The North Texas Mean Green (+5) are flying east to take on their conference foe Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Joe Aillet Stadium. This afternoon matchup is scheduled to get underway at 4:00 p.m. ET and FCBK has the TV rights.
Betting Preview: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. North Texas Mean Green
In this Saturday Conference USA game, Louisiana Tech has been tabbed as the favorite and the team’s currently giving up 5 points. The Mean Green are also receiving +180 moneyline odds while the Bulldogs are -220. Some good in-game betting opportunities could be unveiled during this matchup, and oddsmakers have set the over/under (O/U) at 68 points.
Sharp bettors are siding with the Mean Green, as the line opened at -6. The game’s O/U has not changed after it was set initially at 68.
The disappointing Mean Green have lost 6.2 units so far and are 3-6 against the spread (ATS). The team has posted an O/U record of 7-2.
The Bulldogs have been a pleasant surprise for moneyline bettors this season, gaining 4.3 units. The team is 5-3 ATS and has an O/U record of 5-3.
The Mean Green have gone 4-5 straight up (SU), including 3-2 SU against conference opponents. The Bulldogs are 7-1 SU overall and 4-0 SU in conference play.
The Mean Green are on the upswing after a 52-26 victory over UTEP last week. Mason Fine completed 24 passes for 332 yards and seven touchdowns. Tre Siggers (82 yards on 22 rushes) led the ground attack in the win while Jaelon Darden (six receptions, 60 yards, three TDs) and Michael Lawrence (six catches, 87 yards) handled the receiving duties.
Louisiana Tech just earned a 42-21 win over UTEP back in Week 9. The allowed the Miners to put up 227 yards through the air and 98 more on the ground. Jacob Cowing was a bright spot in the defeat, recording 70 yards on two catches for UTEP. For Louisiana Tech, J’mar Smith completed 29-of-35 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Justin Henderson (65 yards on 17 rush attempts, two TDs) and Israel Tucker (56 yards on eight carries, one TD) spearheaded the ground game in the win while Cee Jay Powell (six receptions, 85 yards) and Henderson (six catches, 73 yards) led the receiving attack.
North Texas has run the ball on 46.9 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Louisiana Tech has an overall rush percentage of 49.7 percent. The Mean Green have rushed for 161.2 yards/game (including 166.6 per game versus Conference USA opponents) and have seven scores via handoffs this year. The Bulldogs are averaging 177.4 rush yards per game (165.5 in conference) and have 19 total rushing TDs.
If the numbers so far this season are any indication, then it seems like the Bulldogs could hold an advantage when it comes to efficiency in the ground game. Their backfield has produced 5.1 yards per carry while the defense is allowing 3.7 YPC to opponents. The Mean Green have tallied 4.7 yards per carry while allowing a YPC of 4.9 to opponents.
The Mean Green offense has averaged 300.7 yards through the air overall (313.6 per game against conference opposition) and has 30 passing scores so far. The Bulldogs have recorded 293.9 pass yards per outing (291 against CUSA foes) and have 14 total pass TDs.
Defensively, North Texas seems to have the upper hand when it comes to limiting the pass. The team has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 186 yards and pass for 230.8 yards per game. The Louisiana Tech defense has allowed 253.5 yards per game to opposing passers and 143.0 yards per game to opposing runners. The Bulldogs are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 5.54 to opposing QBs, while the Mean Green have given up a 6.64 ANY/A.
Passing-wise, Fine has put up 2,217 yards this year. The signal-caller has connected on 62 percent of his 295 attempts with 22 passing scores and only six interceptions. Fine has a 7.52 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number is 11.69 over the past two outings.
Tre Siggers (582 rushing yards, four rush TDs this season), Jyaire Shorter (310 receiving yards, five receiving TDs) and Michael Lawrence (418 receiving yards, one TD) have each played key roles lately.
For the home team, J’mar Smith has completed 163-of-245 passes for 1,895 yards, 12 TDs and two INTs. Smith’s ANY/A stands at 7.63 for the season and 11.49 across his past two games.
Malik Stanley (221 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns this season), Justin Henderson (543 rush yards, 10 rush TDs, 139 receiving yards, one receiving TD) and Griffin Hebert (274 receiving yards, four receiving TDs) have combined for 625 total yards and seven touchdowns over the last couple of games.
These two squads met last year with the final outcome being a 29-27 victory for Louisiana Tech.
North Texas Mean Green at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Free Pick
SU Winner: Louisiana Tech, ATS Winner: Louisiana Tech, O/U: Under
Betting Notes
- The Over/Under for North Texas’ last game was 58. The over cashed in the team’s 52-26 win over UTEP.
- North Texas, as a team, has rushed for 4.2 yards per attempt over its last three games and 4.3 over its last two.
- Louisiana Tech has averaged 6.1 yards per carry over its last three outings and only 4.1 over its past two.
- Louisiana Tech has lost five fumbles this season while North Texas has lost four.
- Over its last three matchups, North Texas is 1-2 ATS and the over cashed in each of those three.
- The Over/Under for Louisiana Tech’s last matchup was set at 51. The over cashed in the team’s 42-21 triumph over UTEP.
- Over its last three matches, Louisiana Tech is 3-0 ATS and the over cashed in each of those three.
- The Mean Green offense has recorded 11 pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Bulldogs have put up eight such plays.
- The North Texas defense has allowed six pass plays of 40 or more yards, while Louisiana Tech has given up four such plays.
- The North Texas offense has created 16 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while Louisiana Tech has created 12 such runs.
- The Mean Green defense has allowed 21 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Bulldogs have given up seven such runs.
- The North Texas defensive unit has 21 sacks on the year while Louisiana Tech has 16.
