FCS Picks/Wednesday & Thursday Games

After a mini schedule last weekend, the full FCS slate for Week 1 kicks off tonight with an FBS/FCS clash between UAB and Jacksonville State. Game time is 7:30 pm ET at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Blazers are coming off a 6-3 record in 2020 that saw them claim their second C-USA title under head coach Bill Clark. But they’ll have to compensate for the loss of the program’s all-time rushing leader Spencer Brown to the NFL. That should put more emphasis on the play of returning QB Tyler Johnston III, who completed 58.8% of his passes with 7 TDs in five appearances last year.

No FCS program played more games than the Gamecocks last season as they finished 10-3 and made the playoffs behind head coach Bill Grass. This will be Jacksonville State’s first season in the Atlantic Sun Conference after 18 years in the Ohio Valley. JSU’s opponents will get a good look at former Clemson QB Zerrick Cooper, who has been named to the Walter Payton Award watchlist for this season.

This is the first time the two teams have met since 2005 and JSU should be primed to show the FCS program belongs on the same field. Dunkel’s models have the Blazers winning straight up, but the Gamecocks keeping the final score within the 16-point spread posted at most of the sportsbooks.

Dunkel’s Pick: Jacksonville State (+16); Under

Below are all of Dunkel’s picks for Wednesday’s and Thursday’s FCS schedule:

SEPTEMBER 1

UAB vs Jacksonville State
Time: 7:30 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: UAB 82.366; Jacksonville State 73.410
Dunkel Line & Total: UAB by 9; 42
Vegas Line & Total: UAB by 16; 51 ½
Dunkel Pick: Jacksonville State (+16); Under

SEPTEMBER 2

New Hampshire at Stony Brook
Time: 6:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: New Hampshire 60.986; Stony Brook 64.639
Dunkel Line & Total: Stony Brook by 3 ½: 31
Vegas Line & Total: New Hampshire by 1 ½: 39 ½
Dunkel Pick: Stony Brook (+1 ½); Under

LIU at Florida International
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: LIU 35.626; Florida International 59.991
Dunkel Line & Total: Florida International by 24 ½; 41 ½
Vegas Line & Total: Florida International by 34 ½: No Total
Dunkel Pick: LIU (+34 ½); N/A

Western Illinois at Ball State
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Western Illinois 56.188; Ball State 93.481
Dunkel Line & Total: Ball State by 37; 53
Vegas Line & Total: Ball State by 25 ½: 59 ½
Dunkel Pick: Ball State (-25 ½); Under

Wagner at Buffalo
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Wagner 38.418; Buffalo 80.062
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 41 ½: 58
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo by 43; 53
Dunkel Pick: Wagner (+43); Over

The Citadel at Coastal Carolina
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: The Citadel 59.578; Coastal Carolina 89.290
Dunkel Line & Total: Coastal Carolina by 29 ½: 45
Vegas Line & Total: Coastal Carolina by 33 ½: 53 ½
Dunkel Pick: The Citadel (+33 ½); Under

Delaware at Maine
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Delaware 69.855; Maine 53.014
Dunkel Line & Total: Delaware by 17; 44
Vegas Line & Total: Delaware by 6 ½: 49
Dunkel Pick: Delaware (-6 ½); Under

Incarnate Word at Youngstown State
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Incarnate Word 49.421; Youngstown State 69.806
Dunkel Line & Total: Youngstown State by 20 ½; 70
Vegas Line & Total: Youngstown State by 9; 61 ½
Dunkel Pick: Youngstown State (-9); Over

Tennessee Tech at Samford
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee Tech 54.935; Samford 65.230
Dunkel Line & Total: Samford by 10 ½; 54
Vegas Line & Total: Samford by 14 ½; 62 ½
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee Tech (+14 ½); Under

Southern Illinois at SE Missouri State
Time: 7:30 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Illinois 65.098; SE Missouri State 64.242
Dunkel Line & Total: Southern Illinois by 1; 53
Vegas Line & Total: Southern Illinois by 10 ½: 57 ½
Dunkel Pick: SE Missouri State (+1); Under

Austin Peay at Chattanooga
Time: 7:30 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Austin Peay 62.938; Chattanooga 56.096
Dunkel Line & Total: Austin Peay by 7; 43
Vegas Line & Total: Chattanooga by 2 ½; 52 ½
Dunkel Pick: Austin Peay (+2 ½); Under

Weber State at Utah
Time: 7:30 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Weber State 66.670; Utah 98.702
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 32; 56
Vegas Line & Total: Utahg by 28 ½; 46
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-28 ½); Over

UC-Davis at Tulsa
Time: 7:30 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Davis 65.822; Tulsa 97.305
Dunkel Line & Total: Tulsa by 31 ½; 50
Vegas Line & Total: Tulsa by 23 ½: 54 ½
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (-23 ½); Under

Houston Baptist at New Mexico
Time: 8:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Houston Baptist 58.037; New Mexico 71.900
Dunkel Line & Total: New Mexico by 14; 64
Vegas Line & Total: New Mexico by 20 ½: 68 ½
Dunkel Pick: Houston Baptist (+20 ½); Under

UT-Martin at Western Kentucky
Time: 8:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: UT-Martin 53.896; Western Kentucky 79.474
Dunkel Line & Total: Western Kentucky by 25 ½: 44
Vegas Line & Total: Western Kentucky by 20 ½: 48 ½
Dunkel Pick: Western Kentucky (-20 ½); Under

Mississippi Valley St at Murray State
Time: 8:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi Valley St 31.281; Murray State 53.627
Dunkel Line & Total: Murray State by 22 ½: 41
Vegas Line & Total: Murray State by 28 ½; 49 ½
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi Valley State (+28 ½); Under

Sam Houston at Northern Arizona
Time: 9:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Sam Houston 83.942; Northern Arizona 63.570
Dunkel Line & Total: Sam Houston by 20 ½; 48
Vegas Line & Total: Sam Houston by 10 ½; 61 ½
Dunkel Pick: Sam Houston (-10 ½); Under

Eastern Washington at UNLV
Time: 10:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 71.637; UNLV 64.292
Dunkel Line & Total: Eastern Washington by 7 ½; 59
Vegas Line & Total: UNLV by 3 ½; 67 ½
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Washington (+3 ½); Under

Southern Utah at Arizona State
Time: 10:30 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 52.475; Arizona State 106.275
Dunkel Line & Total: Arizona State by 54; 60
Vegas Line & Total: Arizona State by 45 ½: 55 ½
Dunkel Pick: Arizona State (-45 ½); Over