Two teams coming off byes will meet on Thursday as the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders visit the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Both teams are desperately seeking a victory in the game broadcasted on CBS Sports Network as each school went winless in September. Louisiana Tech is 1-3 overall and 0-1 in Conference USA, while Middle Tennessee is 1-4 on the season and 0-1 in CUSA. MTSU won when these teams played in 2023, but the conference rivals have alternated wins and losses over their last six meetings.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET from Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, La. The latest MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech odds from SportsLine consensus have the Bulldogs as 4.5-point home favorites. The over/under for total points is 48, after opening at 51.5. Before entering any Louisiana Tech vs. MTSU picks, you'll want to see the college football predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football spread picks since inception, and is 8-4 on top-rated picks over the past two weeks of this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.
The model has set its sights on Louisiana Tech vs. Middle Tennessee. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college football betting lines for the spread, money line and over/under for MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech:
- MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech spread: Louisiana Tech -4.5
- MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech over/under: 48 points
- MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech money line: Louisiana Tech -193, MTSU +159
- MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech picks: See picks here
- MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Louisiana Tech can cover
The Bulldogs are stout defensively, giving up just 21.8 points per game, which ranks second in Conference USA. Their 87 total points allowed through four games are their fewest at this point of the year since the 2003 season. Louisiana Tech is holding opposing QBs to just a 58.3 completion percentage and limiting the opposing ground game to only 2.9 yards per carry.
Linebacker Kolbe Fields leads the team with five tackles for loss, and getting stuffed in the backfield was a strength for Louisiana Tech in last year's game against MTSU as the Bulldogs racked up nine tackles for loss. That defense will oppose one of the worst offenses in college football as Middle Tennessee ranks 124th out of 134 FBS teams in scoring. After scoring three rushing touchdowns in a win over FCS school Tennessee Tech in its opener, MTSU has just two total rushing TDs over its last four games. See which team to pick here.
Why Middle Tennessee can cover
MTSU has the offensive talent to not just cover but outright win, especially in the passing game. Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato leads CUSA with 1,285 passing yards while his top target, receiver Omari Kelly, leads the conference with 471 receiving yards. Additionally, Holden Willis, who played out wide as a receiver last season, transitioned to tight end this year, and it's been a successful position change. His 320 receiving yards are second on the team and rank fifth amongst all FBS tight ends in 2024.
Middle Tennessee can also take advantage of Louisiana Tech's offensive deficiencies. The Bulldogs simply cannot move the ball on the ground, averaging only 2.4 yards per carry, which is worst in CUSA and ranks 132nd out of 134 FBS teams. La. Tech also has a tendency to shoot itself in its own foot as just six teams in the nation have more giveaways than the Bulldogs' 12. Their -9 turnover differential is fourth-worst in the nation, which will give MTSU extra opportunities to put points on the board. See which team to pick here.
How to make Middle Tennessee vs. Louisiana Tech picks
The model has simulated Louisiana Tech vs. MTSU 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins MTSU vs. Louisiana Tech, and which side of the spread is hitting well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Louisiana Tech vs. Middle Tennessee spread to jump on, all from the advanced computer model that's up well over $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks since its inception, and find out.