Through 1 Quarter
The UTSA Roadrunners are ahead after one, as expected, but they’ll have to keep working the rest of the way. they have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the UTEP Miners 16-6 after one quarter
The Roadrunners have been riding high on the performance of RB Sincere McCormick, who has rushed for one TD and 127 yards on eight carries. That touchdown — a 75-yard rush in the first quarter — was one of the highlights of the game. K Hunter Duplessis has contributed nine points on three field goals with a long of 51 yards.
UTEP has been relying on WR Tyrin Smith, who has caught one pass for one TD and 35 yards, and RB Ronald Awatt, who has picked up 47 yards on the ground on five carries.
Who’s Playing
No. 16 UTSA @ UTEP
Current Records: UTSA 8-0; UTEP 6-2
What to Know
The UTEP Miners haven’t won a contest against the UTSA Roadrunners since Oct. 22 of 2016, but they’ll be looking to end the drought on Saturday. UTEP and UTSA will face off in a Conference USA battle at 10:15 p.m. ET at Sun Bowl. The Miners are out to keep their four-game home win streak alive.
It was close but no cigar for UTEP as they fell 28-25 to the Florida Atlantic Owls last week. Despite the defeat, UTEP got a solid performance out of WR Tyrin Smith, who caught four passes for one TD and 114 yards. Smith hadn’t helped his team much against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs three weeks ago, so this was a nice turnaround for him.
Meanwhile, UTSA made easy work of Louisiana Tech two weeks ago and carried off a 45-16 victory. The Roadrunners’ RB Sincere McCormick did his thing and rushed for three TDs and 113 yards on 23 carries.
The Miners are the clear underdogs, so they’re hoping it’s the size of the fight that determines this one. They might be worth taking a chance on against the spread, however, as they are currently on a five-game streak of ATS wins.
UTEP is now 6-2 while UTSA sits at 8-0. A couple defensive numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: UTEP is stumbling into the matchup with the 149th most touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 14 on the season. UTSA has experienced some struggles of their own as they are 214th worst in the nation in passing touchdowns allowed, with 13 on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET
- Where: Sun Bowl — El Paso, Texas
- TV: ESPN2
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $20.40
Odds
The Roadrunners are a big 11.5-point favorite against the Miners, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Roadrunners as a 12.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
UTSA have won five out of their last six games against UTEP.
- Nov 14, 2020 – UTSA 52 vs. UTEP 21
- Oct 05, 2019 – UTSA 26 vs. UTEP 16
- Sep 29, 2018 – UTSA 30 vs. UTEP 21
- Oct 28, 2017 – UTSA 31 vs. UTEP 14
- Oct 22, 2016 – UTEP 52 vs. UTSA 49
- Oct 03, 2015 – UTSA 25 vs. UTEP 6
