It’s a must-win game for both teams as the 1-5 UTEP Miners travel to the Sunshine State to take on the 3-3 FIU Golden Panthers, with each program looking to nab their first CUSA win of the 2023 college football season.
Who emerges victorious? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and an FIU vs. UTEP prediction.
FIU vs. UTEP Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Want to take advantage of the FIU vs. UTEP odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
FIU -2 - Moneyline
FIU -125, UTEP +105 - Over/Under
44 points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Riccardo Silva Stadium, Miami, FL - Predicted Weather at Kick
80.6 degrees, 6.8 mph winds, cloudy - How to Watch
FuboTV, ESPN2
Fancy pouncing on the Panthers and placing your financial fortune on FIU? Will a first FBS win for UTEP also be a win for you in the college football betting world? If you’re going to take advantage of the FIU vs. UTEP odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
When these two teams met a year ago, UTEP stopped a three-game slide in the head-to-head matchup with a convincing 40-6 win in El Paso. Can they halt their own current losing streak in similar fashion on Wednesday night? FIU holds a 3-2 head-to-head advantage, has never lost in Florida to the Miners, and are the favorite to walk away with a win in this all-CUSA clash.
Our FIU vs. UTEP prediction favors the Golden Panthers, and with such a small spread, you may as well jump on both the spread if you agree with our breakdown below. Like their overall record, FIU is 3-3 against the spread whereas UTEP has covered the spread just once during their current difficult run. Their closest margin of defeat is three points in 2023, one clear of the spread.
In a combination of the 12 games that UTEP and FIU have played so far this season, just four of them have covered the over line. If the line had been 44 points in all of those 12 games, the record would be 7-1-4 in favor of the under. Perhaps tonight is the night that there’s an offensive explosion, but we wouldn’t recommend putting your mortgage on that scenario happening.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
FIU Depth Chart | UTEP Depth Chart
- QB Keyone Jenkins, FIU ($10,000)
- QB Gavin Hardison, UTEP ($8,000)
- QB Kevin Hurley, UTEP ($7,000)
- QB Cade McConnell, UTEP ($7,000)
- RB Torrance Burgess Jr., UTEP ($8,500)
- RB Deion Hankins, UTEP ($7,800)
- RB Shomari Lawrence, FIU ($7,600)
- RB Kejon Owens, FIU ($7,500)
- RB Ezell Jolly, UTEP ($4,900)
- RB Antonio Patterson, FIU ($4,600)
- WR Kris Mitchell, FIU ($9,000)
- WR Kelly Akharaiyi, UTEP ($8,100)
- WR Tyrin Smith, UTEP ($7,000)
- WR Eric Rivers, FIU ($6,500)
- WR Jeremiah Ballard, UTEP ($6,400)
- WR Dean Patterson, FIU ($6,200)
- WR Jalen Bracey, FIU ($5,700)
- TE Zach Fryar, UTEP ($5,500)
- TE Jackson McDonald, FIU ($5,300)
There are two college football games on Wednesday to compile your DFS team from in Week 6. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “superflex” that can be any of the above. Or you can also select a tight end for the Superflex spot.
With the expectation of a low-scoring game, there might not be too many FIU vs. UTEP picks in your DFS lineups this Wednesday evening.
Firstly, the UTEP quarterback scenario is one to avoid entirely. Regular starter Gavin Hardison missed the previous game with an injury, and in his place, three different players attempted a pass.
With uncertainty over Hardison’s return and even more uncertainty over the talent that replaces him, don’t entertain a selection — especially with New Mexico State’s Diego Pavia being the standout fantasy option in the other game on this Wednesday slate.
So, who are viable DFS and fantasy options from FIU vs. UTEP?
UTEP running backs Deion Hankins and Torrance Burgess Jr. both handled double-digit loads against Louisiana Tech, and Burgess has the fantasy scoring edge — currently the fourth-ranked RB in CUSA. FIU’s Kris Mitchell has the second most fantasy points amongst CUSA WRs and is the go-to guy in the Panthers offense.
Prediction for FIU vs. UTEP
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the FIU vs. UTEP odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction. Will the Panthers pounce on their first CUSA win of the conference campaign? Or will the Miners dig up not only their opening CUSA victory but their first win over an FBS team in 2023?
Hopes were high for UTEP this season. Boasting some of the best offensive linemen in the conference and boosted by the return of Tyrin Smith from a dalliance with the transfer portal and Texas A&M, Dana Dimel’s team should be better than the 1-5 record that they bring into this game. It’s worth noting they’ve played two Power Five programs in their out-of-conference schedule.
Offensive issues have crippled this UTEP team in 2023. They’ve averaged just 16.2 points per game, scoring 10 points of less in half of their bouts. Injury to quarterback Hardison may or not be a factor in ensuring that level of offensive ineptitude continues in the Week 7 clash with FIU. The ground game that has been UTEP’s identity has only yielded seven touchdowns this year.
The margins in this game are likely to be tight. Pick a defensive metric and UTEP and FIU will trade blows to be the better — or worse, depending on how you cut it. What you’re looking for is an offensive spark plug, a flicker of fleeting hope. Between Shomari Lawrence and true freshman quarterback Keyone Jenkins, the Panthers have that impact-maker, that game-deciding piece.
Prediction: FIU 21, UTEP 16