Though college football fans will have to wait until Saturday for the start of the FBS season, the Week 0 action begins a couple of days prior on Thursday night in the FCS.
The Thursday slate features two former Ohio Valley Conference foes looking to shrug off disappointing 2025 seasons as the Murray State Racers host the Eastern Illinois Panthers. The Racers went 1-11 last fall, beating Indiana State to close out the season after a winless start.
EIU, meanwhile, finished 3-9 in 2025 with its only two conference wins coming against fellow OVC bottom-feeders Western Illinois and Tennessee State.
If you are looking for some betting advice for the matchup, we've got you covered. Here are the latest odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM.
Murray State vs. Eastern Illinois game odds
All college
football odds via BetMGM
- Spread: Murray State -3.5 (-105), Eastern Illinois +30 (-112)
- Money Line: Murray State -160, Eastern Illinois +135
- Over-Under: Over 50.5 (-108), Under 50.5 (-112)
Murray State vs. Eastern Illinois prediction, pick:
Murray State was held back by its passing game and a lot of quarterback turnovers last season, and it's unclear how much it will improve after returning Jim Ogles and adding VMI transfer Collin Shannon, with a starter not yet named. Eastern Illinois, meanwhile, is more of a portal-reset squad.
The Panthers added 56 new players this offseason, making them exceptionally difficult to project. Between the Racers returning production and the fact that they're playing at home, we'll give them the slight edge.
Prediction: Murray State 31, Eastern Illinois 24
Best Bet: Murray State -3.5, Over 50.5
Murray State vs. Eastern Illinois, start time, streaming:
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Live Stream: ESPN+
Stream Murray State vs. Eastern Illinois on ESPN+
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Murray State vs. Eastern Illinois: Week 0 Betting Odds, Prediction
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