One of the great things about midweek college football games is that it allows a wider audience the opportunity to watch teams they’d normally ignore on a busy Saturday.
Take the Florida International University Panthers, for example.
One of the funkiest teams in the country, FIU is abysmal with the ball, averaging just 18.5 points per game this season. However, the Panthers’ defense has been so good that FIU is 3-2 overall and considered one of the favorites to make it to the Conference USA Championship in December.
They’ll almost certainly need to upset Jacksonville State on Tuesday night to make that happen. The Gamecocks are a 2.5-point favorite over the Panthers.
FIU vs. Jacksonville State odds, prediction
While Florida International has a clear strength and an even clearer weakness, Jacksonville State grades out pretty well across the board by Conference USA standards.
The Gamecocks average 5.7 yards per play on offense (55th overall), 4.1 yards per rush (75th), and 7.8 yards per pass (49th). The numbers on defense are similarly poised. Jacksonville State allows 5.1 yards per play (50th), 4.1 yards per rush (59th), and 6.9 yards per pass (54th).
You can make a good living in the bottom rung of the Group of 6 with those numbers, and that’s what Jacksonville State has done.
But FIU isn’t your typical CUSA opponent; the Panthers are monsters without the ball.
Only one team (Wisconsin) is allowing fewer yards per play than FIU (3.9), and only three are conceding less yards per contest (250). The Panthers also rank inside the top-10 in points allowed (14.5), yards per rush allowed (2.8), and yards allowed per pass (5.3).
Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps
And before you wonder about the quality of competition, FIU has played some relatively tough opponents, including FAU, South Florida, and Buffalo.
FIU’s offense leaves plenty to be desired, but the defense is so good at playing on its terms that it hasn’t really bit the Panthers just yet.
As long as the defense holds to form, the Panthers have value as an underdog on the road.
The Play: FIU moneyline (+115, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
