Odds, Picks, and Predictions for UTEP vs Rice: Miners' Run Game Makes the Difference
Odds, Picks, and Predictions for UTEP vs Rice: Miners' Run Game Makes the Difference
UTEP visits Rice in a matchup between two teams vying for a postseason spot. Although these teams are evenly matched, as discussed in our college football betting picks, the Miners' run game may be too much for the Owls.
The 4-5 UTEP Miners will travel to Rice on Thursday night to face a team fighting for a playoff spot. The Owls are 4-4 and coming off an embarrassing loss, and they face their bitter rivals for the 97th time in their history, hoping to move within a win of bowl eligibility.
Coming into this game, both teams are struggling in different areas, but one programme has an advantage that should help them perform well. Find out in my UTEP vs Rice college football betting predictions and picks for Thursday, November 3.
Picks and predictions for UTEP vs. Rice
UTEP's hopes were dashed early and often by self-inflicted errors in Saturday's 24-13 loss to Middle Tennessee. The Miners fumbled several passes during the game, including a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the third quarter. They also threw an interception and had a punt blocked in their own half, both of which led to touchdowns for the Blue Raiders.
The loss dropped the Miners to 4-5 on the season, and the team now needs two wins in their final three games — two of which are on the road — to become bowl eligible. Their problem is that they aren't particularly good at anything.
Gavin Hardison has thrown 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. They average only 5.1 yards per play on offence and are one of the worst teams in college football when it comes to ball security.
Rice, on the other hand, isn't much better. The Owls had just lost to Charlotte, a team that had just fired their head coach the week before. They were not only defeated, but also dominated. Rice led 14-7 at the half but was outscored 49-9 the rest of the way. It allowed more than 500 yards of offence while gaining only 370 against one of college football's worst defences.
There are questions at QB, as there were at UTEP. TJ McMahon has 16 touchdowns but 11 interceptions this season and has one of the lowest quarterback ratings of any qualified starter in the country. It ranks 89th in passing yards per game and has struggled to protect McMahon all season. Given that the Miners rank 41st in getting to the quarterback this season, that could be a major issue.
I believe UTEP has a better chance of winning this game because of its running game. The Miners struggled with the ground game last week, gaining only 101 yards against Middle Tennessee. Hardison lost 15 yards due to sacks, so running backs Deion Hankins and Ronald Awatt carried the ball only 25 times for a total of 116 yards.
However, the previous week against FAU, the duo combined for 32 carries and 197 yards. Hankins and Awatt combined for 200 yards on 33 carries in the win over Charlotte.
Charlotte ran for 239 yards at 5.6 yards per carry against Rice on Saturday, and the Owls have shown little ability to slow teams down on the ground this season. This week, I expect the Miners to recommit to their run game, which has been their most successful mode of attack in terms of wins this season and should help them limit turnovers. In order to salvage its bowl chances, UTEP will keep the score close and cover the spread.
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Spread comparison of UTEP and Rice
Rice was a 3.5-point favourite when the game began on Monday, and the line has not moved since. As the home team, the spread suggests that the Owls would be slightly favoured if they played UTEP at a neutral site. Given their.500 record against a team that has lost more games than they have won, this makes sense.
Rice has only lost once at home this season, and that was against Charlotte. Three of its four wins have come at home, while three of its four losses have come away. The Owls have not only not lost two games in a row this season, but they were also easily defeated by a team that UTEP defeated by six points on the road.
UTEP has won three of its last five games after losing three of its first four games this season. The Miners' only win away from home in four attempts was the aforementioned win over Charlotte, as they had gone 1-3 on the road thus far.
UTEP has covered the spread just four times in the last 18 meetings with Rice, including once in the last nine games. Furthermore, the series favourite has covered the spread four of the last five times. Rice, on the other hand, has failed to cover in six Thursday night games.
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