UTEP Miners vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

At 3:30 ET, UTEP and Nebraska will face off at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE. The game will be broadcast on FOX, and the over/under line is currently set at 48.5 points. Nebraska is the heavy favorite with a -27.5 point spread. This will be the first game of the season for both teams.

UTEP MINERS VS NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Nebraska Cornhuskers -27.5

This game will be played at Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, NE) at 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS:

• We have the Nebraska Cornhuskers winning this one by a score of 43 to 13
• Not only do we have the Nebraska Cornhuskers winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -27.5
• Look for this game to go over the line of 48.5 points

Will The UTEP Miners Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

UTEP is currently 111th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 57.4% chance of being bowl-eligible this season. Last year, the Miners finished with a 3-9 record, going 0-3 in games where they were favored and 3-6 as the underdog. They struggled at home, finishing 1-5, but were slightly better on the road, ending with a 2-4 record.

Heading into this season, UTEP has an 11.9% chance of winning the Conference USA title, with the futures market placing them at +5800 to win the conference and +1400 to make it to the Conference USA Championship game, ranking them 7th out of the 10 teams in the conference.

UTEP’s passing game last season was led by Cade McConnell, who threw for 1,437 yards and six touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 83.4. However, the Miners’ passing attack ranked 83rd in the nation, averaging 217.7 yards per game. Overall, UTEP averaged 19.9 points per game, placing them 95th in the country. Their struggles on third down were a major issue, as they converted only 32.9% of their third down chances (109th).

In the running game, UTEP averaged 144.3 yards per game, ranking 87th nationally. Their top returning running back, Ezell Jolly, finished with 53 yards last season. The Miners also added Corey Wren from TCU to their backfield. In the receiving corps, Emari White is the top returning receiver, and they have also brought in Jaden Smith from Eastern Kentucky.

Last season, UTEP’s defense was better against the pass, ranking 35th in passing yards allowed per game (184.7). However, they struggled to stop the run, giving up 203 rushing yards per game, which placed them 160th in the nation. Overall, the Miners allowed 28.5 points per game, putting them 58th in the country. They did have success limiting passing yards, but their run defense will need to improve for the upcoming season.

Are The Nebraska Cornhuskers Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Nebraska is 41st in our pre-season power rankings, with a 69.3% chance of being bowl-eligible this season. However, their chances of winning the Big Ten are slim, with just a 0.6% chance according to our rankings. In the futures market, they are listed at +4666 to win the Big Ten, with an implied probability of 2%, which is 7th out of the 18 teams in the conference.

Last season, Nebraska finished with a 5-7 overall record. They were 3-3 as underdogs and 2-3 as favorites. The Cornhuskers were 4-3 at home and 1-4 on the road. Despite their losing record, they are just outside the top 40 in our pre-season rankings.

Nebraska’s passing game was a significant weakness last season, as they ranked 122nd in passing yards per game with just 135.9. Their overall offensive performance was lackluster, averaging only 18 points per game (98th). The Cornhuskers were also 57th in rushing yards per game, averaging 178.8 yards per contest.

Heinrich Haarberg, who threw for 967 yards and seven touchdowns last season, is the top returning quarterback for the Cornhuskers. In the backfield, Emmett Johnson, who rushed for 411 yards last season, is their top returning running back. Nebraska also added Dante Dowdell from Oregon to bolster their running game. In the receiving corps, Jahmal Banks, who had 653 receiving yards last season, joins the team, and Jaylen Lloyd is the top returning receiver with 237 yards from last season.

Nebraska’s defense was strong against the run last season, allowing just 93.5 rushing yards per game, the 14th best mark in the nation. Overall, they gave up 18.2 points per game, which ranked 7th nationally. However, their pass defense was not as effective, ranking 65th in passing yards allowed. Despite this, the Cornhuskers were solid in limiting big plays, giving up just 6.2 yards per pass attempt (18th).