Game Time: 2:00 PM  ET, Friday, November, 26th, 2021

Venue:  Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama

Where to Watch: ESPN+

 

DraftKings:  Spread: UAB -13.5; Over/Under: 50.5 points

Circa:  Spread: UAB -13.5; Over/Under:  50.5 points

Caesars:  Spread: UAB -13.5;  Over/Under:  50 points 

 

  

UTEP: 4-3 conf, 7-4 overall  (C-USA)

UAB: 5-2 conf, 7-4 overall (C-USA)

UTEP is a big underdog in this Conference USA matchup, though they have identical regular season records. Utep games in conference have been unproductive, they have lost 3.  They lost just last week to the North Texas Mean Green, they lost the week before to UTSA, and they lost the week before to Louisiana Tech… two of those losses were by a difference of 3 points, the loss to UTSA (#1 in conference) was by 21 points.

UAB or the University of Alabama-Birmingham has only fared 1 game better than UTEP in C-USA. UAB’s games have only produced 2 C-USA losses.  Rice beat UAB 30-24 and UTSA beat UAB 34-31.  

The common denominator would be UTSA who is ranked #15 in the country and beat UTEP by 21 points and UAB by only 3 points.

Matt is on a 9-5 CFB Run the last two weeks while going 32-23 in CFB since October! The final week of the regular season is here and Fargo is unleashing his CFB Game of the Year! He is ready for a MASSIVE end to November and if you make one move Saturday, this is the one! Do not miss out!! Get Matt Fargo’s picks; they're available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.  Also get help with all your needs in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and every game in the college football season.

RECENT FORM

UTEP is 7-4 on the season and 7-4 ATS.  The Miners have logged 6 Overs and 5 Unders.  They are 2-3 in road games.

UAB is 7-4 on the season and 7-3-1 ATS.  They have notched 4 Overs and 7 Unders.  They are 2-2 at home.

 

UTEP is 94th in the FBS in points with 25.2 per game.  The Miners are 70th in the FBS in yards ypg with 400.2.  They (like almost everybody) favor the passing game with 252.4 passing yards per game for 49th in the FBS and 80th in rushing yards with 147.8 per game.

UAB is 65th in the FBS in points with 28.3 per game.  They are 75th in yards per game which breaks down into 216.9 passing yards (81st FBS) and 172.7 rushing yards (58th in FBS) per game.  Their offense excels in the run game which plates right into UTEP’s defense strength.

UTEP on defense ranks 34th in defending yardage.  They are 31st in total yards with 340.5 per game.  The Miners are 43rd in pass defense and 30th in run defense.

UAB is ranked 41st in the FBS in defending points, allowing only 22.6 per game.  The Blazers are 53rd in pass defense and 14th in run defense.  The average total yards given up is 325.8 

 

Our prediction for Friday, November 26th is….   UAB 44 - UTEP 21

 

 

 

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UTEP is 5-2 ATS against conference opponents this season.

UAB is 13-7 ATS against conference opponents the last 3 seasons.

UAB is 5-1 ATS after playing a conference game this season.

UAB is 6-2 ATS when playing on 6 days or less of rest this season.

UTEP: QB Gavin Hardison, RB Deion Hankins, FB Forest McKee, TE Trent Thompson, WR Justin Garrett, WR Jacob Cowing, WR Nick Ast, WR Tyrin Smith, LT Darta Lee, LG Bobby DeHaro, OC Andrew Meyer, RG Elijiah Klein, RT Jeremiah Byers

UAB: QB Dylan Hopkins, RB Jermaine Brown JR, TE Hayden Pittman, WR Samario Rudolph, WR Trea Shropshire, WR Ryan Davis, LT Kadeem Telfort, LG Andrew Smith JR, OC Will Rykard, RG Mathew Trehern, RT Colby Ragland, 

UTEP

Touchdowns: Ronald Awatt 5

Rushing Yards: Ronald Awatt 791

Passing Yards: Gavin Hardison 2,762

Sacks: Jadrian Taylor 6.5

Interceptions: DyVonne Inyang 2

UAB

Touchdowns: DeWayne McBride 11

Rushing Yards: DeWayne McBride 1086

Passing Yards: Dylan Hopkins 1,977

Receiving Yards: Trea Shropshire 671

Sacks: Alex Wright 4.5

Interceptions: Grayson Cash 2

UTEP: Dana Dimel.  Coach Dimel has been the head coach of the University of Texas at El Paso since 2017.  His Utep career record is 12-31… for this he is paid $711,999 per year.  It’s good work if you can get it.

UAB:  Bill Clark.  Coach Clark has been the head coach at UAB since 2014.  He is 47-26 overall and has won the conference USA title in 2018 and 2020.