Sam Houston Bearkats (0-7) vs UTEP Miners (2-6)
Game Info: Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 8:00 pm (Elliot T. Bowers Stadium)
Betting Odds: Sam Houston Bearkats -3.5 -- Over/Under: 36.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
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The UTEP Miners will play the Sam Houston Bearkats in a Conference-USA game on Wednesday night at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. UTEP has lost four of their last five games, while Sam Houston is still looking for their first win of the season.
UTEP Preview
The UTEP Miners are 2-6 (1-3) this year after they lost to New Mexico State by a score of 28-7 last week. UTEP tied the game at seven in the second quarter, but they weren’t able to score any points in the second half. The Miners were out gained by a total of 439-304 and went 2-12 on third down. UTEP has had two wins against Incarnate Word and FIU this year. The UTEP offense is scoring 16.4 points per game with 200.9 passing yards per game and 152.1 rushing yards per game, while going 30.2% on third downs. Cade McConnell has thrown for 489 yards and two touchdowns for the Miners this year. Deion Hankins has rushed for 562 yards and two touchdowns, while Kelly Akharaiyi has caught 26 passes for 519 yards and three scores. The UTEP defense is allowing 26.4 points against per game this season.
Sam Houston Preview
The Sam Houston Bearkats are 0-7 (0-4) this season after they lost to FIU by a score of 33-27 in overtime in their last game. Sam Houston led 20-17 late in the fourth quarter, but FIU kicked a field goal to tie the game with five seconds left, before they won in double overtime. The Bearkats out gained FIU by a total of 410-331 and went 5-14 on third down in the loss. Sam Houston has played pretty competitively in their last four games, but they still have a zero in the win column. The Sam Houston offense is averaging 13.4 points per game with 208.9 passing yards per game and 74.3 rushing yards per game. Keegan Shoemaker has thrown for 1,322 yards, eight touchdowns, and six interceptions for the Bearkats this year. John Gentry has rushed for 170 yards, while Noah Smith has caught 47 passes for 399 yards and four scores. The Sam Houston defense is giving up 25.9 points against per game this year.
Sam Houston State Bearkats Team Facts
- Sam Houston State has lost each of its last 10 games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Sam Houston State has failed to cover the spread in four of its last five games against non-AP-ranked teams.
UTEP Miners Team Facts
- UTEP has lost 24 of its last 28 road games against conference opponents.
- UTEP has covered the spread in eight of its last nine road games in October.
- Each of UTEP's last four games as an underdog against non-AP-ranked teams have gone UNDER the total points line.
Pick
Sam Houston comes into this game with an 0-7 record, but they are a favorite to get the win here. The Bearkats have played a difficult schedule this season and their offense started very slow, but they have played better in the last four games. UTEP isn’t much better than Sam Houston, but they do have two wins on the year. The Miners got a win against a bad FIU team two games ago, but they looked rough in their last game against New Mexico State. I think Sam Houston is going to finally break through here and get the win, and I think they will win by about a touchdown.
David’s Pick Sam Houston -3.5
AUTHOR: David Racey
Mitch's Take...
