Blue Hens favored to beat Hilltoppers in Tuesday night game

Delaware enters Tuesday night's Conference USA matchup as a 1.5-point road favorite against Western Kentucky. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Both teams are 3-4 on the season. Western Kentucky holds a 2-1 record in conference play, while Delaware is 1-2. The Blue Hens gained momentum last week when quarterback Nick Minicucci returned from a knee injury. He threw five touchdown passes in a 61-38 win over Missouri State.

SportsLine's projection model simulated the contest 10,000 times. The model projects 55 combined points, which sits below the 57.5-point over/under set by sportsbooks. The model recommends the Under in 53% of simulations.

Recent scoring trends support a lower total. The past four Western Kentucky games against FBS opponents went under the total. Four of Delaware's seven games this season also failed to reach the point total. The two teams combined for 51 points when they met last year.

The SportsLine model is 68-59 on top-rated college football picks this season. It simulates every FBS game 10,000 times to determine value. The model states that one side of the spread hits in 60% of its simulations, though the specific team is not disclosed in the summary.

The game serves as a midweek fixture to begin the Week 9 college football schedule. Delaware travels to Bowling Green to face the Hilltoppers. The odds list the Blue Hens as slight favorites despite playing away from home.