UTEP vs FIU NCAA Football Picks & Predictions

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Riccardo Silva Stadium

James Morgan and the FIU Golden Panthers host the UTEP Miners at Riccardo Silva Stadium on Saturday, October 19, 2019. UTEP opens this contest as 20.5-point underdogs. The Miners are 1-4-0 ATS and 2-3-0 when betting on the total. The Golden Panthers are 3-3-0 when wagering on the over/under and 2-4-0 against the spread.

In their last game, the UTEP Miners played the UTSA Roadrunners and ended up taking the loss by a score of 26-16. Treyvon Hughes led the team in rushing for the game. He tore off a long run of 28 yards and he ran for 1 TD for the game. He ran for a total of 62 yards by way of 10 carries which means he ran for an average of 6.2 yards per carry. Tre'Shon Wolf was the leader in receiving yardage with a total of 91 yards on 9 catches. He notched an average of 10.1 yards per catch for the game. Running the show from under center for the Miners was Brandon Jones who went 14/22 with 140 yards passing and added 1 TD. He ended the game with no interceptions. The Miners ended up running the ball 30 times and added 99 yards giving them an average of 3.3 yards per rush. For the game, the Miners got 20 first downs and they totaled 8 penalties for 75 yards which shows us how undisciplined this team can be. In the game, they finished with a total of 61 plays which gave them a total of 280 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, UTEP allowed 6 completions on 14 tries totaling 46 yards, and a completion percentage of 42.9%. Against the run, the Miners allowed 320 yards on 48 tries which means they had an average of 6.7 yards per rushing attempt allowed. Overall, they conceded 366 yards but went the whole game without forcing a turnover.

The Miners come into this matchup with a record of 1-4 for this season. For total yards, they rank 14th in the conference and 129th in the country with 1,491 yards. They are one of lowest scoring teams in the nation averaging 17.8 points per contest, putting them 121st in the country. As a team, they are averaging 140.8 yards on the ground per game which is 9th in Conference USA. The Miners have one of the worst defenses in the nation, allowing 33.2 points per game ranking them 13th in C-USA. When it comes to yards rushing, UTEP is allowing 190.2 yards per game ranking them 11th in C-USA and 99th in college football. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 5.1 yards per carry ranking them 11th in Conference USA and 111th in Division 1 overall. Overall, they have conceded 951 rushing yards through 5 contests. When it comes to passing yards, the Miners have allowed 787 yards. Teams are completing 66.7% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 7.9 yards per try.

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In their last game, the FIU Golden Panthers played the Charlotte 49ers and won 48-23. Running the show from under center for the Golden Panthers was James Morgan who went 13/16 with 160 yards passing and tossed 2 touchdowns. He finished the game without throwing an interception. Anthony Jones led the team on the ground in the game. He had a long run of 41 yards and he notched 3 touchdowns for the game. He ran for a total of 117 yards on 16 carries which gave him an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Austin Maloney led the team in receiving yardage by racking up 73 yards on 4 receptions. He notched an average of 18.3 yards per reception in the game. The Golden Panthers ended up rushing 52 times and generated 352 yards which gave them an average of 6.8 yards per carry. On the day, the Golden Panthers totaled 26 first downs and they totaled 4 penalties for 40 yards which tells us that they had an average outing in terms of discipline. In all, they ran 68 plays for 512 yards. When it comes to their defensive performance, FIU gave up 7 catches on 13 attempts for a total of 113 yards, and a completion percentage of 53.8%. In the running game, the Golden Panthers gave up 217 yards on 41 runs which gave them an average of 5.3 yards per run allowed. Overall, they gave up 330 yards and earned 1 turnover.

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The Golden Panthers head into this game 3-3. FIU has shown the nation they have a formidable rushing attack by averaging 213.7 rushing yards per game, putting them 30th in college football. As a team, they have compiled a total of 1,282 yards rushing through 6 contests, and if they want to continue their dominance, they'll want to keep running the ball. The Golden Panthers average 416.7 yards per contest overall which has them at 63rd in Division 1 and 5th in C-USA. The Golden Panthers are conceding 24.2 points per contest ranking them 4th in Conference USA and 53rd in the country. In discussing points allowed, they have allowed 145 total points. In terms of yards rushing, they are allowing 187.3 yards per game which puts them at 96th in the country and 10th in the conference. This year, they have given up a total of 1,124 rushing yards and 10.2 rushing touchdowns. Their pass defense is one of the most dominate units in the nation. They are conceding 190 passing yards per game. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Golden Panthers sit in 5th in the conference.

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

Tony's Pick: Take the Miners +20.5

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