This college football season has already given us quite a bit of chaos and it has been fun to watch. There have been surprises, letdowns and so many questions that still need to be answered.
One question that doesn’t need to be answered is the amount of talent distributed beyond the Power 5 conferences. We have seen so many teams compete with elite level programs, which has been great for the sport.
Friday night the UTSA Roadrunners will travel to face the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in what should be another exciting matchup. The game features two teams who have been extremely competitive so far this season. Both teams have a lot riding on this game as conference play goes into full swing.
UTSA vs. Middle Tennessee Week 5 College Football Betting Picks & Predictions
Roadrunners are Reloaded
The 2021 season was a special one for UTSA and there are still high hopes for this program as the 2022 season rolls on. A 12-2 ’21 campaign was impressive and really put the Group of 5 on notice.
This season, UTSA sits at 2-2, but don’t let that record fool you, their schedule has been full of tough opponents. The Roadrunners have had tough losses to Houston and Texas, which is nothing to slouch at.
Quarterback Frank Harris has been a major difference maker for the Roadrunners so far this season and will look to light it up again Friday night. The senior has thrown for 1310 yards which is the 6th best mark in the FBS right now. While Harris has gotten the job done through the air, he has also been able to use his legs to make plays when needed.
The Roadrunners still need some work on defense but its early enough in the season to clean up mistakes. They are sitting at just 112th in the FBS in total defense and have been giving up over 6 yards per play and 438 yards per game. That will need to drastically improve against a confident Middle Tennessee team.
Surprises for Middle Tennessee
The Blue Raiders are coming off of a huge win last week against the Miami Hurricanes. The 45-31 shootout victory was the first ever win for the program against an AP Top-25 team.
After an opening week loss to James Madison, last week proved that Middle Tennessee has turned the corner and can be a serious title contender in Conference USA this season.
This Middle Tennessee offense hasn’t had the most electrifying statistics so far, ranking 100th in the FBS in total offense. However, they have been able to put up points when necessary.
Defense has been the bright spot for the Blue Raiders. They rank 45th in the country in total defense and have forced opponents into 6 interceptions. That will be a major key to victory come Friday.
Middle Tennessee vs. UTSA Prediction
Middle Tennessee comes into this contest 3-1 against the spread while UTSA comes in with a 2-2 record against the spread.
Middle Tennessee is hosting this contest Friday night as 4-point underdogs, but a major upset last week has them feeling very optimistic going forward in conference play.
The Blue Raiders will put up a great fight, but UTSA is the better team here. The Roadrunners should cover the 4-point spread and return to Texas with a huge conference road win.
The big number to look at in this matchup is the point total. A 63-point total is currently set for this game and there will definitely be some points scored Friday night. This is a good UTSA offense vs. a strong Middle Tennessee defense so something has to give. This game could become a shootout if both teams get hot in the first half which is why a smart bet for Friday night would be the over on this 63-point game total.
NCAAF Best Bet: UTSA -4 and Game Total OVER 63 points
