College Football ATS Picks - Arizona at UTEP Game Preview

The UTEP Miners are offensively challenged. UTEP has scored just 21 points over its first two games and while its first opponent was Oklahoma, the second team they faced was Rice. The Miners couldn’t move the ball on the ground or through the air on either and it’s doubtful they will against the Arizona Wildcats on Friday night. Arizona is looking to take out revenge on a Texas school after falling to Houston last week and UTEP happens to be the unlucky next team up.

This matchup in Week 3 of the regular season will take place on Friday, September 15, 2017,

at 10 p.m. ET at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. This game will be broadcast on ESPN.

College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arizona -20
UTEP +20

Odds Analysis

UTEP needs to get things going in a hurry or else Sean Kugler will find himself out of a job. Kugler made it to a bowl game in his second season in El Paso, but he is now in his fifth year at the school and that is still his only postseason appearance with the team.

The Miners failed to cover as a 43-point underdog to Oklahoma in the team’s season opener and then lost by 17 as a home favorite to Rice. Both of those losses also failed to cover the spread.

Rich Rodriguez and Arizona are desperate to show that last season was a fluke. The Wildcats were terrible last season and their defense collapsed down the stretch. That unit has been much better this year though as they have allowed just 43 points in their first two games.

Even though the Wildcats were home underdogs to the Cougars, the loss still stings. Houston suffocated Arizona’s offense and never allowed quarterback Brandon Dawkins to get in a rhythm.

Player to Watch

Dawkins has had a checkered career in Tucson. He came here as a highly heralded recruit, but has yet to play a full season or have much success on the field. After a promising freshman season, he regressed in 2016, and looks to have done the same again this season.

There’s no denying his athleticism. Dawkins continue to allure Rich Rod and others because he is a playmaker and can make things happen with his legs, but at what point do you just settle for someone who is a consistent passer?

He was replaced by Khalil Tate in the fourth quarter of the close loss to Houston and is essentially playing for his job at this point. Dawkins is expected to get the start against UTEP, but if he falters, it might be the last start of his career in Arizona.

Key Stats

UTEP has just 370 total yards of offense over the first two weeks of the season. The running game has been completely lifeless and was shockingly bad against Rice last week. The Miners averaged just 1.1 yards a rush against an Owls defense that was throttled by Stanford two weeks ago

At least quarterback Ryan Metz improved from his appalling performance in the opener. Metz threw for over 200 yards against Rice and while that doesn’t sound like much, it’s impressive if you see what he did in the Miners’ season opener.

Free ATS Pick

Arizona is going to put up points against a Miners defense that isn’t good at all. Rice has one of the weakest offenses in the country and the Owls ran the ball all over UTEP, racking up over 300 yards on the ground.

Whether or not UTEP can score on Arizona will determine who covers. The Miners at least showed signs of life on offense against Rice last week, but Arizona’s defense has looked sharp for two games. Backing double-digit road favorites typically isn’t a great idea, but Zona is miles better than UTEP.

College Football Odds: Wildcats 49, Miners 20

BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!