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Wk 6 · 2026

Missouri State Bears at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers — Thu, Oct 8

Thu, Oct 8 · Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY · CBSSN FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
at
7:00pET
MOST -1.5 · total 56.5 DraftKings
Ratings differential WKU by 5.2

What is at stake

A CUSA game — it counts in the standings that decide that league's championship game. Run the race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Missouri St: -16.9#129
Efficiency margin
Western KY: -14.1#121
Missouri St: 23.3
Offense (pts/100)
Western KY: 24.5
Missouri St: 31.2
Defense (pts/100)
Western KY: 29.6
Missouri St: 62.4
Pace (plays/g)
Western KY: 72.0
Missouri St: 5.52
Yards / play
Western KY: 5.09
Missouri St: 6.11
Yards / play allowed
Western KY: 6.48
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

Missouri St: 21.8
Points / game
Western KY: 22.2
Missouri St: 32.4
Points allowed
Western KY: 35.2
Missouri St: 344
Yards / game
Western KY: 366
Missouri St: 445
Yards allowed
Western KY: 408
Missouri St: 248
Pass yds allowed
Western KY: 204
Missouri St: 196
Rush yds allowed
Western KY: 204
Missouri St: 1.00
Turnovers / game
Western KY: 1.50
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

Missouri St form

L 13-34at WKUL 24-34at SMUL 24-30vs MRSHW 48-14vs LINL 0-50at TA&M
2026 season

Western KY form

W 34-13vs MOSTL 13-34at NMSUW 52-7vs MERCL 0-38at IUL 20-70at UGA
2026 season

Missouri St this season

Straight up1-4 · 20% (5 games)
Against the spread2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Over / under2-3 · 40% (5 games)

Western KY this season

Straight up2-4 · 33% (6 games)
Against the spread3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Over / under3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 6

OpponentMissouri StWestern KY
Kennesaw St
CUSA
vs Wk 7 · scheduled previewvs Wk 13 · scheduled preview
Delaware
CUSA
at Wk 8 · scheduled previewvs Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Sam Houston
CUSA
vs Wk 9 · scheduled previewat Wk 7 · scheduled preview
New Mexico St
CUSA
vs Wk 11 · scheduled previewat L 13-34 preview
Jax State
CUSA
at Wk 12 · scheduled previewvs Wk 11 · scheduled preview
Liberty
CUSA
vs Wk 13 · scheduled previewat Wk 12 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Western KY leads 2–0 · Western KY has won the last 2
2 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 13.0 points toward Western KY
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-10-08Missouri St 13 — 34 Western KYat WKUWestern KY
20252025-09-27Western KY 27 — 22 Missouri Stat MOSTWestern KY

Missouri St leaders 2026 regular season

PassingSkyler Locklear QB #971/108, 788 YDS, 4 TD, 2 INT
Henry Belin IV QB #219/34, 250 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT
RushingBreezy Dubar RB #142 CAR, 218 YDS, 2 TD
Ramone Green Jr. RB #2246 CAR, 209 YDS, 2 TD
Skyler Locklear QB #933 CAR, 107 YDS
ReceivingIsaiah Myers WR #320 REC, 419 YDS, 3 TD
Mekhi Miller WR #613 REC, 146 YDS
Jmariyae Robinson WR #019 REC, 134 YDS
Jeron Askren TE #888 REC, 59 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesJared Lloyd LB #062
J.J. O'Neal S #1633
Christian Ford S #2931
SacksJosh Lukusa DE #921
Malik Ganaway CB #71
Jared Lloyd LB #01
InterceptionsJoel Boamah CB #121
Jashawn Cooper LB #211

Western KY leaders 2026 regular season

PassingRodney Tisdale Jr. QB #1679/118, 852 YDS, 4 TD, 2 INT
Brock Glenn QB #1153/98, 536 YDS, 4 TD, 2 INT
RushingAjay Allen RB #372 CAR, 321 YDS, 4 TD
Brock Glenn QB #1152 CAR, 268 YDS, 5 TD
Le'Kamren Meadows RB #2225 CAR, 133 YDS
ReceivingJonathan Stafford Jr. WR #8036 REC, 332 YDS, 1 TD
Cameron Flowers WR #414 REC, 153 YDS, 1 TD
Quincy Burroughs WR #129 REC, 138 YDS, 1 TD
Lofton Howard TE #1915 REC, 131 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesJaylen Lewis DB #753
Justin Brown DB #633
Westen Ard LB #3231
SacksLatrevion Thompson DE #131
Mackavelli Malotumau DT #01
Zsacari Minnis DE #171
InterceptionsJaylen Wester LB #211
Justin Brown DB #61
Tony Newsome Jr. DB #21
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.