How and what to watch for in the LendingTree Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State

Another Sun Belt vs. Conference USA showdown is on the docket for Saturday as the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Georgia State Panthers will look to finish their respective seasons on the right note when they meet in Mobile.

Sporting a 5-4 record, Shawn Elliott’s Panthers found themselves in several high-scoring affairs throughout the 2020 season with a 49-29 victory over East Carolina and a 59-52 loss to Arkansas State exemplifying the type of track meets they could find themselves in. Following a 51-0 shellacking at the hands of Coastal Carolina mid-season, the Cornelious Brown-led GSU offense got back into gear by winning three of their last four contests to earn a trip to the LendingTree Bowl.

Meanwhile, WKU didn’t have much offense to showcase in 2020 by only averaging 18.8 points per game but they did sport the No. 30 ranked defense per SP+. Listless for the first two months of the campaign, the Hilltoppers rattled off three straight victories to close the season and will have a chance to finish at .500 with a win over GSU.

Game Time/TV Channel/Streaming

You can watch Western Kentucky face Georgia State in the LendingTree Bowl on Saturday, December 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. You can stream it via WatchESPN or the ESPN app with a cable or streaming service login.

Point Spread, Totals, Odds, Trends

Point Spread: Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State (-4)
Point Total: 50
Moneyline: Western Kentucky +145, Georgia State -177,

Betting Splits

Western Kentucky: (28% of handle, 33% of bets)
Georgia State: (72% of handle, 67% of bets)

• Georgia State has covered the spread in each of its last four day games in Alabama.
• Six of Georgia State’s last eight games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
• Georgia State is 6-3 against the spread this season, Western Kentucky is 4-7.

The Best Bet

The only two contests where Western Kentucky amounted 30 points or more were their final two victories of the season over Florida International and Charlotte. That was due in part to them securing defensive touchdowns in both contests.

The Tyrell Pigrome-led Hilltopper offense has struggled to produce much of anything this season and unless they’re able to secure the same turnover luck they had in the last two games of the regular season, it’d be hard to imagine them keeping pace with a GSU offense that’s proven it can run it up when necessary.

Pick: Georgia State (-4)

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/MI/PA/WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA) or Call or Text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789. 21+ (18+ NH). NJ/PA/WV/IA/IN/CO/IL/TN/MI only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.