We have midweek action in Conference USA as the Sam Houston Bearkats host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The Bearkats are 1-4 on the season, and they return home for the first time in almost a month, while the Toppers are 2-4 and winless away from home. “Home” for Sam Houston is important this season, after they played all their home games 70 miles away last season because of stadium renovations. With that in mind, WKU ought to be the far better team here, and it is surprising to see them as only a marginal favorite.
The Hilltoppers were projected to finish near the top of Conference USA, but they have struggled early on. Part of that struggle has been a QB controversy, as returning QB Ronny Tisdale has alternated starts with Florida State transfer Brock Glenn. Tisdale is the far better arm, but Glenn causes a lot of problems with his legs. Neither has been overly effective, and that has the Toppers only narrowly favored. The Bearkats were projected to finish at the bottom of the conference, and they do not have a lot going for them to be excited about. If WKU figures out anything at all at the QB position, they should be able to outscore a mediocre Sam Houston offense, and that is enough for me to take the visiting Hilltoppers in this one.
Western Kentucky vs Sam Houston prediction: WKU -1.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -3.5.
