The Wednesday college football card is highlighted by a key Conference USA matchup, as the Delaware Blue Hens (3-2) travel to AmFirst Stadium to face the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (3-3).
Delaware is in its maiden season at the FBS level and picked up its first C-USA victory over FIU, 38-16 in Week 4. Jax State jumped out to a 2-0 mark in conference play for the third straight season since making the leap from FCS.
Let’s take a dive into this Delaware vs. Jacksonville State prediction for this showdown in Conference USA, which kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN this Wednesday.
Delaware vs. Jacksonville State Prediction, Preview for Week 8
The Blue Hens followed up that blowout of FIU with a 27-24 home defeat to Western Kentucky on October 3. Delaware led 17-10 at halftime, but the Blue Hens allowed 17 straight points in the third quarter, preventing them from their first home conference victory.
Jax State cruised past preseason conference favorite Liberty in Week 2 with a 34-24 home triumph. The Gamecocks held off a winless Sam Houston State squad last Thursday, 29-27 behind a 52-yard game-winning field goal in the final seconds.
Delaware Blue Hens
- Delaware owns some ugly defensive numbers, ranking 128th in EPA/Pass and 127th in EPA/Rush. JSU’s offense is eighth in the country in EPA/Rush.
- The Blue Hens are 133rd in defensive EPA, as they have faced three teams that sit in the top-54 of the country in offensive EPA. The Gamecocks rank 56th in this category.
- Delaware’s defense has picked off only two passes in four games against FBS opponents, both coming in their win over FIU.
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
- Jax State has won 10 of its last 11 games against C-USA foes, including capturing the conference title against Western Kentucky last December.
- QB Caden Creel makes his second straight start after throwing for 129 yards in the victory over Sam Houston State.
- The Gamecocks gave Creel the starting gig after the passing game struggled in the first month. JSU is 124th in EPA/Pass, but ranks eighth in EPA/Rush thanks to RB Cam Cook, who leads the country with 832 rushing yards.
Delaware vs. Jacksonville St. Prediction, Wednesday CFB Picks
Delaware QB Nick Minicucci Projection: 269.5 Passing Yards
- In an era of the transfer portal, Minicucci spent his three seasons with the Blue Hens, throwing for a career-best 1,379 yards this season.
- Minicucci has topped the 270-yard passing mark in three of five games, including a 314-yard effort in the loss to Western Kentucky.
- Jax State has not been great shutting down the run this season, ranking 131st in defensive rush rate. That’s important because Minicucci will run, as he scampered for 55 yards and 3 TDs against WKU and has two games of at least 10 rushing attempts.
- Since allowing more than 300 passing yards in each of their first two games, the Gamecocks have not given up 200 passing yards in any of their past four contests.
Jacksonville State RB Cam Cook Projection: 118.5 Rushing Yards
- Cook spent his first two seasons at TCU before transferring to Jacksonville State, where he is the top RB in the country through seven weeks.
- In four games this season, Cook has eclipsed 120 rushing yards. His season-high came against Sam Houston State, when he dropped 218 yards and 2 TDs on 31 carries.
- Cook should eat in this game against a poor Delaware rush defense. The Blue Hens are allowing an average of 154.6 yards per contest on the ground.
- The junior leads the nation in most rushes of at least 10 yards with 31. Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy, who is second in the country with 782 rushing yards, has compiled 22 carries of 10 or more yards.
Delaware WR Sean Wilson Projection: 49.5 Receiving Yards
- Wilson has bypassed this projection twice this season, hauling in 60 receiving yards in a Week 3 victory over UConn and a season-high 78 yards the following week against FIU.
- The sophomore has piled up a reception of at least 23 yards in each of the past four games.
- Jax State has yielded 50 or more yards to six different wide receivers this season.
- Wilson has received 7 targets in each of the past three games and is second on the team with 29 targets.
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Jacksonville State looks for a 3-0 start in Conference USA action, hosting an upstart Delaware squad on Wednesday night.
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