Kennesaw State Owls vs Western Michigan Broncos ATS Pick - 12/19/2025
Updated July 9, 2026
College football bowl season continues with an early kickoff on Friday as the Kennesaw State Owls and Western Michigan Broncos collide in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Both Group of Five conference champions enter this postseason affair with momentum and contrasting styles that should make for an interesting game from the teal turf at Coastal Carolina. Before kickoff from the Myrtle Beach Bowl, continue reading to find my Kennesaw State vs Western Michigan prediction.
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Two first-time bowl foes meet in this postseason encounter that has the potential to be a lot of fun. Western Michigan rebounded from an early 0-3 start to claim the Mid-American Conference title at 9-4, thanks to an explosive running game and stout defense. The Broncos average 197 rushing yards per game, ranking among the better ground attacks nationally, and their defense has been effective at limiting scoring and yardage allowed.
The Owls completed a remarkable turnaround in just their second full FBS season, finishing 10-3 and capturing the Conference USA championship behind a more balanced offensive attack that averages well over 400 yards per game. Kennesaw State’s quick strike potential and aggressive play calling puts pressure on opposing defenses, especially those that have yet to see them.
The quarterback matchup is intriguing and may define how the game unfolds. Western Michigan’s signal caller is Broc Lowry, who leads the Broncos in both rushing and passing yards. The Broncos’ offense isn’t prolific through the air, averaging under 140 passing yards per game, but they make up for it with their running game, taking plenty of pressure off Lowry to throw the ball.
Kennesaw State’s quarterback Amari Odom, who has 18 touchdowns and 6 interceptions so far this season. Odom is not as much of a threat on the ground as Lowry, but he is a better pure passer and the Owls will hope that Odom can lead them to a win in their first FBS bowl game.
Score Projection: Kennesaw State 24 – Western Michigan 28
Win Probability: Kennesaw State 41%, Western Michigan 59%
This is a bowl game where both teams aren't impacted too much by injuries, opt-outs, or the transfer portal. That should make for an interesting contest to start the day in college football. As far as the outcome of the game goes, I'll lay the points with Western Michigan, as their running game should wear down the Kennesaw State defense during the second half of this matchup.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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