Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State odds: 2023 college football picks, Week 8 computer model predictions

On Tuesday evening, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Jacksonville State Gamecocks meet for the sixth all-time meeting between programs. The series renews for the first time since 2003, and Burgess-Snow Field hosts the game in Jacksonville, Ala. WKU is led by a top-tier offense and is 4-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. JSU is 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, including a 3-1 overall mark at home.

For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the Hilltoppers as 8-point favorites for this 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 58.5 in the latest Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State odds. Before making any Jacksonville State vs. Western Kentucky picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of more than $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Jacksonville State vs. WKU and identified its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for WKU vs. Jacksonville State:

• Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State spread: Western Kentucky -8
• Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State over/under: 58.5 points
• Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State money line: WKU -339, JSU +264
• WKU: The Hilltoppers are 4-2 against the spread this season
• JSU: The Gamecocks are 4-2-1 against the spread this season
• Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State picks: See picks at SportsLine
• Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State live stream: fubo (try for free)

Why Western Kentucky can cover

Western Kentucky junior Kendrick Simpkins leads a defense with interesting strengths. Simpkins sits atop Conference USA with 4.5 sacks, including three sacks in the last four games. Western Kentucky is in the top four of the conference in completion rate allowed (59.2%), with only nine touchdown passes allowed and eight interceptions. The Hilltoppers also face a Jacksonville State offense that ranks dead-last in the conference in passing yards (158.6 per game) with only 6.1 yards per attempt and seven touchdown passes in seven games. 

On offense, Austin Reed keys an explosive group that is in the top three of Conference USA in scoring offense (32.2 per game), passing offense (287.8 yards per game), and total offense (390.0 yards per game). Reed leads Conference USA with 14 touchdowns passes and he has 1,665 passing yards in six games. He is also coming off a 2022 season in which Reed led the country with 4,744 passing yards and landed in the top three nationally in total offense (4,970 yards) and passing touchdowns (40). See which team to pick here.

Why Jacksonville State can cover

Jacksonville State’s offense is highly productive on the ground. The Gamecocks are averaging more than 200 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry while leading Conference USA with 17 rushing touchdowns. That helps Jacksonville State to 28 points per game and a top-four mark in Conference USA in third down efficiency (37.5%). Jacksonville State is also facing a Western Kentucky defense that is last in the conference in total defense and passing defense, with opponents averaging 4.8 yards per carry and 29.0 points per game against the Hilltoppers. 

On defense, Jacksonville State is No. 2 in the conference in allowing only 19.4 points per game this season, and the Gamecocks are No. 1 in the conference in yielding only 3.0 yards per rush attempt. No Conference USA team has more sacks (24) than Jacksonville State, and the Gamecocks are giving up only 4.8 yards per play with eight passing touchdowns allowed and ten interceptions. See which team to pick here.

How to make Jacksonville State vs. WKU picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Under the point total, predicting 57 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time. You can see the model’s picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins WKU vs. Jacksonville State, and which side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of more than $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.