Friday night brings MACtion as the Kent State Golden Flashes visit the Sacramento State Hornets in the first-ever meeting between the programs. Sacramento State (1-7, 0-5 in MAC) is in its first year at the FBS level and has lost six consecutive games, most recently a 34-17 defeat to Ball State. Kent State (3-5, 2-2 in MAC) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 35-20 Week 8 victory over Akron, the only other winless MAC team besides Sacramento State.
Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California. The Golden Flashes are 7-point favorites in the latest odds, with an over/under of 46.5 points. Kent State is listed at -278 on the money line (risk $278 to win $100), while Sacramento State is +225.
According to the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulated the matchup 10,000 times, the Over 46.5 points is the recommended play. When the total is below 50 points, the Over has a 3-1 record for both teams. Kent State has seen the Over go 3-1 on the road, and the total was eclipsed in Sacramento State's last home game. Both teams rank poorly in scoring defense: Kent State 115th out of 138 FBS teams, Sacramento State 127th. The Hornets have generated very few turnovers, with only two teams in college football having fewer takeaways. Kent State allows a 67.4% completion percentage, the eighth-highest in the sport. The model projects 51 combined points, with the Over hitting in 63% of simulations.
The model also indicates one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations, though that specific pick is available only at SportsLine. SportsLine's model entered Week 9 on a 68-59 run on top-rated college football picks, returning nearly $400 for $100 players.
