We have a quartet of college football games around the country tonight, although no power conferences are in action. I'll focus on the CBS Sports Network game from Conference USA as Missouri State (1-3) visits Western Kentucky (1-4). It's a 7 ET kick and already nearly a must-win game for the hosts as one of the preseason conference favorites.
Bet on college football at DraftKings, where new users get $150 when they spend $5+: The weather looks good in Bowling Green, Ky.: mostly clear sky. Winds light and variable. At DraftKings, there is split ATS action at WKU -2.5 but heavy on the home team at -135 on the money line.
Over 56.5 is seeing 86% of money and 55% of bets. You can try college football betting on the best sports betting apps, but first you should check out the SportsLine Projection Model for picks on games from both the simulations and our experts. We have a strong play here for those who want to get into parlay betting for Missouri State vs.
Conference USA didn't put out an official preseason football poll but a "bowl confidence index," and WKU was at 100% along with Jacksonville State and Liberty. Some national publications had Western Kentucky as the CUSA favorite. The Hilltoppers have yet to win that conference title despite their success under coach Tyson Helton -- five straight seasons of at least eight total wins entering 2026.
WKU is one of only nine FBS programs and the lone Group of 6 team with at least eight victories in each of the past five. That's almost surely ending, but Western Kentucky has played a tough schedule that has included visits to ranked Georgia and Indiana. The last time Western Kentucky started 1-4 was in 2021 and it finished 9-5.
After the Hilltoppers were beaten 34-13 at New Mexico State last Thursday in their conference opener, they are now +900 longshots just to reach the CUSA Championship Game for the first time since 2024. Including last season's bowl game, Western Kentucky is on a four-game losing streak against FBS foes, dropping those by an average of 36.0 points per and each by a minimum of 21 points. The school hasn't started 0-2 in CUSA play since 2018.
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