This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
Western Kentucky 
vs. South Alabama Betting Preview and Expert Picks for R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
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The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the South Alabama Jaguars meet in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl as each team looks to finish the season on a high note and head into next season with some momentum. WKU finished second in CUSA this season, propelled by a high-octane offense led by QB Austin Reed. South Alabama tied for first in the western division of the Sun Belt conference and brings a balanced attack led by senior QB Carter Bradley.
Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama Odds for R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Spread: South Alabama -4.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 55.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: South Alabama -180; Western Kentucky +160 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
When this line opened, it was assumed that WKU QB Austin Reed would be on his way to another school as he entered the transfer portal soon after the season, but he changed his mind not long after and the line that opened at USA -7.5 dropped immediately. The line movement came as no surprise as Reed plays a pivotal role in the WKU offense and without him, the Hilltoppers aren't nearly as dangerous on offense. The total however did not move as much as you might expect as it opened at 54.5 and has only risen by a single point.
Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama 
Betting Picks This Week
Without Reed, this game would actually be fairly easy to pick as South Alabama is solid on both sides of the ball and would have little problem stopping Reed's replacement, but with Reed back in the mix, this gets a little tricky. South Alabama boasts a strong defense, but it's built to stop the run, which won't really factor into this game as WKU doesn't need to run to be successful. On the other side of the ball, the Jaguars should have little problem moving the ball on a WKU defense that looked downright awful at times this season. As such, the best play in this game is the over 55.5. As for the side, that's not as clear-cut, but I'm going to take the points with WKU as I see this game as a back-and-forth affair. Neither side looks very strong on the money line, but if there's any value, it's with the Hilltoppers who are getting +160.
Best Bets for New Orleans Bowl: Over 55.5; Western Kentucky ML (+160) (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama Prediction
I'm still a little confused as to why this total isn't higher, but I have to assume that we are simply getting a lot of value here as I see this game as a bit of a track meet. With that said, WKU has stalled a few times this season on offense and while USA has a solid defense, its pass defense is just average and as long as WKU is in rhythm, it should put up plenty of points here. Though I like WKU to cover, I'm expecting that they do so in comeback fashion as the Hilltopper defense is the weakest of all the units in this matchup and USA will likely take control of the game early on. WKU will continue to fight however and stay within reach all game long. Whether or not the Hilltoppers can get the win, in the end, is in question, but they should manage to get within the number by game's end.
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