The Conference USA battle between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the UTEP Miners is set to take place on September 29th at Sun Bowl, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET. Both teams are motivated to secure a win after suffering losses in their previous games.
UTEP faced another setback in their recent match against UNLV, with a 45-28 defeat marking their third consecutive loss. The team failed to live up to their potential and fell short of the advantage predicted by oddsmakers. Torrance Burgess Jr. provided a boost for the Miners by rushing for 99 yards and a touchdown, while Gavin Hardison contributed three total touchdowns.
Despite typically relying on passing plays in third and short situations, UTEP deviated from their strategy in their last game, attempting only 40% passing plays. However, with a low conversion rate of 26.3% on third downs, it is unlikely that they will continue this approach.
Louisiana Tech's previous game against Nebraska started off tied at 7-7, but the Bulldogs were unable to maintain the scoreline and ultimately fell 28-14. The team struggled on the ground, finishing with a mere 46 rushing yards compared to Nebraska's 312 yards.
UTEP has experienced a challenging period, losing four of their last five matches, mainly against formidable opponents such as UNLV and the 2-1 Wildcats. Louisiana Tech's loss to Nebraska dropped their record to 2-3.
Both teams have failed to cover the spread in their previous games. As UTEP goes into this matchup as a 1-point favorite, caution is advised considering their 1-4 record against the spread this season.
Last October, UTEP fell to Louisiana Tech with a score of 41-31. However, the absence of quarterback Parker McNeil, who threw for 266 yards and four touchdowns in that game, may affect the outcome this time.
According to the latest odds, UTEP is the slight favorite with a 1-point spread. The over/under is set at 53 points. Louisiana Tech has won seven out of their last eight games against UTEP.
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