Kent State vs UCF Odds & Picks: Expect Thursday Night Blowout

Kent State vs UCF Odds

Highlighting the realignment strikes that went into impact this season are a trio of groups transferring from the American Athletic Convention to the Large 12. UCF strikes as much as the Large 12 after profitable 4 AAC Championships throughout its 10 years within the convention.

Head coach Gus Malzahn enters his third season in Orlando after a pair of nine-win seasons and can look to maintain issues rolling in opposition to the elevated competitors. Of the 4 newcomers within the Large 12, UCF seems to be in one of the best place to make noise shortly.

Talking of shortly, the Flash Quick offense is perhaps useless. Kent State head coach Sean Lewis left Kent to take the offensive coordinator job for Deion Sanders at Colorado. Kenni Burns takes over after serving because the working backs coach at Minnesota since 2017.

Burns may have an empty cabinet to work with and can doubtless wrestle to area a aggressive crew in his first season.

With a lot change taking place on either side, let’s dive into the percentages for Kent State vs. UCF and discover a betting choose for Thursday night time’s Week 1 opener.

As an alternative of itemizing the names of the gamers who’re not with the crew, it could be a lot faster to listing who’s returning for the Golden Flashes.

Here is the listing of Kent State’s returning starters:

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That’s the listing. It’s no person. The Flashes return precisely zero gamers on offense. Greater than 25 gamers have entered the switch portal since Lewis left, and now Kent State has the bottom TARP rating in your complete nation.

Quarterback Collin Schlee, working again Marquez Cooper, extensive receivers Dante Cephas, Devontez Walker and Ja’Shaun Poke are all gone.

Michael Alaimo takes over at quarterback after transferring from Purdue. He threw a grand complete of 18 passes in three years in West Lafayette.

It’s all relative, however the dashing assault ought to be the Golden Flashes’ energy. Cooper was an All-MAC choice in 2022, however Xavier Williams returns after lacking all of final season with an harm. He rushed for over 800 yards in 2021.

The portal additionally introduced Ky Thomas, who began his profession at Minnesota after which went to Kansas. He rushed for 986 yards and eight touchdowns in two seasons on the Energy 5 stage. Thomas led Minnesota in dashing in the course of the 2021 season with Burns as his working backs coach.

Nonetheless, his eligibility stays in query, as he didn’t seem on the preliminary depth chart.

The protection may have a little bit extra stability with 5 projected returning starters. Linebackers would be the energy of this unit with CJ Harris, Khali Saunders and Khalib Johns all returning to man the center of the sphere.

Saying that this protection has a bend-not-break philosophy could be very beneficiant, however that is basically what it tries to do. Kent State ranked a hundred and twentieth in Success Charge on protection, permitting groups to maneuver up and down the sphere at will. Nonetheless, it ranked thirty fifth in stopping explosiveness.

Whereas the switch portal gutted this offense, Kent State used it to assist retool the protection. Newcomers Jalani Williams (Missouri), Dallas Craddieth (Iowa), Tyler Baylor (Maryland), Mattheus Carroll (Virginia Tech), Devin Nicholson (Missouri) and Naim Muhammad (West Virginia) will look to assist enhance this protection shortly.

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The massive query heading into final season for the Knights was how they might change Dillon Gabriel after he left for Oklahoma. John Rhys Plumlee gained the beginning job over Mikey Keene and used his dual-threat skill to steer a 9-3 common season with a visit to the AAC Championship Sport.

If you happen to’re a UCF fan or only a faculty soccer fan, purchase a Plumlee jersey. He is donating all proceeds to the Arnold Palmer Kids’s Hospital.

The previous Ole Miss switch averaged 198.9 yards passing with 14 touchdowns and 66.3 yards dashing with 11 scores on the bottom. His legs have been his most harmful weapon, however for UCF to compete within the Large 12, Plumlee wants to enhance as a passer and minimize down on his eight interceptions.

4 of UCF’s prime 5 receiving weapons will likely be again within the combine, led by main receiver Javon Baker. Kobe Hudson and Xavier Townsend are additionally again, as is tight finish Alec Holler. Security valve Ryan O’Keefe left for Boston Faculty, however the Knights nonetheless have loads of weapons to permit this passing assault to take a step ahead.

Operating the ball will proceed to be the energy of this crew. We all know Malzahn usually implores a run-first method, and that doubtless gained’t change given the depth of this working again room.

Isaiah Bowser is gone, however RJ Harvey and Johnny Richardson return after each averaged greater than 6.7 yards per carry final yr.

Plumlee led the crew in dashing final yr, and whereas Malzahn doubtless hopes any person else will this yr, he is a deadly weapon to choose up key yardage when wanted.

The UCF protection was very inconsistent final yr. It was terrific in opposition to the run, rating twenty fifth within the nation, however too typically received burned by above-average passing assaults. Plus, its greatest defensive again, Davonte Brown, transferred to Miami.

Three new starters will must be transitioned into this secondary, though certainly one of them will likely be Decorian Patterson, a switch from Center Tennessee. Patterson led the nation with seven interceptions final season.

Creating Havoc and getting after the quarterback must be an emphasis to assist this secondary enhance. UCF struggled to create Havoc final season however has an skilled defensive position with Ricky Barber, Josh Celiscar and Tre’Mon Morris-Brash all returning.

Linebacker Jason Johnson can also be again after main the crew in tackles.

Kent State is perhaps the worst crew in your complete nation this season. Our Motion Community Energy Rankings have it ranked useless final at 133rd, whereas SP+ has it ranked 132. The Golden Flashes’ win complete sits at simply 2.5.

Count on Kent to proceed leaning on its working sport, simply at a a lot slower tempo. Thomas is probably going this crew’s greatest participant, and his outdated working backs coach ought to give the keys to the offense to the man he trusts in his head teaching debut.

That performs proper into the fingers of a UCF protection that ranked twenty fifth within the nation in Speeding Success Charge final yr. The Knights return almost their complete entrance seven and ought to be ready in opposition to a Kent State crew with a completely new offensive line and no receivers on the surface to worry.

Throughout this offseason, Malzahn mentioned, “I wouldn’t commerce our working again room for any within the nation.” Whereas I can most likely assume of some higher, this unit continues to be excellent. Harvey and Richardson ought to run throughout this protection, as ought to Plumlee.

If the Knights need to see Plumlee enhance as a passer and provides him some confidence throwing the ball, it is a nice sport to do it in. UCF ought to be capable to get no matter it desires on offense, whereas this brand-new Kent State crew won’t rating in any respect.

Malzahn-led groups have coated the unfold in 5 straight video games as favorites of 28 or extra, together with a 1-0 file at UCF. The Bounce Home will likely be rocking on Thursday night time, and I think about the Knights need to make a robust assertion of their first sport as a member of the Large 12.

That is a kind of video games the place UCF can win by 50 if it desires. We simply must hope the Knights hold their foot on the gasoline for your complete sport.

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