Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Prediction, Odds & How to Watch CUSA Championship (Dec. 5)

• Jacksonville State goes for back-to-back Conference USA football titles when it hosts Kennesaw State Friday at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
• The Gamecocks beat the Owls 35-26 in the regular season but are 2.5-point underdogs after opening as favorites.
• Continue reading for my Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State prediction, odds, and how to watch the CUSA Championship.

Kennesaw State (9-3; 6-6 ATS) travels to Alabama to face Jacksonville State (8-4; 7-4-1 ATS) for the Conference USA title Friday night.

The Owls are one of the biggest turnarounds in FBS this season after going 2-10 last year. They’ve won five one-possession games this season, tied for the most in college football.

Jacksonville State dominated the conference title game last year and will look to do so again behind the nation’s leading rusher, Cam Cook.

I’ve got all the details you need to know for the 2025 Conference USA title game Friday night, including my Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State prediction.

Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Prediction

My Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State prediction:

• Jacksonville State +2.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

• Under 60.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

First thing to know: Kennesaw State is in Georgia. Jacksonville State is in Alabama. Got it? With that out of the way, here’s why I’m backing Jacksonville State and the under in my Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State prediction:

I know the old rule about it’s hard to beat a team twice, but Jacksonville State didn’t struggle in the first game. The Gamecocks have been dominant at home, and their ground game with Cook should control this matchup.

I will take Jacksonville State at home with the points, but I lean toward the under. When they met the first time, they didn’t cross 60 points—I don’t see why they would do it now.

Jacksonville State Gamecocks Analysis

The story of the Gamecocks’ season came in Week 5 when Coach Charles Kelly pulled former Rutgers starter Gavin Wimsatt in favor of QB Cam Creel. Since then, Jax State has lost just once. Creel and Cam Cook are a dynamic 1-2 running attack. Cook leads FBS with 1,581 yards. He’s a transfer from TCU.

Jacksonville State has covered the last six home games against conference opponents and won 11 in a row at AmFirst Stadium.

The Gamecocks were three-point favorites in the regular-season meeting and won by nine. It was 32-13 when Kennesaw State started to rally. Cook had 132 yards in the win that day.

Kennesaw State Owls Analysis

Kennesaw State lost to Wake Forest and Indiana to start the year—nothing negative there. They beat Liberty in double overtime to make it to the title game last week. QB Amari Odom threw for four touchdowns and has back-to-back games with at least five touchdowns. Owls LB Baron Hopson was the Co-Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.

This is the Owls’ second season in Conference USA. They’ve been exceptional in close games this year, winning five one-possession contests.

Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Odds

Odds as of Thursday night from BetMGM. Feel like a champion with our BetMGM bonus code.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK

Offer

T&Cs

Get Up To $1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US), Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, MS, NY, NV, ON, or PR.

LOCK IN PROMO

CODE: SBD1500

CODE: SBD1500

SIGNUP BONUS

GET $1,500
BACK

BET NOW

The line opened with the Gamecocks as 1.5-point favorites but has moved as much as four points at BetMGM. As of Thursday night, Kennesaw State is favored by 2.5 points in the Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State odds. There’s no obvious reported reason for the change—no coaching change, no major injury as far as I could tell.

The total is high at 60.5. Kennesaw State is 5-7 over/under this season, while Jacksonville State is 8-4. The Gamecocks have won three of their last four games against the spread.

The best moneyline action is at Fanatics for Kennesaw State, where the Owls are -132. You can get Jax State +114 at FanDuel.

How to Watch Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at AmFirst Stadium. Tickets are $28. It’s going to be cold for Alabama—temperatures in the upper 30s and cloudy. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.