Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Cam Cook (4) scores a touchdown against the UTEP Miners at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas.

The Kennesaw State Owls (9-3) and Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4) meet Friday in the Conference USA Championship Game. Kickoff from AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama, is at 7 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NCAA football odds around the Kennesaw State vs. Jacksonville State odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.

Kennesaw State enters the CUSA title game after winning 9 of its last 10, finishing 9-3 overall and 7-1 in league play — a surprising rise for a team that opened at +4000 to win the conference. QB Amari Odom has been the catalyst, completing 64.7% of his passes for 2,139 yards and 17 TDs, while adding 7 rushing scores. He’s totaled 11 TD with no INTs over the last 2 weeks. WR Gabriel Benyard leads the team with 877 receiving yards and 9 TDs, with WR Christian Moss adding 602 yards and 2 TDs.

The Owls averaged 31.7 points and 448.9 yards per game (YPG), while allowing 27.4 points and 448.7 yards. Their biggest recent concern is run defense — giving up 244.6 rushing YPG over the last 3. LB Baron Hopson anchors the unit with 120 tackles, and DL Elijah Hill leads CUSA with 7 sacks.

Kennesaw State entered Conference USA in 2024 and is making its first appearance in the CUSA title game.

Jacksonville State enters the title game having won 6 of its last 7, bouncing back from a loss to the Florida International Golden Panthers with a strong finish against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The Gamecocks lean heavily on one of the nation’s top rushing attacks, averaging 285.8 YPG. RB Cam Cook leads the country with 1,588 yards and 15 TDs, while QB Caden Creel adds another 81 rushing YPG and has steadily improved as a passer with 1,245 yards and 8 TDs. Freshman WR Deondre Johnson has emerged as a needed deep threat, logging a TD in 5 straight games and averaging 28.2 yards per receptions (20 catches, 564 yards, 6 TDs).

The Gamecocks takes care of the ball better than anyone in the league, committing just 12 turnovers all season and a conference-best +0.75 turnover margin. Defensively, the Gamecocks allow 29.2 points and 433.5 YPG, but have generated key plays, including 4 INTs in their first meeting with Kennesaw State. LB Walker O’Steen leads the team with 69 tackles, while Emmanuel Oyebadejo anchors the pass rush.

Jacksonville State captured its first-ever Conference USA title in 2024, dominating Western Kentucky 52-12 in its first season of eligibility.

These teams last met on Nov. 10, when Jacksonville State beat Kennesaw State 35-26 as a 3.5-point home underdog as the Over 56.5 hit.

– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports

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Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:01 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Kennesaw State -140 (bet $140 to win $100) | Jacksonville State +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
  • Against the spread: Kennesaw State -2.5 (-110) | Jacksonville State +2.5 (-110)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 60.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State picks and predictions

Prediction

Jacksonville State 31, Kennesaw State 30

Moneyline

PASS.

I don't mind betting the Gamecocks (+115) on the moneyline, but I'll take the points.

Against the spread

BET JACKSONVILLE STATE +2.5 (-110).

The matchup itself leans toward the Gamecocks. They’ve got the third-best rushing attack in the country, piling up nearly 286 yards per game, and that’s a huge problem for a Kennesaw State defense that ranks outside the top 100 in stopping the run. Cook is a nightmare to tackle, and Creel’s mobility forces defenses into mistakes. That combination wore the Owls down the first time, and I don’t see a major adjustment coming on a short turnaround.

And then there’s the line movement. This opened close to a pick’em, but the public pushed Kennesaw into road-favorite territory. That gives us value on a Jacksonville State team that’s 4-1 ATS at home and has already pulled off multiple outright wins as home underdogs.

Kennesaw moved the ball well in the first meeting but turned it over 4 times. Even if they clean that up, the Gamecocks’ run game and home field advantage should control the tempo again.

I’m sticking with Jacksonville State to cover—and I wouldn’t be shocked if they win outright for the second time.

Over/Under

BET OVER 60.5 (-105).

These teams already combined for 61 points in their regular-season meeting, and both defenses have struggled all year. Kennesaw has gone over in 3 straight, while Jacksonville State has gone over in 7 of its last 10. Both offenses average over 31 points per game, and neither defense ranks inside the top 70 nationally. With 2 mobile quarterbacks and explosive run games, this feels like another high-scoring matchup.

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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Kennesaw State Owls at Jacksonville State Gamecocks odds, picks and predictions

Reporting by Drew Phelps, Sportsbook Wire / Sportsbook Wire

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