wash away any gains you have made. It’s a poor long-term strategy.
AVOID and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
This is a solid mid-tier FBS team in UAB -16.5 (-112) playing an FCS team in Jacksonville State. That alone isn’t the reason to back the defending C-USA champs, however. One has to wonder if the Gamecocks will simply be tired after playing nine games in the spring. There hasn’t been a refractory period, and it will be interesting to see.
Over/Under
The UNDER 51.5 (-112) is worth a small-unit play. UAB is a solid offensive unit, but again, you have to wonder about the conditioning of Jacksonville State. It could start this neutral-site battle a bit on the sluggish side. UAB allowed 16 or fewer points in five of its final seven games last season, and its defense should be sturdy again in 2021, too.
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