The UTEP Miners (+22) are heading east to take on their CUSA foe FIU Panthers at Riccardo Silva Stadium. The game is scheduled to get underway at 7:00 p.m. ET and ESPN+ will televise the action.
Betting Preview: UTEP Miners vs. FIU Panthers
FIU has been tabbed as heavily favored in this one and is currently giving up 22 points to UTEP. If the Miners get out in front in the early stages it would produce a nice live betting scenario. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 54 points.
Betting odds have moved slightly from where they initially opened. The opening line was -21 and the game’s O/U was originally set at 54.5.
The Miners have lost 1.1 units so far and are 1-3-1 against the spread (ATS). The team has recorded an O/U mark of 2-3.
The Panthers have lost 3.5 units this season. The team is 2-4 ATS and has an even O/U record of 3-3.
The Miners are 1-4 straight up (SU), including 0-2 SU against conference opponents. The Panthers are 3-3 SU overall and 1-2 SU in conference play.
FIU comes into this one on a four-game losing streak while UTEP has won its last two in a row. The Miners are looking to get back on track after a 26-16 defeat to UTSA on October 5. the Miners completed 16-of-31 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown. Brandon Jones went 14-for-22 for 140 yards and one touchdown while Kai Locksley completed two-of-eight for 41 yards. Kai Locksley (only 17 rushing yards on 13 attempts) and Treyvon Hughes (62 yards on 10 carries, one TD) led the ground attack while Tre’Shon Wolf (nine receptions, 91 yards, one TD) and Justin Garrett (three catches, 44 yards) shared the receiving duties in the defeat.
FIU is coming off of a 48-23 win over Charlotte. James Morgan completed 13-of-16 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Anthony Jones (117 yards on 16 rush attempts, three TDs) and Napoleon Maxwell (114 yards on 15 carries, one TD) handled the running game while Austin Maloney (four receptions, 73 yards) and Tony Gaiter IV (two catches, 35 yards) led the receiving attack in the win.
Each of these teams has a strikingly similar (62-38) run-pass ratio on the season. The Miners have run for 140.8 yards per game (including 112.5 per game against Conference USA opponents) and have eight scores on the ground this year. The Panthers are logging 213.3 rushing yards per game (211 in conference) and have 14 total rush TDs.
The Miners offensive scheme has logged 157.4 yards/contest in the air overall (174.5 per game versus conference opposition) and has two passing TDs so far. The Panthers have recorded 207.2 pass yards per game (207 against CUSA competition) and have seven total pass scores.
Defensively, UTEP has allowed opponents to run for an average of 187.4 yards and throw for 237.6 yards per game. The FIU defense has allowed 190 yards per game to opposing passers and 187.3 yards per game to opposing runners. The Panthers are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 5.43 to opposing QBs, while the Miners have given up an 8.34 ANY/A.
Offensively, Jones is up to 535 passing yards on the year, and has connected on 36-of-65 attempts with two passing scores and two interceptions. He has a 6.23 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 5.34 over the last two outings.
In the other huddle, James Morgan has completed 64-of-102 passes for 812 yards, five TDs and two INTs. Morgan’s ANY/A stands at 7.29 for the season and 9.92 over his last two games.
These two conference adversaries did not get a chance to face each other a year ago.
UTEP Miners at FIU Panthers Betting Pick
SU Winner: FIU, ATS Winner: UTEP, O/U: Under
Team Betting Trends
- The FIU defense has recorded six sacks on the year while UTEP has five.
- FIU has lost three fumbles in 2019 while UTEP has let one get away.
- The Miners offense has recorded two pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Panthers have accounted for three such plays.
- Both defenses have allowed five pass plays of 40 or more yards. The UTEP defense has given up eight pass plays of 30+ yards while FIU has given up six such plays.
- The UTEP offense has created seven rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while FIU has created nine such runs.
- The Miners defense has allowed seven rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Panthers have given up eight such runs.
- As a team, UTEP has rushed for 3.8 yards per attempt across its past three games and 4.1 over its last two.
- FIU has averaged 5.7 yards per carry over its last three outings and 5.8 over its last two.
