Home › Game Previews › NCAAF › November 2026 › Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

NCAAF · November 14, 2026

Jacksonville State Gamecocks vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Preview & Odds — November 14, 2026

Jacksonville State Gamecocks

6-2

Quarterback Caden Creel

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

2-6

Quarterback Brock Glenn

Saturday, November 14 · 3:30 PM ET

JXSTOffense2026 regular season to dateWKU

29th+0.168

EPA/play

−0.053114th

17th51.7%

Success %

45.3%86th

65th26.6

PPG

20.0113th

JXSTDefenseWKU

65th+0.052

EPA/play allowed

+0.155109th

50th45.2%

Success % allowed

49.8%113th

29th20.8

Opp PPG

36.6129th

JXSTRecent formWKU

Wvs Middle Tennessee 23-13W@ Kennesaw State 27-26Wvs Florida International 27-24W@ New Mexico State 24-0Wvs Sam Houston 47-14

Resultsoldest to newest

L@ New Mexico State 13-34Wvs Missouri State 34-13W@ Sam Houston 16-3Lvs Delaware 21-35L@ Middle Tennessee 42-51

7-2

Record

3-6

—

ATS

4-5

—

Over–under

5-4

JXSTHome and roadseason to dateWKU

5-0

Home record

2-1

2-2

Road record

1-5

—

Home ATS

2-1

—

Road ATS

2-4

—

Home O/U

2-1

—

Road O/U

3-3

JXSTLast 10 gamesWKU

Game by game

7-2

Last 9

3-6

+89

Net points

-88

Top third of the leagueMiddle thirdBottom thirdBar = league rank (full = 1st)

Rest & travelrest and travel

JXSTRest & travelWKU

7 days

Days of rest

7 days

222 mi357 km · straight-line from home arena (estimate)

Travel to the game

Home

Venue

Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium

About these numbers

2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.

Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.

Margin of each of the last 9 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.

Distance is a straight-line estimate from each team's home arena, not the team's actual itinerary; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game this season (7 = a normal week); preseason games do not count. Schedule facts only: no fatigue adjustment is applied.

Matchup preview

Jacksonville State (6-2) visits Western Kentucky (2-6) on Saturday, November 14 at 3:30 PM ET.

Jacksonville State has the 29th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 65th-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Western Kentucky has the 114th-ranked offense and the 109th-ranked defense. When Jacksonville State has the ball, a 29th-ranked offense (+0.168 EPA per play) meets a 109th-ranked defense (+0.155 allowed); when Western Kentucky has it, a 114th-ranked offense (−0.053) meets a 65th-ranked defense (+0.052 allowed).

By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Jacksonville State offense is at 51.7% (17th) and the Western Kentucky offense at 45.3% (86th). Jacksonville State scores 26.6 points per game (65th) and allows 20.8 (29th); Western Kentucky scores 20.0 (113th) and allows 36.6 (129th).

Jacksonville State is 7-2; its last game was a 47-14 win over Sam Houston. Western Kentucky is 3-6 and 4-5 against the spread; its last game was a 51-42 loss to Middle Tennessee.

Jacksonville State is a 7.5-point road favorite, with Western Kentucky getting the points at home. The spread opened at Jacksonville State -6.5. The total is 54.5, up from 52.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Jacksonville State -290, Western Kentucky +230) prices Jacksonville State at 71% and Western Kentucky at 29%.

Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.

Market

Odds and line movement

Spreadmoved 1

OpenWestern Kentucky +6.5 (-110)
Jacksonville State -6.5 (-110)

NowWestern Kentucky +7.5 (-116)
Jacksonville State -7.5 (-105)

Totalup 2

Open52.5 (o -110 / u -110)

Now54.5 (o -110 / u -110)

Moneyline

OpenJacksonville State -198 64%
Western Kentucky +165 36%

NowJacksonville State -290 71%
Western Kentucky +230 29%

Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.

Best available prices on Nov 12

Jacksonville State -7.5+106Novig
Western Kentucky +7.5-110ProphetX
Over 54.5+100Novig
Under 54.5-104Novig
Jacksonville State-270Novig
Western Kentucky+251Novig

Members

G&W Line

G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics

Projected score

Spread

Total

Win %

Unlock every game with Analytics — $39.99/mo See today’s free game →

Matchup

Players to watch

Jacksonville State

QB · Caden Creel

Attempts237
Completion %66.7%46th
Passing yards1,99280th
Yards per attempt8.447th
TD–INT15–8

Leading rusher (QB) · Caden Creel

Rushing yards80021st
Season line139 carries, 800 yds, 6 TD

Leading receiver (WR) · Deondre Johnson

Receiving yards52090th
Season line26 catches, 520 yds, 4 TD

Leading tackler (S) · Caleb Nix

Tackles56192nd

Western Kentucky

QB · Brock Glenn

Attempts188
Completion %55.9%209th
Passing yards1,039216th
Yards per attempt5.5252nd
TD–INT7–4

Leading rusher (RB) · Ajay Allen

Rushing yards53585th
Season line109 carries, 535 yds, 6 TD

Leading receiver (WR) · Jonathan Stafford Jr.

Receiving yards52386th
Season line54 catches, 523 yds, 1 TD

Leading tackler (DB) · Jaylen Lewis

Tackles6695th

Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured November 11, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.

Success by situation

Situation	Jacksonville State	Western Kentucky
Early-down success rateJacksonville State offense vs Western Kentucky defense	46.2%26th	48.1%129th
Early-down success rateWestern Kentucky offense vs Jacksonville State defense	40.3%27th	42.5%74th
3rd-down conversion rateJacksonville State offense vs Western Kentucky defense	39.3%74th	39.5%57th
3rd-down conversion rateWestern Kentucky offense vs Jacksonville State defense	47.2%123rd	40.7%65th
Explosive play rateJacksonville State offense vs Western Kentucky defense	6.9%65th	9.0%127th
Explosive play rateWestern Kentucky offense vs Jacksonville State defense	4.3%5th	7.6%38th
Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks	45.6%109th-highest	54.2%32nd-highest

On 3rd down Jacksonville State converts 39.3% (74th) against a Western Kentucky defense allowing 39.5% (57th).

On 3rd down Western Kentucky converts 40.7% (65th) against a Jacksonville State defense allowing 47.2% (123rd).

2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.

Coaching staff

Staff	Jacksonville State	Western Kentucky
Head coach	Charles Kelly	Tyson Helton
Tenureat this school	2nd season	8th season
Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below	16–7	61–41
Career recordas an FBS head coach	16–7	61–41
Offensive coordinator	Taylor Housewright	Joe Bernardi / Bodie Reeder
Defensive coordinator	Brian Williams	Davis Merritt

Staff list as of November 10, 6:50 a.m. ET.

Head-to-head

The teams have met 4 times since 2021: Jacksonville State won 3 and Western Kentucky 1.

Date	Score	Line	Total
Nov 29, 2025	Western Kentucky 34, Jacksonville State 37 Jacksonville State won
Dec 6, 2024	Western Kentucky 12, Jacksonville State 52 Jacksonville State won
Nov 30, 2024	Jacksonville State 17, Western Kentucky 19 Western Kentucky won
Oct 17, 2023	Western Kentucky 17, Jacksonville State 20 Jacksonville State won

Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.

Result

After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.

Teams