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An intriguing matchup will be under the Friday night lights this weekend as the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs take on the UTEP Miners in El Paso. Join us for our College Football odds series where our Louisiana Tech-UTEP prediction and pick will be revealed.
Entering play with a 2-3 record, the Bulldogs took one on the chin in their 28-14 loss to Nebraska on the road. Still, the Bulldogs already look vastly improved after a sluggish 3-9 record in 2022 and have shown that they have more talent on both sides of the ball in a very small sample size.
On the other side of things, the UTEP Miners have lost three in a row since winning their opening game of the campaign and need to stop the bleeding before the losing gets too far out of hand. A year ago, it was the Miners that barely missed out on bowl eligibility at 5-7, and things won't change for the better if they can't start producing on the field and translating that into victories.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Louisiana Tech-UTEP Odds
Louisiana Tech: +1.5 (-115)
UTEP: -1.5 (-105)
Over: 52.5 (-110)
Under: 52.5 (-110)
How to Watch Louisiana Tech vs. UTEP
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: CBS Sports App
Time: 9:00 ET/6:00 PT
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
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Why Louisiana Tech Will Cover The Spread
Stellar quarterback play is the name of the game, and the Bulldogs certainly have their man under center now that is filled with plenty of experience. Introducing QB Hank Bachmeier, who is in his fifth season of college football after spending four years as a starter at Boise State. Often plagued by inconsistency, there is no denying that Bachmeier has an NFL arm to boot. Unfortunately, Bachmeier has suffered a setback with an injury to his shoulder, which resulted in backup QB Jack Turner getting the start, and the Bulldogs paid the price on the road in Lincoln. Alas, Bachmeier's current status for Friday night's game is in question and will be a developing story to keep an eye on for LA Tech bettors.
Whoever is under center remains to be seen, but regardless, there is no question that the Bulldogs HAVE to get the running game going, which eluded them last weekend. In the loss to Nebraska, Louisiana Tech only tallied a total of 46 rushing yards on 21 attempts and were merely irrelevant in running between the tackles. Simply enough, it will prove to be extremely important for the Bulldogs to establish their physicality and set the tone with their running game from the very first play of action. Luckily, UTEP ranks near the bottom of the conference in many defensive categories, so this could be the perfect opportunity for the Bulldogs to get back on track.
Why UTEP Will Cover The Spread
It helps that UTEP is the home team in this one and should be backed by an energetic Friday night crowd, but it will all be for naught if the Miners cannot convert first downs and move the chains at a consistent rate. Indeed, a big reason why they have lost has been an inconsistency to string together drives and get into a rhythm offensively.
In order to cover their spread against an LA Tech squad that is definitely no easy challenge, then staying on schedule on first and second down will be a major advantage. Not to mention, similar to Louisiana Tech's game plan, UTEP's ability and effectiveness to pound the line could end up being the difference. Keep in mind, the Bulldogs statistically have the worst rushing defense in all of Conference USA, so this is an obvious weakness existing within the LA Tech roster that must be exploited.
Furthermore, UTEP may boast the top individual player on either side of the football field in ball-hawking linebacker Tyrice Knight. Measuring at 6-foot-2 and weighing in at a sturdy 240 pounds, Knight leads the conference in tackles and is already within the top five of qualifying names when it comes to sacking the quarterback. Clearly, the senior anchor of the Miners defense has every attribute to take his game to the NFL level, and he should make plenty of big-time plays on Friday to keep UTEP at the very least in striking distance.
Final Louisiana Tech-UTEP Prediction & Pick
Although the college football season is still vastly young, this showdown on Friday night feels like a must-win for both sides to establish a firm grip in the Conference USA standings. By the time the clock hits triple zeroes, expect Louisiana Tech's overall talent to shine through and be too much for UTEP to overcome.
Final Louisiana Tech-UTEP Prediction & Pick: Louisiana Tech +1.5 (-115)
