The UTEP Miners (3-7) and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (3-7) will engage in a compelling college football showdown on Saturday, November 18 at 2:00 PM ET. ZenSports Tennessee sportsbook showcases the Blue Raiders as moneyline favorites at -290. 

When: November 18, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET

Where: Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Watch: ESPN+

UTEP Miners Preview

The Miners have gone 2-3 over their last five games and are coming off of a loss. This was a 21-13 defeat to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Surprisingly, the Miners had a 3-0 lead at the half, but gave up 14 points alone in the third quarter that changed the dynamics of the game.

They are currently fifth in the CUSA, which is on par to what they accomplished last season (5-7 overall). With just two games left on the schedule, they are at risk of finishing worse than a year ago.

The Miners’ offense has consistently put up 18.1 points per game, which has them at 127th in the nation. Their defense ranks better at 70th overall, but allows 26.6 points per game. This negative differential will have an impact on this game.

The Miners’ quarterback Cade McConnel (4 TD, 2 INT) has put up 909 yards and has a pass completion rate of 52.8 percent since taking over in September. He also has a QBR of 38.9 based on their strength of schedule and his performances throughout the year.

Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Preview

The Blue Raiders are coming off of a dominant 40-6 victory over the Florida International Panthers, where they were up 31-6 at the half to give them an excellent opportunity to win. This also snapped their previous two-game losing streak, which now puts them at 2-3 over their last five games.

They are tied with the Miners at fifth in the conference and need a win to take a step ahead of them in the division. Last season, they finished 8-5, so they definitely took a step back in terms of progress this year.

The Blue Raiders are averaging 23.7 points per game (92nd) and allow opposing teams to put up 28.4 points a game (90th). While this is still a negative differential, it is slightly less than what the Miners put up.

Their QB, Nicholas Vattiato (20 TD, 9 INT), has been great with 2,609 yards and completes his passes at a rate of 67.1 percent. His QBR of 50.1 ranks 94th in the nation, which arguably shows he has an edge here.

Betting Odds

ZenSports offers exciting college football betting opportunities. Below, the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are moderately favored to win this showdown. In addition, market analysis has the Blue Raiders winning with a probability of 71.0 percent.

UTEP Miners: +235

Spread: +7.5 (-110)

Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders: -290

Spread: -7.5 (-110)

Totals: Over 48 (-110), Under 48 (-110)

Photo Credit: © HELEN COMER/The Daily News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK