The UTEP Miners will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to battle the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium this weekend. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX on Saturday.
Dylan Raiola, Matt Rhule and Nebraska will look to begin what should be an impressive season with a big win. Will they be able to cover the large spread?
Read for my UTEP vs. Nebraska prediction.
UTEP vs Nebraska Prediction
- UTEP vs. Nebraska Prediction & Pick: Nebraska -27.5
My UTEP-Nebraska best bet and college football prediction is on the Huskers to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at FanDuel, according to ourlive college football oddspage.
UTEP vs Nebraska Odds
| UTEP Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+27.5 -110 | 48.5 -110o / -110u | +1550 |
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-27.5 -110 | 48.5 -110o / -110u | -4000 |
- Point Spread: UTEP +27.5 (-110) · Nebraska -27.5 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 48.5
- Moneyline: UTEP +1550 · Nebraska -4000
UTEP vs Nebraska Preview
UTEP Miners Betting Preview: Waldren Era Begins
Last year, the Miners went just 3-9. So, they fired head coach Dana Dimel and hired Scott Waldren, who brought over plenty of transfers from his team at Austin Peay.
UTEP lost its entire offensive line from last year's offense, replacing part of it with two Austin Peay transfers. Cade McConnell is back at quarterback, but he threw for only 1,437 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions across six starts in 2023.
The Miners also must replace all their skill position talent, as they lost their top three rushers and top four receivers from last year's squad. Their new group will include Austin Peay transfers at tailback and receiver, but it's still a largely inexperienced unit.
UTEP returns five starters from last year's defense, but the Miners are working to replace their top five tacklers from the 2023 unit that finished 119th nationally in Rush Success Rate allowed last year.
They were better against the pass (24th in Pass Success Rate allowed) but allowed too many big plays (103rd in Pass Explosiveness allowed).
Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Preview: Raiola Takes Over at QB
On the other side, Raiola will take the field for the first time on Saturday, heralding the beginning of a new era of Nebraska football.
The five-star recruit looked like a star quarterback in the Spring Game and will be a massive upgrade for an offense that ranked 129th in Pass Success Rate last year.
Last year’s offensive line ranked 49th in PFF's Run Blocking grades and 75th in PFF's Pass Blocking grades. The Huskers return four starters from that unit, alongside three of their top four receivers from last year. I expect big strides for the offense.
After switching to a 3-3-5 scheme, the Cornhuskers ranked 24th nationally in Success Rate allowed and 17th in Finishing Drives allowed. They were excellent against the run, ranking top-25 in Rush Explosiveness allowed, Rush Success Rate allowed, and Rush PPA allowed.
Eight starters return from last year's stop unit, including most of the defensive line. Phil Steele ranks the Huskers' defensive line as the fifth-best in the country.
Rhule’s team is experienced all around, and if Raiola lives up to his billing, this team could be primed to take a massive leap this season.
My UTEP vs Nebraska Prediction: Huskers to Win Big?
Nebraska’s defense ranks sixth nationally in SP+'s preseason rankings, and the Huskers should have no issues holding up against a bottom-10 offense. There are too many new faces on UTEP's offense to keep pace on Saturday.
The Cornhuskers are also uber-experienced on offense. The team will go as far as Raiola can take them, but I expect it'll exceed expectations.
I also believe the Huskers will show improvements under new offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield.
I don't think UTEP will crack double-digits, and I expect Nebraska's offensive line will roll over UTEP's front seven.
UTEP vs Nebraska Prediction & Pick: Nebraska -27.5 (Play to -30.5) |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
How to Watch UTEP vs Nebraska Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Date: | Saturday, Aug. 31 |
| Kickoff Time: | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | FOX |
UTEP vs Nebraska Betting Trends
- While only 20% of the bets are on Nebraska, over 60% of the handle is.
- The public is all over the over, with 79% of the bets and 93% of the handle on that side.
- Nebraska went 5-7 straight up and 4-7-1 against the spread in Matt Rhule's first season.
- Nebraska went 2-5 ATS at home in 2023 and 1-4 ATS as a favorite.
