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UTEP is winless to start the season, while Western Kentucky was off last weekend after a narrow loss to Boston College. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a UTEP-Western Kentucky prediction and pick.
UTEP is in the running for the worst team in all of college football. They have opened the season losing five straight and have yet to earn a win during the 2024 season. In their last game, they were blown out against Sam Houston State at home. They get a challenging matchup against Western Kentucky on the road. This is not great for a team struggling as much as UTEP.
Western Kentucky is a solid team this season. They are 3-2, and before a bye last week, they just barely lost to Boston College. They are a feisty team this season and are solid overall. This is a good get-right game for the Hilltoppers coming out of the bye. They can make some noise in Conference USA outside of Liberty.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: UTEP-Western Kentucky Odds
UTEP: +19.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +720
Western Kentucky: -19.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -1200
Over: 57.5 (-110)
Under: 57.5 (-110)
How to Watch UTEP vs. Western Kentucky
Time: 8:00 pm ET/ 5:00 pm PT
TV: ESPNU
Article Continues Below
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why UTEP Could Cover The Spread/Win
To be honest, it's hard to determine which unit has struggled more for the Miners, and it is a coin flip between their offense and defense. The offense is second to last in Conference USA in scoring at 15.8 points per game. They are also third to last in yards per game with 322 yards per game. If there is a standout on this offense it's running back Jevon Jackson. He has 233 rushing yards on 59 carries and is averaging 3.9 yards per carry.
UTEP's defense has been awful. They are allowing 32.6 points per game and 435.6 total yards per game, too. The defense needs to step up the most for any chance of an upset in this game. Western Kentucky's offense is solid, and the Miners need to find a way to slow them down. This is a big test for a struggling UTEP team on the road in Kentucky.
Why Western Kentucky Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Hilltoppers have been solid at the start of the season, including a close loss against Boston College. They are averaging 25.2 points per game and 382.2 yards per game on offense. The biggest key for the Hilltoppers on offense is quarterback Caden Veltkamp. He has 883 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, four interceptions, and he has a 70.4% completion percentage. The Hilltoppers need him to play well in order to win this game.
Western Kentucky's defense has been okay at best this season. They are allowing 25.2 points per game and 396.8 total yards per game. While their defense has been solid at times, it has also lacked consistency. They get a great matchup against a struggling UTEP team that has not been able to do anything right on offense. They have rotated quarterbacks in and out of the lineup, and neither has stood out.
Final UTEP-Western Kentucky Prediction & Pick
UTEP is arguably the worst team in the FBS. They have not been able to do anything right across the board. Their defense has really struggled, and their offense can't score points. In comparison, Western Kentucky has been solid this season and has a path to contend in Conference USA. Expect, Western Kentucky to win and cover in this game relatively easily to earn a conference win at home.
Final UTEP-Western Kentucky Prediction & Pick: Western Kentucky -19.5 (-110)
