Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty Predictions, Picks & Odds Week 8

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16 October 2023

Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty Predictions, Picks & Odds Week 8

The Liberty Flames host the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders as we make our best Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty prediction based on the best college football odds.

The Blue Raiders picked up their second win of the season in Week 7, defeating the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 31-23. The Blue Raiders were outgained in total yards but didn’t turn the ball over once.

The Flames kept their undefeated season alive in Week 7, defeating the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 31-13. The game was closer than the final score suggests, as the Flames entered the final quarter with a 17-13 lead.

Here is our best Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty prediction and our college football picks (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty prediction: Week 8

Middle Tennessee +13.5 (-104 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐

The Blue Raiders aren’t as bad as their record suggests, and the Flames haven’t played like an unbeatable team over the last two weeks. Liberty had outscored its opponents just 38-29 in the seven quarters prior to Week 7's 14-0 final frame. That includes a 21-16 win over the now 0-6 Sam Houston Bearkats in Week 6.

Flames’ quarterback Kaidon Salter could be a problem for the Blue Raiders’ defense. He doesn’t look to run that often, but he can pick up significant yardage when he does, which has already resulted in three rushes of over 20 yards this season. He’s also a solid passer and has just two interceptions this year.

However, this game is really going to come down to the Blue Raiders stopping running back Quinton Cooley. Cooley has run for 592 yards this season, as the Flames are averaging 253.5 rushing yards per game. But the Blue Raiders have been good against the run. They’ve allowed just two 100-yard rushers this season, and one of those lapses came against a quarterback they weren’t expecting to see on the field.

The Flames’ defense has been playing well over the last few weeks, allowing just 35 points in three games. Yet, even with that great defensive effort, they’ve won only one game by more than 20 points. The Blue Raiders pose a threat to the Flames’ defense, as they have scored 30 or more in two consecutive games. Since they also defend the run well, we will take them to cover in a low-confidence play.

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Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty best odds

Every one of our best sports betting apps has this spread listed at 13.5. Both FanDuel and Caesars seem close to moving the spread to the key number of 14. If you can get in before that move, both sportsbooks offer good prices on the Blue Raiders to cover.

If they move the spread to 14, it’s time to shop around. The other three sportsbooks have +13.5 listed at -110, but that price could improve as kickoff approaches.

Middle Tennessee vs. Liberty odds

The Flames opened as 11.5-point favorites, and it took no time for the spread to grow to 13.5. Over 80% of wagers currently back the Flames to cover the spread at home. If this amount of support continues, it’s just a matter of time before the spread hits the key number of 14.

The total opened at 54.5, and 60% of wagers are backing the Over. Some of our best sports betting sites have kept the number at 54.5, while others have gone up to 55 or 55.5. We expect the sportsbooks with lower totals to catch up to the others before kickoff.