KENNESAW, Ga. — Welcome to the deep end of college football fandom — the land of Tuesday night kickoffs, spread sheets, and diehards who can name every Conference USA punter by heart. Week 10 opens with a pair of midweek matchups that only the sickest of the sickos could love, and thank God for them. Kennesaw State hosts UTEP under the lights in north Georgia, while Texas State welcomes James Madison to San Marcos in a Sun Belt showdown that promises points, chaos, and at least one coach yelling “turn that damn music off” at a student section before halftime.
It’s the perfect appetizer for November — a weeknight doubleheader where the sport’s lifers get their fix before the Saturday tidal wave hits. Forget the rankings, the playoff committee, and the national spotlight. This is college football in its purest, most unfiltered form: smaller crowds, big energy, and everything on the line for teams that still believe they can crash the postseason party.
Kennesaw State comes into Tuesday’s game with swagger and substance, sitting atop the Conference USA standings at 5-2 overall and 3-0 in league play. Vegas has taken notice, installing the Owls as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 52.5. The Owls have been a covering machine all season, and there’s no reason to think that stops now.
This Kennesaw squad isn’t just winning — it’s fun. The Owls have found a rhythm with two quarterbacks who can both run the show, rotating seamlessly between tempo and toughness. Their offense pounds defenses into submission, while their defense forces the kind of turnovers that flip games in a blink. For a first-year FBS program, the transition has been shockingly smooth, and the home crowd at Fifth Third Bank Stadium has turned into a sneaky-tough environment for visiting teams.
UTEP, meanwhile, has been the opposite. The Miners limp into Georgia at 2-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play, struggling to find consistency on either side of the ball. They’ve shown flashes but rarely for four quarters, and now they’re walking into the lion’s den against a Kennesaw team that’s clicking on all cylinders.
The prediction here isn’t complicated: Kennesaw rolls. Expect the Owls to win by about 20, cover comfortably, and flirt with the over. Something in the 34-13 range feels right — the kind of efficient, dominant performance that cements Kennesaw as a serious player in C-USA’s debut season of chaos. EasySportz will have boots on the ground in Kennesaw, bringing full coverage from pregame to postgame as the Owls continue their unlikely march toward a conference crown.
PREDICTION: Kennesaw State 34, UTEP 13
Down in San Marcos, the nightcap offers a little more mystery but just as much intrigue. James Madison, leading the Sun Belt at 6-1 overall and 4-0 in league play, rolls into Texas State as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 55.5. The Dukes haven’t missed a beat since the Curt Cignetti era ended — they’ve just reloaded, refined, and rolled on. Their defense remains nasty, their offense efficient, and their culture as steady as ever.
Texas State, sitting at 3-4 overall and 0-3 in conference, desperately needs something to go right. But James Madison has made a living off spoiling those exact kinds of nights. Expect the Dukes to control the pace, wear the Bobcats down, and pull away late.
The pick: James Madison by 10, covering near the total in a 31-21 type of game.
PREDICTION: James Madison 31, Texas State 21
Tuesday night football isn’t for everyone — it’s for the ones who love this sport too much to wait until Saturday. And this week, they’ll be rewarded with two games that might not shape the playoff picture but will absolutely shape the betting slip.
For the real ones: see you in Kennesaw.
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College Football Viewing Guide, Week 10
