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Through 3 Quarters
Down three at the end of last quarter, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have now snagged the lead. Sitting on a score of 24-13, they have looked like the better squad out there today, but there's still one more quarter to play.
RB Gaej Walker has led the way so far for the Hilltoppers, as he has picked up 66 yards on the ground on 13 carries. The FIU Panthers have been relying on WR JJ Holloman, who has caught two passes for one TD and 54 yards, and RB D'Vonte Price, who has picked up 100 yards on the ground on 24 carries.
WKU's lead is the biggest they have had this year going into the fourth quarter.
Who's Playing
FIU @ Western Kentucky
Current Records: FIU 0-4; Western Kentucky 3-6
What to Know
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the FIU Panthers are set to square off in a Conference USA matchup at 2 p.m. ET Nov. 21 at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The Hilltoppers come in off of three low-scoring performances in a row, a trend the squad is obviously eager to reverse.
WKU came out on top in a nail-biter against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles last week, sneaking past 10-7. WKU's only offensive touchdown came on a rush from QB Tyrrell Pigrome.
Since the offense as a whole struggled to get points on the board, WKU's defense had to pick up the slack, as it embarrassed Southern Miss' offensive line to sack QB Trey Lowe six times for a total loss of 37 yards. The heavy lifting was done by DL DeAngelo Malone and DT Ricky Barber, who each racked up two sacks.
Meanwhile, FIU ended up a good deal behind the Florida Atlantic Owls when they played last Friday, losing 38-19. FIU's loss came about despite a quality game from RB D'Vonte Price, who rushed for one TD and 178 yards on 26 carries. Price had some trouble finding his footing against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks four weeks ago, so this was a step in the right direction.
The Hilltoppers are the favorite in this one, with an expected 7-point margin of victory. Those burned by picking them against the spread last week might want to keep in mind that the team has not yet dropped back-to-back games against the spread this season.
WKU is now 3-6 while the Panthers sit at 0-4. A pair of defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: WKU enters the game with only 167.2 passing yards allowed per game on average, good for seventh best in the nation. Less enviably, FIU is sixth worst in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game, with 255.3 on average.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 2 p.m. ET
- Where: Houchens-Smith Stadium -- Bowling Green, Kentucky
- TV: ESPN3.com
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Hilltoppers are a solid 7-point favorite against the Panthers, according to the latest college football odds.
Bettors have moved against the Hilltoppers slightly, as the game opened with the Hilltoppers as a 9.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -108
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Series History
Western Kentucky have won three out of their last five games against FIU.
- Sep 07, 2019 - Western Kentucky 20 vs. FIU 14
- Oct 27, 2018 - FIU 38 vs. Western Kentucky 17
- Nov 24, 2017 - FIU 41 vs. Western Kentucky 17
- Nov 05, 2016 - Western Kentucky 49 vs. FIU 21
- Nov 21, 2015 - Western Kentucky 63 vs. FIU 7
