UMass at FIU College Football Betting Tips 10/5/2019

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Riccardo Silva Stadium

Michael Curtis and the UMass Minutemen head to Riccardo Silva Stadium on Saturday where they'll take on the FIU Golden Panthers. UMass opens this game as 25-point underdogs. The Minutemen are 0-4-0 ATS and 3-1-0 when betting on the total. The Golden Panthers are 2-2-0 when wagering on the over/under and 0-4-0 against the spread.

Key UMass Minutemen Injuries

09/29/19 QB Andrew Brito Concussion is questionable Saturday vs Florida Intl

Key FIU Golden Panthers Injuries

No key injuries to report

In the last game they played, the UMass Minutemen played the Akron Zips and won by a score of 37-29. Bilal Ally paced the team on the ground for that contest. His longest run of the day went for 26 yards but he wasn't able to run one in for a touchdown. He racked up a total of 97 yards via 15 carries which meant he averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Samuel Emilus was the receiving yardage leader by earning 70 yards on 6 receptions. He had an average of 11.7 yards per catch for that contest. Running the show from under center for the Minutemen was Michael Curtis who went 17/31 with 173 yards passing and completed 2 TD's. He gave away 1 interception in the game. The UMass Minutemen rushed the ball a total of 42 times and racked up a total of 220 yards giving them an average of 5.2 yards per run. In the game, the Minutemen totaled 24 1st downs and they had 9 penalties for 62 yards which shows us that this team didn't have their heads in this game. On the day, they totaled 75 plays which gave them a total of 433 yards. In terms of defense, UMass conceded 28 catches on 42 tries for a total of 335 yards, and a completion percentage of 66.7%. Against the run, the Minutemen conceded 71 yards on 27 tries which gave them an average of 2.6 yards per rushing attempt allowed. Overall, they allowed a total of 406 yards and forced 3 takeaways.

The Minutemen step onto the field holding a record of 1-4 for this season. In terms of scoring, they are one of the marginal teams in the country with an average of 24.6 points per game, putting them 95th in D-1. As a team, they are averaging 154 yards on the ground per contest which is 2nd among Independent teams. For total yardage, they currently sit at 4th among Independent teams and 86th in D-1 with 1,649 yards. The Minutemen have one of the most lackluster defenses in D-1, giving up 47.2 points per contest ranking them 6th among D-1 Independent teams. In regard to rushing yards, UMass is allowing 237.2 yards per contest which has them at 6th among D-1 Independent teams and 124th in Division 1. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 5.9 yards per rush ranking them 5th among Independent teams and 126th in the country overall. In total, they have conceded 1,186 rushing yards through 5 contests. When it comes to passing yards, the Minutemen have conceded 1,445 yards. Opponents are completing 74.1% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 10.1 yards per try.

Related: Gambling 101 Series on How Odds are Calculated - Watch Tony George Explain

In their last game, the FIU Golden Panthers went up against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and were beaten 43-31. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Golden Panthers was James Morgan who went 29/41 with 394 yards through the air and added 2 TD's. He walked away with 1 pick during the game. Napoleon Maxwell paced the team on the ground for that contest. He tore off a long run of 21 yards but he wasn't able to rush for a TD on the day. He racked up a total of 78 yards by way of 8 carries which meant he was running for 9.8 yards per run. Austin Maloney was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 113 yards on 5 catches. He notched an average of 22.6 yards per reception for that contest. The FIU Golden Panthers ran the ball 26 times and racked up 132 yards giving them an average of 5.1 yards per rush. Overall, the Golden Panthers racked up 29 1st downs and they had a total of 4 penalties for 50 yards which is telling of how their week of practice went. For the game, they finished with a total of 67 plays for 526 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, FIU conceded 27 catches on 41 throws for a total of 290 yards, and a completion percentage of 65.9%. Against the run, the Golden Panthers conceded 275 yards on 43 carries giving the other team an average of 6.4 yards per carry allowed. Overall, they gave up a total of 565 yards and earned 1 turnover.

Related: Get college football picks & tips on all of today's games

The Golden Panthers come into this game with a record of 1-3. FIU has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 163 yards on the ground per game, which has them at 67th in the nation. As a team, they have compiled a total of 652 rushing yards through 4 contests, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Golden Panthers average 361.8 yards per game overall which has them at 98th in D-1 and 9th in the conference. The Golden Panthers are allowing 30.5 points per game which puts them at 9th in C-USA and 98th in college football. In regard to points allowed, they have given up 122 points in total. When talking about rushing yards, they are allowing 217.3 yards per game ranking them 118th in the nation and 12th in the conference. For 2019, they have allowed a total of 869 yards on the ground and 8 rushing touchdowns. Their pass defense is one of the mediocre units in the nation. They are giving up 237.5 passing yards per contest. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Golden Panthers sit in 7th in Conference USA.

Who will win tonight's Minutemen/Golden Panthers college football game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Golden Panthers -25

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Read more articles by Tony Sink