Missouri State vs. Delaware Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest CFB Odds for Tuesday, October 20th
The Missouri State Bears head to Newark looking to build on their first Conference USA victory against a Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens team trying to stop a three-game losing streak. Can Henry Belin IV and Isaiah Myers continue their breakout connection against a Delaware defense that has been dragged into consecutive competitive conference games? Check out this Missouri State vs. Delaware prediction and best bet for Tuesday, October 20.
Peter Alexis - October 20, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT
5 Minute ReadMissouri State vs. Delaware Prediction: Can Bears Build on Last Week's Momentum on Tuesday Night?
Missouri State visits Delaware Stadium for a 7:00 PM ET Conference USA matchup on ESPNU. Both teams enter at 2-4, but the Bears are 1-1 in league play after beating Kennesaw State while Delaware remains 0-2 following a 33-30 loss at Middle Tennessee.
Delaware is favored by 3 points despite entering on a three-game losing streak. Missouri State has also lost three of its last four, but the Bears arrive with renewed quarterback stability after Belin produced a career performance in his first start for the program.
Missouri State vs. Delaware Recent Results
Missouri State Bears (2-4), (1-1 CUSA)
Missouri State earned its first Conference USA win with a 24-21 victory over Kennesaw State last Wednesday. Yousef Obeid kicked the winning 20-yard field goal as time expired, allowing the Bears to finally finish one of the close games that had slipped away earlier in the season.
Belin was the biggest development. The veteran completed 28 of 39 passes for a career-high 300 yards and two touchdowns in his first Missouri State start, giving the Bears considerably more downfield production than they had shown in the previous loss to Western Kentucky.
Isaiah Myers was the primary beneficiary, catching seven passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Myers has developed into one of the most explosive receivers in Conference USA, consistently creating chunk plays and giving Missouri State a legitimate vertical element.
The Bears had been beaten 34-13 by Western Kentucky in their conference opener, but the Kennesaw State performance showed a substantially more functional offense. Missouri State now needs to prove that improvement can travel after dropping each of its first three road games.
Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (2-4), (0-2 CUSA)
Delaware fell 33-30 at Middle Tennessee despite one of the most encouraging quarterback performances of its season. The Blue Hens traded the lead seven times with the Blue Raiders before surrendering the decisive touchdown with just over three minutes remaining.
True freshman Tyler Bell was outstanding in his first career start, completing 22 of 36 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. He set Delaware’s freshman single-game passing record and even caught a 15-yard touchdown on a trick play.
The loss was Delaware’s third straight following defeats against Virginia and Liberty. The Blue Hens have now allowed 105 points across those three games, although the offensive performance at Middle Tennessee represented a major step forward from the previous two weeks.
Delaware is 2-1 at home this season, with victories over Merrimack and Coastal Carolina. The Blue Hens now return to Newark for Senior Day with their conference season already approaching must-win territory.
Missouri State vs. Delaware Head to Head
Tuesday marks the first football meeting between Missouri State and Delaware.
The programs share an unusual connection after both moved from the FCS level into Conference USA in 2025. Each immediately exceeded expectations during its first FBS season, but both have found the second year considerably more difficult.
That lack of head-to-head history makes current quarterback form and situational factors much more important than any series trend.
Missouri State vs. Delaware Date, Time, Where to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, October 20th, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Location: Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium, Newark, Delaware
- How to Watch: ESPNU
Missouri State vs. Delaware Odds
- Spread: Missouri State +3 (-115), Delaware -3 (-102)
- Total Points: Over 53.5 (-110), Under 53.5 (-108)
- Moneyline: Missouri State (+124), Delaware (-142)
Click here for the latest Missouri State vs. Delaware Odds
Missouri State vs. Delaware Line Movement and Betting Splits
Delaware opened around a 3-point favorite and has remained close to that number, although several books have moved between -2.5 and -3 throughout the buildup.
The sportsbook splits are heavily tilted toward Delaware. The Blue Hens are receiving roughly three-quarters of spread tickets and more than 90% of the spread handle around -2.5 to -3.
The moneyline distribution is much closer, with Delaware receiving only a modest majority of both bets and money. The total is far more one-sided, with roughly 80% of tickets and 90% of the handle backing the Over.
Missouri State vs. Delaware Team News and Injuries
Delaware quarterback Nick Minicucci has missed the last two games with a knee injury and remains the central availability question. He still leads Delaware with 838 passing yards and five touchdowns despite the absence.
Bell’s performance against Middle Tennessee gives the Blue Hens a viable alternative if Minicucci remains unavailable. The freshman showed enough arm talent and composure to make the quarterback position less concerning than it appeared immediately after Minicucci went down.
Missouri State appears to have settled on Belin after his 300-yard performance against Kennesaw State. His connection with Myers gives the Bears a much more defined offensive identity entering the second half of the season.
Missouri State vs. Delaware Prediction
Missouri State catching a full field goal becomes interesting because the teams appear much closer than the market suggests. FairPlay AI makes Delaware only a 0.5-point favorite, compared with the sportsbook sitting at Delaware -3. That creates roughly 2.5 points of projection value toward the Bears.
Belin is the biggest reason Missouri State can outperform its earlier offensive numbers. The Bears had been searching for consistent quarterback production, and a 300-yard, two-touchdown performance against Kennesaw State may have finally provided the answer.
Myers creates a particularly difficult matchup for Delaware. He has become one of the most productive deep threats in Conference USA and just generated 135 yards and two touchdowns. Delaware has allowed opponents to create far too many explosive passing plays during its three-game losing streak.
The Bears also enter with a psychological boost after finally closing a one-possession game. Winning on the final play against Kennesaw State does not suddenly erase the flaws of a 2-4 team, but it matters for a roster that had struggled to finish competitive games.
Delaware can attack Missouri State through the same area. Bell threw for 306 yards last week and looked comfortable pushing the ball downfield, so this could become a matchup where both offenses find more success than their season-long numbers suggest.
The difference is that Delaware is being asked to create margin despite its own instability. The Blue Hens have lost three straight and are dealing with uncertainty at quarterback, while the defense has allowed at least 30 points in three consecutive games.
Home field keeps Delaware worthy of favoritism. The Blue Hens are 2-1 in Newark, and Missouri State has yet to win a road game. Still, three points feels too wide for a matchup FairPlay AI views as essentially a coin flip.
Getting the full field goal creates additional protection. Missouri State can lose 27-24 or 30-27 and avoid a losing ticket, while the Bears’ improved passing game gives them a realistic path to an outright upset.
Missouri State vs. Delaware Best Bet
- Best Bet: Missouri State +3 (-115) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Delaware has home field and a talented young quarterback option in Bell, but the Blue Hens have not played well enough defensively to comfortably lay a field goal.
Belin and Myers give Missouri State considerably more offensive upside than it showed earlier in the season, while FairPlay AI makes the matchup nearly even. Taking the full +3 provides enough protection to back the Bears in what should remain a one-possession game.
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