The undefeated Liberty Flames welcomes FBS newcomer Sam Houston Bearkats to Lynchburg in a clash of top versus bottom in Conference USA. Can the Bearkats extinguish the Flames for their first win of 2023, or will Liberty maintain their strong start?
Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Liberty vs. Sam Houston prediction.
Liberty vs. Sam Houston Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Liberty vs. Sam Houston State odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page right here.
- Spread
Liberty -19 - Moneyline
Liberty -1100, Sam Houston State +700 - Over/Under
45 points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Williams Stadium (VA), Lynchburg, VA - Predicted Weather at Kick
62 degrees, 4-6 mph winds, intermittent clouds - How to Watch
FuboTV, CBS Sports Network
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Can you make some lucre on Lady Liberty? Are the Bearkats the boys to bolster your bank balance this football Thursday? If you’re going to take advantage of the Liberty vs. Sam Houston State odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
The two teams are experiencing very different fortunes coming into this first-ever meeting, and that’s reflected in the odds. The Flames are an overwhelming favorite, with a moneyline usually reserved for FBS vs. FCS teams, incidentally. Despite the Bearkats showing some signs of life in their last game, Liberty should win this one and go 3-0 in CUSA.
The spread line is extreme, especially given that Sam Houston State has only lost by that gap once this season. They’re 2-1 against the spread as a double-digit underdog which means you should approach this bet with caution. That said, Liberty is one of a handful of teams to cover every game this season, with their last two wins coming by more than the 19-point line.
Although our Liberty vs. Sam Houston State prediction suggests the Flames can cover, it isn’t a confidence pick by any stretch of the imagination. Neither is the points line. Combined, Liberty and Sam Houston State are 4-4 on the over. Just one game featuring the Bearkats has gone over the 45-point line. That said, our prediction sees a 49-point total. Approach with caution.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Liberty Depth Chart | Sam Houston Depth Chart
- QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty ($12,000)
- QB Keegan Shoemaker, Sam Houston ($6,400)
- QB Grant Gunnell, Sam Houston ($5,500)
- RB Billy Lucas, Liberty ($7,600)
- RB Quinton Cooley, Liberty ($7,100)
- RB John Gentry, Sam Houston ($6,800)
- RB Zach Hrbacek, Sam Houston ($5,000)
- RB Landan Brown, Sam Houston ($4,700)
- RB Victor Venn, Liberty ($4,300)
- WR Treon Sibley, Liberty ($8,000)
- WR CJ Daniels, Liberty ($7,600)
- WR Elijah Smoot, Liberty ($6,700)
- WR Noah Smith, Sam Houston ($6,500)
- WR Aaron Bedgood, Liberty ($5,800)
- WR Noah Frith, Liberty ($5,300)
- WR Mark Phillips, Sam Houston ($5,200)
- WR Shane Johnson, Sam Houston ($5,000)
- TE Bentley Hanshaw, Liberty ($7,100)
- TE Elijah Sohn, Sam Houston ($4,600)
- TE Jax Sherrard, Sam Houston ($4,500)
- TE Austin Henderson, Liberty ($4,500)
There are two college football games on Thursday to compile your DFS team from in Week 6. 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.
You have a business decision to make at QB on this Thursday night slate. No, not between the quarterbacks in this game, but between Liberty’s Kaidon Salter and Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed. Salter leads all CUSA QBs with 135.56 points, with his dual-threat capability a major asset for fantasy purposes. Reed faces a Louisiana Tech defense that has been stingy against the passing game.
While Sam Houston did a good job of nullifying Logan Smothers’ as a dual-threat against Jacksonville State, they didn’t stop the Gamecocks running back as well. Liberty’s Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas are coming off 100-yard games against FIU, and should take one of your two RB spots with Louisiana Tech’s Tyre Shelton or Keith Willis Jr. taking the other.
MORE: ESPN College Game Day: Week 6
That said, John Gentry had a breakout game last week, and his ability as a receiving back makes him one of Sam Houston’s more dangerous offensive weapons alongside wide receiver Noah Smith. However, with Smoke Harris, Cyrus Allen, and Malachi Corley all in action today, WR might not be a factor your Liberty vs. Sam Houston picks. Treon Sibley could be a value add.
Prediction for Liberty vs. Sam Houston
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Liberty vs. Sam Houston State odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction. Do the Flames continue to torch all-comers? Or, can the Bearkats do some damage against their CUSA foes and secure the first Sam Houston State win of the 2023 campaign?
Having been offensively atrocious to open the season, Sam Houston State got it together a little against Jacksonville State and took one of the conference’s top defenses to task in the early going. The breakout game from Gentry, plus some impressive plays in the passing game from QB Keegan Shoemaker should give Bearkats fans a little confidence boost.
The defense also came to play in that game, as they have done in some low-scoring affairs to open their first FBS campaign. The Bearkats have allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns in CUSA while ranking third for points per game and yards per game allowed. Players like Trevor Williams, Kavian Gaither, and Caleb Weaver have all made impactful plays so far.
MORE: Top-25 College Football Power Rankings
Yet, Liberty has a clear advantage on both sides of the ball. Averaging 40 points per game, there hasn’t been a more productive offense than the one led by Salter and a strong ground game. The other side of the ball leads CUSA in total defense, and is second in points allowed. They have studs from front to back, led by DB Tyren Dupree who impacts the game in all phases.
Prediction: Liberty 35, Sam Houston 14