In the evening slate, we get a matchup between the Eastern Michigan Eagles and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.
Jacksonville State travels to Ypsilanti, Michigan, after opening the season with back-to-back losses. The Gamecocks are 0-2 against the spread with both games going over.
Eastern Michigan looks to rebound from a 30-9 loss against Washington and build upon its 1-1 record. However, despite the loss, Eastern Michigan covered the spread and holds a 2-0 record against the spread. Both games have stayed under.
Weather should only play a small role in this matchup, as rain isn't expected during the game. The temperatures will be around 77 degrees, and winds will be around 7.7 miles per hour along the length of the field.
Jacksonville State vs Eastern Michigan Prediction
My Jacksonville State vs Eastern Michigan Best Bet is on the Gamecocks to cover as two-point underdogs at bet365 Sportsbook.
Jacksonville State vs Eastern Michigan Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Jacksonville State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | -130 |
| Eastern Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | +110 |
- Point Spread: Jacksonville State -2 (-110) · Eastern Michigan +2 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 54.5
- Moneyline: Jacksonville State -130 · Eastern Michigan +110
Jacksonville State Football vs Eastern Michigan Football Preview
Jacksonville State Gamecocks Betting Preview: Inefficient Offense
After a 9-4 debut season in the FBS ranks, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks have opened the season with consecutive losses. Rich Rodriguez's team has averaged 20.5 points per game and 5.5 yards per play through two games. They've had a 35.9% success rate and have scored 4.25 points per opportunity with a blazing pace of 22.4 seconds per play.
While the offensive scheme prefers to lean on the running game, the Gamecocks have averaged 27.5 pass attempts and 197 passing yards per game.
Quarterback Tyler Huff has completed 58.5% of his pass attempts for an average of 8.1 yards per attempt. Despite the seemingly adequate efficiency, the offense is averaging a 37.9% success rate on passing plays and has thrown three interceptions compared to just two touchdowns.
The running game has been similarly inefficient. They have a 33.9% rushing success rate and average 4.1 yards per rush attempt on their 31 attempts per game.
Huff leads the team with 23 attempts for 112 yards. The team lost its top two rushers from the 2023 season, but the third leader, Anwar Lewis, has struggled to start the season. After averaging 4.9 yards per attempt on 93 carries, he's turned his 15 carries into just 41 yards.
The offensive line appears to be doing its part with 3.09 line yards per attempt, which ranks 68th nationally.
In 2023, the defense was complementary to the fast-paced Gamecocks offense. Through two games of 2024, the defense appears to be running out of gas in games. They've allowed 52 points per game, 7.9 yards per play, and a 56.2% success rate.
Against Louisville, they allowed a 61% success rate and generated havoc on just 6.3% of plays. For their two games, they've struggled to get opponents off of the field, allowing 5.29 points per opportunity.
Eastern Michigan Eagles Betting Preview: Defense Doing Its Best
Eastern Michigan will look to return to its winning ways following its road loss to Washington.
The Eagles' offense ranks 110th in scoring with 18.5 points per game and has averaged 4.6 yards per play. The Eagles have a 37.8% success rate and have scored 3.27 points per opportunity. They do this with a slightly below-average pace of 27.7 seconds per play.
Buffalo transfer quarterback Cole Snyder has started the season somewhat successfully, with a 60% completion percentage on 55 attempts. He's amassed 370 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception to date.
For the year, Eastern Michigan has a 35.9% passing success rate and has thrown 2.5 passes over 20 yards per game. While the offense has leaned more on the running game, the passing game has held its own in limited work.
The Eagles have averaged 36 rush attempts per game but only 2.9 yards per rush. Led by a two-back committee, the Eagles are averaging 104.5 rushing yards per game with a 39.7% rushing success rate.
Delbert Mimms and Dontae McMillan have 24 and 23 carries, respectively, and both have 3.8 yards per rush. Combined, they have one rushing touchdown. The offensive line has generated 2.81 line yards per attempt.
Allowing just 22 points per game, the defense has done its best to give the offense a chance to win games. They have allowed a 56.9% success rate and 6.5 yards per play, but they've found ways off the field with only 3.17 points allowed per opportunity.
The defense has only forced one turnover to date and has only generated a 16.3% havoc rate. And against a run-heavy team, they may find themselves struggling as they've allowed 3.95 line yards per attempt, leading to a 6.9% stuff rate and a 78.6% power success rate for their opponents.
<span >How to Make College Football Picks For My Jacksonville State vs Eastern Michigan Prediction</span>
When the line first opened, Jacksonville State was favored by 2.5 points, but the line quickly flipped in favor of Eastern Michigan, which was bet to a two-point favorite within 24 hours of opening.
The line has wavered between 1.5 and 2.5 points but has settled around two at most books.
As of writing, 57% of bets and 71% of the money has been placed on Jacksonville State.
While the ActionNetwork PRO report doesn't signal any large bets or sharp action on either side of this matchup, the 14% differential between tickets and money shows a general backing on the underdog to a higher degree.
My preference in this game is to go back to the underdog due to Eastern Michigan's struggles with run defense.
With the Jacksonville State pace of play, any struggles along the line will compound if the defense is forced to stay on the field for extended periods. And this Eastern Michigan team is not built to play from behind.
While keeping my wagers small, I'll likely have a one-unit play on the spread and a partial-unit play on the Jacksonville State moneyline.
Pick: Jacksonville State +2 (-110, bet365) | Play to +1.5 (-110)
How to Watch Jacksonville State vs Eastern Michigan Live: Streaming, Channel, Time
| Location: | Rynearson Stadium, Ypsilanti, MI |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 14 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN+ |
Eastern Michigan vs Jacksonville State Betting Trends
- Jacksonville State is 0-2 SU and ATS.
- Eastern Michigan is 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS.
- Jacksonville State games are 2-0 to the Over.
- Eastern Michigan games are 2-0 to the Under.
