We’ve got football under the Thursday night lights in Ruston, Louisiana, as the 3-2 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers head out on the road to face the 3-3 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Both teams are undefeated in CUSA play, and someone’s “0” has got to go.
Who emerges victorious? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky prediction.
Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Western Kentucky -6 - Moneyline
Western Kentucky -250, Louisiana Tech +205 - Over/Under
59 points - Game time
8 p.m. ET - Location
Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, LA - Predicted Weather at Kick
68 degrees, 4-6 mph winds, mostly cloudy - How to Watch
FuboTV, ESPNU
Thinking you can get lucky betting on Western Kentucky? Are the Bulldogs the team to boost your betting balance this Thursday night? If you’re going to take advantage of the Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Louisiana Tech heads into this Week 6 CUSA matchup with a 5-4 head-to-head advantage over the Hilltoppers dating back to the first-ever class in Kentucky back in 1939. However, Western Kentucky took the spoils the last time the two teams met in 2018, and they’re the favorites for this Thursday night game. Tyson Helton’s team should secure a win, but a close-fought one.
Louisiana Tech has twice been a spread underdog this fall, covering once and failing to cover against SMU. Meanwhile, Western Kentucky is 2-1 as a spread favorite. They held a similar line against Middle Tennessee last time out and covered by a country mile. Our Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky prediction explains why that might not be the case this time around.
With Western Kentucky’s high-scoring reputation, it’s easy to assume that you should hammer the over. Yet, the Hilltoppers are 3-2 in favor of the under this season and only two of Louisiana Tech’s six games have hit the over so far this fall. Although there have been high-scoring matchups between the teams, the previous two editions failed to crack 50 points.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Louisiana Tech Depth Chart | Western Kentucky Depth Chart
- QB Austin Reed, Western Kentucky ($10,500)
- QB Hank Bachmeier, Louisiana Tech ($8,500)
- QB Jack Turner, Louisiana Tech ($8,500)
- RB Tyre Shelton, Louisiana Tech ($10,000)
- RB Davion Ervin-Poindexter, Western Kentucky ($6,600)
- RB Keldric Moody, Louisiana Tech ($6,400)
- RB Jacob Fields, Louisiana Tech ($6,000)
- RB Elijah Young, Western Kentucky ($5,700)
- RB L.T. Sanders, Western Kentucky ($5,600)
- RB Marquis Crosby, Louisiana Tech ($5,400)
- RB Markese Stepp, Western Kentucky ($5,200)
- RB Charvis Thornton, Louisiana Tech ($4,800)
- RB Keith Willis Jr., Louisiana Tech ($4,400)
- WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky ($9,800)
- WR Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech ($8,700)
- WR Easton Messer, Western Kentucky ($8,100)
- WR Cyrus Allen, Louisiana Tech ($7,500)
- WR Tru Edwards, Louisiana Tech ($6,000)
- WR Jimmy Holiday, Western Kentucky ($5,700)
- WR Dalvin Smith, Western Kentucky ($5,600)
- WR Blue Smith, Western Kentucky ($5,400)
- WR Tahj Magee, Louisiana Tech ($5,400)
- TE River Helms, Western Kentucky ($5,300)
- TE Nate Jones, Louisiana Tech ($5,200)
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.
This Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky matchup features some of the highest-scoring players — from a fantasy perspective — in CUSA. Austin Reed is a legitimate option at quarterback or flex, currently sitting second in the conference with 119.42 points.
Facing a Bulldogs defense that has been stingy against the passing game, Reed may play second fiddle to Kaidon Salter.
Hank Bachmeier isn’t in the same zip code as those two QBs from a fantasy standpoint. Furthermore, he missed the last game with an injury and isn’t guaranteed to return for the Western Kentucky game. That makes the Louisiana Tech quarterback situation a no-go but it doesn’t mean you should avoid targeting wide receivers, Smoke Harris and Cyrus Allen.
Your Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky picks could feature any combination of the impact-making playmakers on show on Thursday night.
Four of the top five highest-scoring WRs in CUSA — Allen, Harris, Malachi Corley, and Easton Messer — should be on the field, while Louisiana Tech running back Tyre Shelton should be a shoo-in for your DFS selections.
Prediction for Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction. Can Louisiana Tech deal the Hilltoppers their third defeat of the season and go 3-0 in the conference? Or, will Western Kentucky silence the bark of the Bulldogs while solidifying their place as one of the best in CUSA?
One pre-game decision may have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. Louisiana Tech quarterback Bachmeier missed the Bulldog’s win over UTEP with an injury and it’s unclear whether he’ll take the start or even play a snap at the time of writing. Jack Turner completed just 45% of his pass attempts as the starter as Tech leaned on the ground game to get a result.
The ground game could be a key deciding factor in this game being closer than the spread suggests. In their three defeats this season, the Bulldogs have given up over 200 yards, with North Texas breaking through the 300 rushing-yard barrier in their win over Louisiana Tech. We’ve seen no sign of the Western Kentucky offense having that level of ability in the ground game.
Quarterback Reed and their talented WR room remain the engine that drives Western Kentucky. They face a tough test against a Louisiana Tech secondary featuring Willie Roberts, Myles Heard, and Cedric Woods.
The Bulldogs might be able to limit the Hilltoppers to less than 30 points, but Helton’s team has been too ruthless in the red zone to be completely stopped on Thursday.
Prediction: Louisiana Tech 24, Western Kentucky 27