Southern Miss vs Kentucky prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 1
It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Southern Miss-Kentucky prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Southern Miss-Kentucky.
This turned out to be an explosive, controversial, and ultimately complicated offseason for coach Mark Stoops and the Kentucky football program. As Wildcats Wire reported, “Kentucky and the NCAA settled on an agreement last month that placed the Wildcats’ football program on probation for two years after no less than 11 players were found to have received payment for work/jobs they never performed between spring 2021 and March 2022. As part of the NCAA’s sanctions, Kentucky agreed to vacate its 10 wins from 2021, a season that ended with the Wildcats earning a victory over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. Kentucky also posted wins that year over rivals Florida, Louisville and South Carolina.”
That was one part of the turbulent offseason for Stoops and the Wildcats. That wasn’t all.
Months before the vacated wins, Stoops watched Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari — under heavy fire from a disgruntled fan and donor base — leave to take the open head coaching job at Arkansas. Stoops and Calipari had feuded in the open on social media, with Calipari calling Kentucky a basketball school even though the Wildcats — over the past nine years — have not returned to the Final Four while Stoops has registered some hugely impressive seasons in Lexington. Stoops did not take kindly to Calipari’s words, and some infighting marked part of the reality of Kentucky athletics. Calipari leaving Lexington could be seen in some ways as a victory for Stoops, but in other ways it strips him of the political cover he had with Calipari underachieving in basketball. Stoops looked good in comparison to Calipari, given that Kentucky is expected to make Final Fours in hoops but is not expected to win SEC championships in football. Now Stoops doesn’t have the ability to point to the basketball program as the underachiever. New basketball coach Mark Pope will get a honeymoon period, putting more scrutiny on Stoops to do well in 2024. If he stumbles, fans are going to let him know about it. It’s really important for Stoops to do well in 2024. If he doesn’t, his position will become more tenuous. UK has a chance to change the mood in Lexington by playing Southern Miss. A blowout win would calm some nerves after a difficult offseason for the head coach and his football program.
Here are the Southern Miss-Kentucky College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Southern Miss-Kentucky Odds
Southern Miss: +27.5 (-104)
Moneyline: +2400
Kentucky: -27.5 (-118)
Moneyline: -10000
Over: 49.5 (-110)
Under: 49.5 (-110)
How to Watch Southern Miss vs Kentucky
Time: 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT
TV: SEC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Southern Miss Could Cover The Spread/Win
Is Kentucky’s offense good enough to cover a four-touchdown spread? That’s a big question to ask in Week 1. Kentucky is going to win this game, but we don’t know if Kentucky is good enough or potent enough to win in a big-time blowout. The Wildcats face a lot of questions, and if they’re not letter-perfect, USM can keep this game somewhat close and cover, maybe in a 31-10 type of game where UK cruises but doesn’t fully put the hammer down.
Why Kentucky Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Wildcats have heard all the bad things said about them and their program — and their coach — in the offseason. They are going to be angry and ready to prove a point in their first game. Kentucky’s energy will catapult the Wildcats to a 35-point blowout win.
Final Southern Miss-Kentucky Prediction & Pick
We don’t know how good Kentucky’s offense is. Pass on this one.
Final Southern Miss-Kentucky Prediction & Pick: Southern Miss +27.5
The post Southern Miss vs Kentucky prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 1 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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