The UCF Knights look to open their 2023 season on a high note as they host the Kent State Golden Flashes on Thursday night in Orlando. UCF joins the Big 12 Conference this season, moving from the AAC and looks to expand their national profile under coach Gus Malzahn. Kent State brings back only four starters from a team that went 5-7 last season and has a new head coach in former Minnesota assistant Kenni Burns. The teams have met four times previously but not since 2004. The series is tied at two wins apiece.
Kickoff at FBC Mortgage Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Knights are 35.5-point favorites in the latest UCF vs. Kent State odds per SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 54.5. Before making any Kent State vs. UCF picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UCF vs. Kent State and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds and betting lines for Kent State vs. UCF:
- UCF vs. Kent State spread: Knights -35.5
- UCF vs. Kent State over/under: 54.5 points
- UCF vs. Kent State money line: Knights -10000, Golden Flashes +1850
- UCF vs. Kent State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Kent State can cover
The Golden Flashes are essentially starting from scratch under new coach Kenni Burns, who comes from Minnesota as the assistant head coach and running backs coach. The team returns zero starters on offense and only four on defense, so Burns is essentially starting with a blank slate. Former head coach Sean Lewis left this offseason to take over duties as Deion Sanders' offensive coordinator at Colorado.
While it seems unlikely that the team can repeat its 5-7 record from 2022, Burns will have multiple options from which to select his team's starting quarterback. Devin Kargman is the lone holdover from last season and is joined by Jaren Lewis (Kansas State transfer) and Michael Alaimo (Purdue transfer). On defense, Kent State returns four starters from a team that allowed 433.2 yards per game, the most among any MAC team in last season.
Why UCF can cover
Coming off a 9-5 season in which they lost their final two games, to Tulane in the AAC Championship Game and a Military Bowl defeat against Duke, UCF looks to aim higher with eight returning starters on offense. Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee started 13 games last season, throwing for 2,586 yards and 14 scores, while rushing for 862 yards and 11 more touchdowns. Though he was sacked 29 times resulting in lost rushing yardage, Plumlee still ranked second among all FBS QBs in rushing yardage last season.
Malzahn teams are known to have dynamic offenses and UCF is no different. They ranked 16th in yards per game last season (469.6), though that total may be tough to exceed with a more difficult conference schedule. R.J. Harvey returns after a 796-yard, five touchdown season as the second string running back in 2022. Defensively, UCF held half of their opponents to 20 or fewer points in a game last season and should continue to be a strong unit again this season, especially in Week 1 against a woefully inexperienced Kent State squad. See which team to pick here.
How to make Kent State vs. UCF picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total. It also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only get the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins UCF vs. Kent State, and which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Kent State vs. UCF spread to jump on, all from the advanced computer model that's up nearly $2,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks since its inception, and find out.
