The final midweek slate of Conference USA action this season features the 6-2 Jacksonville State Gamecocks traveling to the Sunshine State on Wednesday night to take on the 4-4 FIU Golden Panthers.
Who emerges victorious? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and an FIU vs. Jacksonville State prediction.
FIU vs. Jacksonville State Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Want to take advantage of the FIU vs. Jacksonville State odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Jacksonville State -8 - Moneyline
Jacksonville State -310, FIU +250 - Over/Under
45 points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Riccardo Silva Stadium, Miami, FL - Predicted Weather at Kick
77 degrees, 10-12 mph winds, mostly clear - How to Watch
CBS Sports Network, FuboTV
Looking to pounce on the Golden Panthers? Fancy Jacksonville State to smash the spread, muller the moneyline, and obliterate the over? If you’re going to take advantage of the FIU vs. Jacksonville State odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Fresh off beating one FBS newcomer, FIU welcomes the other CUSA FCS convert to Miami looking to get only their second conference win of the year. The Golden Panthers are an underdog for the seventh time this season, and have a 3-3 record when coming into the game in that situation.
However, Jacksonville State hasn’t lost as a favorite this year, compiling a 3-0 record including an out of conference win over Eastern Michigan. The Gamecocks are also 2-1 against the spread when they’re favored, with them pushing against Sam Houston. Our FIU vs. Jacksonville State prediction has them winning and covering the spread.
Finishing off the FIU vs. Jacksonville State odds, can the two teams cover the 45 point over/under line? It’s a low line, but the two have combined to hit the over just five times in 16 games this season. We’re hedging the under, but there is a chance of the game quickly becoming a high-scoring affair if FIU get off to a hot start against the vaunted Jacksonville State defense.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
FIU Depth Chart | Jacksonville State Depth Chart
- QB Zion Webb, Jacksonville State ($10,600)
- QB Keyone Jenkins, FIU ($9,800)
- QB Logan Smothers, Jacksonville State ($9,000)
- RB Anwar Lewis, Jacksonville State ($8,600)
- RB Kejon Owens, FIU ($8,000)
- RB Malik Jackson, Jacksonville State ($7,800)
- RB Shomari Lawrence, FIU ($6,700)
- RB Reggion Bennett, Jacksonville State ($6,100)
- RB Antonio Patterson, FIU ($4,400)
- WR Kris Mitchell, FIU ($8,300)
- WR Perry Carter, Jacksonville State ($7,100)
- WR Eric Rivers, FIU ($6,400)
- WR Jalen Bracy, FIU ($5,900)
- WR Quinton Lane, Jacksonville State ($5,800)
- WR Dean Patterson, FIU ($5,300)
- WR Michael Pettway, Jacksonville State ($5,200)
- WR Jamarye Joiner, Jacksonville State ($5,100)
- TE Sean Brown, Jacksonville State ($5,200)
- TE Joseph Miamen, FIU ($5,100)
There are two college football games on Wednesday to compile your DFS team from in Week 9. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “superflex” that can be any of the above. Or you can also select a tight end for the Superflex spot.
Wednesday is not an ideal quarterback day for fantasy purposes. Of the four/five projected starters across the two games, FIU’s Keyone Jenkins is the highest-scoring fantasy QB in CUSA, but we don’t much like his matchup here. We’re presuming that Zion Webb builds on an epic performance against Western Kentucky, with his rushing capability boosting his scoring potential.
Shomari Lawrence and Kejon Owens face a tough test against this Jacksonville State rushing defense and should be approached with caution. Malik Jackson has been “must start” material but missed the Gamecocks win over Western Kentucky with an injury and his status is unclear.
If he doesn’t go, Anwar Lewis is the next back in line, and he’s a dangerous one at that.
Selecting three wide receivers from these two games might be challenging, but your FIU vs. Jacksonville State picks should almost certainly include Kris Mitchell. The Golden Panthers pass catcher hasn’t tallied less than 75 yards in the last four games, and he leads the Panthers with five touchdown receptions.
Prediction for FIU vs. Jacksonville State
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the FIU vs. Jacksonville State odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction. Can the Golden Panthers upset the odds and slay another FBS newcomer? Or will Jacksonville State continue their impressive run of form with a seventh win of the season?
Mike MacIntyre’s team overcame the odds as an underdog last time out to record their first CUSA win of the year, an overtime victory against Sam Houston. While they face a Jacksonville State team also in their transitional year, the reality is that the Gamecocks aren’t even remotely comparable to Sam Houston as an opponent.
Whenever you have a dual-threat quarterback with the talent of Jenkins on your roster, there is always a chance of pulling out a result. FIU also has talented running backs who can run the rock. Yet, in regular-time play, they’ve scored more than 20 points just twice in eight games this season.
Furthermore, against a Gamecocks run defense that has allowed just nine rushing touchdowns, 3.02 yards per carry, and the second-fewest rush yards despite facing the second-most carries, that offensive direction may yield little reward, and they don’t have the passing game to switch up the game plan.
Jacksonville State has the playmakers to make life extremely difficult for the FIU offense. There are few more talented edge duos in college football than Chris Hardie and J-Rock Swain, while Quae Drake and Kolbi Fuqua do such a great job of marshaling the defense and setting the tone for the team.
The Gamecocks aren’t a team that will line up on offense and beat you with the passing game, especially not with Webb under center, but both QBs can move the chains with their legs, helping weaponize a ground game that operates at a high level no matter the back. That will prove the difference against an FIU defense giving up 4.80 yards per carry. Gamecocks roll to another win.
Prediction: Jacksonville State 27, FIU 17