A rebuilding Kent State, with an entirely new offense, faces a daunting task against a high-energy UCF team, resulting in a predicted blowout victory for UCF in their season opener. Read on for our free match preview and betting picks.
Match Live Thursday 31th August, 7:00 PM ET
Key Stats
– UCF’s offense, led by veteran QB John Rhys Plumlee, remains high-energy and talented despite the transfer of their leading receiver.
– The spread for the game is more than five touchdowns, indicating a strong expectation of a UCF blowout.
BettingPicks Expert Predictions
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Kent State Golden Flashes vs UCF Knights predictions: Rebuilding Kent State Faces A Tough Test Against High-Energy UCF
Central Florida (UCF) and Kent State kick off their seasons with a Thursday night matchup in Orlando. UCF, gearing up to join the Big 12, is expected to have little trouble dismantling a Kent State program that has faced significant challenges during the offseason. Kent State’s offseason was marked by a series of departures, starting with their head coach being recruited by Deion Sanders to become the offensive coordinator at Colorado. This move triggered a mass exodus of players into the transfer portal, resulting in the Golden Flashes having to replace their entire offense—all 11 players. It is unclear what offensive strategy they will employ this season, but given the complete overhaul and the program’s predicted finish at the bottom of the MAC, it is safe to assume they will face struggles in Week 1.
UCF’s Offense Poised to Shine
On the other hand, UCF, under the guidance of Coach Gus Malzahn, returns with veteran quarterback John Rhys Plumlee leading the offense. Despite losing their leading receiver to transfer, UCF’s offense remains fast-paced and high-energy, boasting a wealth of talent at both receiver and running back positions. While they may face challenges later in the season against Big 12 opponents, UCF is expected to put on a dominant performance in this early-season matchup.
Predicting the Outcome
The key question is the margin of victory for UCF. The spread is large, at more than five touchdowns, indicating a strong expectation of a UCF blowout. This prediction seems accurate given Kent State’s completely revamped offense and the likelihood of them struggling to score. At some point, UCF may ease off, but a final score in the region of 45-10 seems plausible. Ultimately, staying under the total seems a safer bet than covering more than five touchdowns on the spread.
BettingPicks Expert Predictions
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