Middle Tennessee State is hosting Delaware on Wednesday night of Week 9. The game will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET in Newark, Delaware.
The Blue Hens are 9.5-point home favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 54.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for the Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee State C-USA conference matchup.
Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee State prediction, preview
Delaware Preview
The Blue Hens have had an up-and-down first season at the FBS level. It is a step-up in competition from the CAA of the FCS to C-USA in the FBS. Just like going from C-USA to the SEC or from the SEC to the NFL, it’s a noticeable jump in opponent quality. Even if you are a talented and well-coached team, for the most part, the players are bigger, faster and stronger at the next level. Delaware started the season 3-1, with a quality win over UConn, and its only loss coming to Colorado. However, they have lost back-to-back conference games ahead of this matchup. The one player that can’t be faulted is quarterback Nick Minicucci. Minicucci has been sensational this season. He leads C-USA in passing yards, and he has 16 total touchdowns on the season. With Minicucci at the helm, Delaware can beat anybody in the conference.
Middle Tennessee State Preview
It has been a dreadful start to the season for Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Raiders are 1-5 on the season, with their lone win coming against Nevada. They are 0-3 in conference play, with struggles coming on both sides of the ball. They rank 107th in the nation in offensive EPA/play and 130th in defensive EPA/play. Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato is a third-year starter in this program, but he has not been able to reach the same level that he was at in the past two seasons. The offense looked better last week against Missouri State, but they were plagued by a missed field goal, a bad fumble and two turnovers on downs. If the Blue Raiders can fix those mistakes and sharpen up on key downs, they should improve. The roster is better than their record reflects at the moment.
Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee State pick, best bet
My best bet in the “Blue Bowl” between the Blue Raiders and Blue Hens is Middle Tennessee State +9.5. Delaware has been struggling in conference play, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Blue Hens rank 115th in defensive EPA/play and 128th in defensive EPA/drive. Nicholas Vattiato and the Middle Tennessee State offense should move the ball on them. If they can just turn those drives into touchdowns, they should be in this game the whole way with a real chance to win. Middle Tennessee State is due for some positive regression, and against such a poor defense, this could be the chance to get a conference win on the board.
