Sam Houston State vs. Florida International Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 9

Reed Wallach | Oct 21, 2024

Nov 18, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; FIU Panthers quarterback Keyone Jenkins (1) looks to pass in the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Sam Houston State and Florida International kick off Week 9 action with a Confernece USA matchup on Tuesday night.

Quarterback availability is driving the intrigue in this one with both signal callers leaving with injuries last week. There are far more questions for the road favorite Bearkats' quarterback Hunter Watson than the Panthers' Keyone Jenkins. How can we assess the situation and make a bet?

We got you covered below!

Sam Houston State vs. Florida International Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Sam Houston State: -5.5 (-114)
• Florida International: +5.5 (-106)

Moneyline

• Sam Houston State: -210
• Florida International: +172

Total: 45.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Sam Houston State vs. Florida International How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, October 22
• Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
• Venue: Pitbull Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): ESPNU
• Sam Houston State Record: 5-2
• Florida International Record: 2-5

Sam Houston State vs. Florida International State Key Players to Watch

Sam Houston State

Hunter Watson: Watson left the Bearkats game last week against Western Kentucky to an injury and his status is up in the air for this one on a short week. If Watson can’t go, it’ll be Central Michigan transfer Jase Bauer, who struggled against WKU in the second half. The Bearkats didn’t score in the second half last week, but will potentially have a week of practice to get acclimated to running the first team offense if the SHSU quarterback can’t go. If Watson does go, that’ll bring a dual-threat capability to the offense, which had emerged as a contender in Conference USA.

Florida International

Keyone Jenkins: Jenkins was also banged up in FIU’s loss at UTEP, suffering a shoulder injury in the first quarter. However, the Panthers stated that Jenkins will be good to go for this matchup as the Panthers try to keep its faint bowl hopes alive. The quarterback has been in good form of late, nearly leading the Panthers to an upset at Liberty and flashing improved passing ability. Jenkins has upped his completion percentage from 58% to 63% this season. 

Sam Houston State vs. Florida International Prediction and Pick

With quarterback uncertainty for Sam Houston State, it’s tough to trust the Bearkats on the road against an FIU team that has been sturdy as an underdog this season. The Panthers are 4-1 against the spread (ATS) as an underdog. 

If Watson can’t go for Sam Houston State, the offense is going to take a big hit. Bauer completed 12 of 22 passes with an interception and also lost a fumble on 11 carries with 41 yards. 

The reason why FIU has been good as an underdog has been its ability to contain the opposition’s passing offense, ranking 24th in EPA/Pass, and 32nd in third down conversion percentage allowed. The team gets timely stops and has also cashed in when necessary, ranking top 50 in red zone touchdown percentage. 

While SHSU has been much improved this season, Watson is a big part of that. The JUCO transfer is not only the primary passer on the team, he has the most carries on the team and is the leading rusher. This offense revolves around him, and the drop-off from Watson to Bauer makes this game far more competitive. 

Take the points on Tuesday. 

PICK: FIU +5.5

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Follow Reed on Twitter @ReedWallach and get all his college football bets on betstamp @rw33

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