970x125
It’s not gone well for Derek Mason at Middle Tennessee State.
Not only has Mason watched his former program, Vanderbilt, rise from the ashes under Clark Lea, but his current team is 1-5 and widely considered one of the worst in FBS.
Replacing Rick Stockstill, who turned the Blue Raiders into a respectable Group of 5 outfit during his 17-year tenure in Murfreesboro, was never going to be easy, but the pressure is on Mason in Year 2, especially with Middle Tennessee State getting a game on national TV on Wednesday night.
The Blue Raiders are 9.5-point underdogs under the lights of Delaware Stadium in what figures to be a midweek classic.
Delaware vs. Middle Tennessee State odds, prediction
There is beauty everywhere you look in college football, and this tilt is no different.
While it may seem like a game with low stakes and no reason for casuals to tune in, the truth is that both of these teams have a lot at stake.
While Middle Tennessee is looking to take some heat off its coach, the Blue Hens will be champing at the bit to show where their program is in its first season in FBS.
Since this is a transition year for Delaware, it can’t go to the C-USA Championship Game or to a bowl, so moments like Wednesday, when the Blue Hens get to show off on ESPN2, will be cherished.
Betting on College Football?
The Blue Hens are 3-3, and all of their defeats were forgivable. Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State are two of the best teams in Conference USA, and a drubbing at the hands of Colorado was expected.
What we’ve learned about Delaware through six games is that the Blue Hens love to air it out.
The run game has never really gotten going, but that’s not been an issue as they rank 120th in rushing play percentage.
Middle Tennessee is one of the few teams in the country that passes it more often than Delaware, but that’s not necessarily a good thing, as SP+ grades the Blue Raiders as the 134th-best offense in FBS.
The Blue Raiders can generate a pass rush, but there’s going to be way too much pressure on the defense to bend and not break because the offense won’t be able to stick with Delaware.
This could get very ugly.
The Play: Delaware -9.5 (-110, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
