FCS Kickoff: Penguins vs Bulldogs Odds and Prediction

Everything’s set for the start of the 150th college football season!

The season begins with the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff game between the Samford Bulldogs and the Youngstown State Penguins…

This year marks the third straight season that this game is going to be held in Montgomery, and Samford is going to be the third straight school from Alabama that participates in the event.

Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff:

• When: August 24, 2019, 3 pm
• Where: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama
• Where to watch it: ESPN

Taking the Samford Bulldogs

Samford is a team that’s coming from 8 straight winning seasons, and that’s a true testament to the work of coach Chris Hatcher and his own staff.

With that said, this is a rebuilding year for this team as Devlin Hodges, Kelvin McKnight, and Ahmad Gooden are already part of NFL rosters.

Now, there’s nothing bad with rebuilding, as this is truly the essence of college football.

Coaches know they won’t keep stars like the ones mentioned above forever, and now the Bulldogs are searching for the new crop of players that can also perform at a top-level.

The good news is that only 13 players departed to the NFL, and the team has managed to retain four offensive linemen with enough starting experience.

When it comes to their quarterback, the starting role can go to either Liam Welch or to South Florida transfer Chris Oladokun.

Taking the Youngstown State Penguins

The Penguins are a strong team at FCS level. They have won four FCS National Championships, and have made it to the NCAA Playoffs 14 times.

 All of those titles came under coach Jim Tressel, the current school president.

Now the team is headed by coach Bo Pelini, who’s happy about the opportunity his school is getting of showcasing their football program on a national stage.

Prediction: These two teams have met four times before, two during the regular season, and two more during the postseason.

But this will mark the first time that they do not play in Youngstown, and YSU is 4-0 in those matchups.

So, even though the Bulldogs have proven to be a very good team in past years, they are currently rebuilding and will be facing a rival that has a clear previous advantage over them.

Pick: The Youngstown State Penguins