Utah State and UTEP meet Saturday in college football action from Maverick Stadium. Here’s a Utah State Aggies vs UTEP Miners prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Utah State vs UTEP pick.
It’s Rebuild time for Utah State
It appears to be rebuild time for Utah State, and it sure looks like new coach Bronco Mendenhall is going to have his hands full. Almost 30 players transferred out from last year’s team, and although they were active in the portal, there are still some major holes that appear to be weaknesses heading into this season. Spencer Petras is gone under center, and all signs point towards Bryson Barnes taking over. He got some playing time last year, including rushing for almost 350 yards over the last two games. His legs are a true weapon and he’s going to be using his legs plenty in this game.
He is going to be working with an entirely new offensive line with five new starters expected here. On defense is where this Utah State squad might have the most issues, at least if last year is any sort of indication. The one real bright spot on the defense is Ike Larsen who is one of the best safeties in the conference. If this team wants to have an even average defense, they need to find a way to create some turnovers.
Why Utah State will beat UTEP
- UTEP has lost each of its last eight road openers as an underdog.
- Utah State has won each of its last four home openers.
- UTEP has failed to cover the spread in each of its last seven games against non-conference opponents.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of Utah State’s last five games.
Is UTEP a Contender?
It’s the second year of the Scotty Walden era, and there are some that believe that this team can be a contender in Conference USA. Last season, they finished with a 3-9 record, but on paper, this schedule is set up a lot more favorably. It appears that this team has two quarterbacks that could be impact players for this team, and it will be interesting to see how that works itself out through this season. Skyler Locklear found some success last year for UTEP, and Malachi Nelson was brought in from the transfer portal. He once was a standout recruit for USC, but so far he hasn’t found success in college football.
The strength of the defense appears to be the line, even though they lost top pass rusher Maurice Westmoreland to Tulane. Derek Burns was brought in from New Mexico State, and he’s going to be a playmaker this season.
Why UTEP Will Beat Utah State
- Utah State has lost five of its last six games against non-conference opponents.
- Utah State has failed to cover the spread in five of its last six games as a favorite against non-AP-ranked teams.
- UTEP has covered the spread in each of its last three games as an underdog against non-AP-ranked teams.
Utah State vs UTEP Prediction
This line is actually a bit shocking, and I wouldn’t be all that shocked if the road team ended up winning this game outright. Yes, UTEP’s record wasn’t great last season, but this Utah State team still has so many holes. UTEP has two quality quarterbacks, and even if both play, I expect the Miners to find success against this defense. Yes, UTEP’s defense will probably give up some touchdowns, but Utah State’s defense is also going to do the same. UTEP’s offense is going to keep this game close, and they will end up coming out on top. It wouldn’t shock me if the road team went on the road and won this game outright. We will play it safe, though and take the points.