UTEP +3 sure seems like a gift

[JakeT.]

Buffalo has alot of guys coming back and UTEP doesn't. Okay. I get that. The game is in Buffalo. I get that as well.

Still, the level of talent between the two programs is way too much for this is be anything worse than a pickem.

My line is: UTEP -10, O/U 61

I'm running with this +3. Anyone else with me?

 

[Cappin'Guru]

Unless you know an abundance about these two teams I don't think I would even get past reading Buff.. LOL. BOL on this one bro, I got nothing on these two teams.

 

[JakeT.]

Unless you know an abundance about these two teams I don't think I would even get past reading Buff.. LOL. BOL on this one bro, I got nothing on these two teams.

I have handicapped every single college football D1 game for the last few years. Takes a ton of time but it's been my most successful sport lately. I keep an eye on everything haha.

 

[clowncar]

Buffalo has alot of guys coming back and UTEP doesn't. Okay. I get that. The game is in Buffalo. I get that as well.

Still, the level of talent between the two programs is way too much for this is be anything worse than a pickem.

My line is: UTEP -10, O/U 61

I'm running with this +3. Anyone else with me?

Wow. You have utep favored by ten points. I like them to win as well but ten points seems high. You must think the miners are a favorite to win Conference USA or you think Buffalo is one of the bottom 15 teams in the nation.

Still. I think you are on the correct side of this bet. Given that 9 of uteps last 10 games went well over 61 total points , I would expect a larger total to get posted for that one , especially since they make Buffalo the favorite. There is zero chance that UTEP fails to score on the bulls , so they apparently believe the bulls put up a lot here.

 

[elpasominer]

This game reminds me alot of the UTEP vs. San Diego State game two years ago. Both were Thursday night first game of the year. Both SDSU and Buffalo opened as 3 point home favorites. UTEP jumped out to a 28-3 lead in that game and held on for the win. The problem with this game is just trying to determine the level of Buffalo's talent.
UTEP is good in early games under Mike Price and has covered all of their last 3 openers, in which 2 of the 3 games they were dogs; beating a decent UNM(+3) team which won a bowl game in the first game last year, beating SDSU(+3) on the road the year before and easily covering on the road against a poor NMSU(-11) team the year before that.

UTEP will score, they have the best O-line that Mike Price has had since arriving at UTEP, a 5 star Oregon Transfer at running back, a QB that set every school Freshman passing record last year, a WR who scored a TD in 10 straight games last year, and a 6'7" Tight End who is the check down option that can't be covered one on one. They have possibly the best kicker in the nation who kicked a 63 yarder in practice the other day and was 1 of 3 finalist for the Lou Groza award last year. He kicks the ball through the end zone at ease so there are rarely returns.

Who knows what will happen on defense though. You have a Senior 4 star Arizona State transfer at Middle Linebacker, a 5 star Florida State transfer at CB and a 6th year senior returning to safety after sitting last year out. They are struggling though with injuries right now on defense(including the 5 star Florida State CB who pulled his hamstring today), and they were simply pathetic last year.
I just can't tell you much about Buffalo except for what I have watched on them on Youtube.

I am on UTEP, but not as much as I was 2 years ago when they were 3 point dogs against SDSU to open the season.

 

[YourAllAmerican]

I felt a lot more comfortable betting UTEP when Jordan Palmer was playing quarterback out there in the desert. The Miners really devolved into a flat-out bad team as last season progressed while Buffalo improved.

Mike Price is a good coach -- and party animal -- but so is Turner Gill. I've been watching this and have already been strongly tempted to bet the Bulls.

Shaken confidence from last season's swoon, a still-unproven quarterback (I'm not sold on Vittatoe), a road trip up north and a possible look-ahead factor to a already-hyped (in El Paso) meeting with the real University of Texas the following week... It seems like a lot of things working against the Miners.

 

[elpasominer]

I felt a lot more comfortable betting UTEP when Jordan Palmer was playing quarterback out there in the desert. The Miners really devolved into a flat-out bad team as last season progressed while Buffalo improved.

Mike Price is a good coach -- and party animal -- but so is Turner Gill. I've been watching this and have already been strongly tempted to bet the Bulls.

Shaken confidence from last season's swoon, a still-unproven quarterback (I'm not sold on Vittatoe), a road trip up north and a possible look-ahead factor to a already-hyped (in El Paso) meeting with the real University of Texas the following week... It seems like a lot of things working against the Miners.

I agree with everything you said, all of the outside factors, especially the looking ahead issue along with the fact that UTEP hasn't won a ootball game in the eastern time zone since....well maybe never, has kept me somewhat cautious.

 

[itsallabouttheloot]

Mike Price 3-1 in openers at UTEP. 3-0 vs Non Pac 10 teams. What's wrong with Vittatoe? He had 25 td's and 7 Int. UTEP's problems are on defense. I think Buffalo can exploit them. I'd look to the over if it's reasonable but it likely won't be.

 

[clowncar]

Vittatoe is twice the decision maker jordan palmer is and the miners should ahve a better running game this year than what palmer had to work with.


Defensive coordinator from new mexico is bringing his 3-3-5 defense with him and how well they have this defense figured out will go a long way to determining how their season goes. But I make the miners the favorite under the assumption that their defense will be only slightly better than a year ago. I don't think they could be worse.

Buffalo has not beaten a team not currently in mac since ...forever it seems like and now they are laying points.

One thing that should be noted is that while utep won outright and covered vs new mexico last year in the opener they were thoroughly outplayed in that game.

I will be betting the miners to win straight up.

 

[itsallabouttheloot]

Clowncar --- You got that right. I had UNM in that game and it was the beginning of a long frustrtaing season for me.