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The UTEP Miners take on the North Dakota State Bison in Fargo, North Dakota, on Saturday, Oct. 31. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on MW+.
ND State is favored by -24.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -3500. UTEP, meanwhile, enters as a +24.5 underdog and is +1400 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 43.5 total points.
Here's my UTEP vs. North Dakota State predictionand college football pick for Saturday, October 31.
UTEP vs. North Dakota State Pick: NDSU Team Total Under 33.5
My North Dakota State vs. UTEP best bet is on the Bison to go under their team total. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page .
UTEP vs ND State point spread: UTEP +24.5 (-112), North Dakota State -24.5 (-108)
UTEP vs ND State over/under: 43.5 (-106o / -114u)
UTEP vs ND State moneyline: UTEP +1400, North Dakota State -3500
UTEP has been a disaster this season, much like the rest of Scotty Walden tenure in El Paso.
Walden is halfway through his third season, and the Miners have won six games under his leadership. The offense has not improved, and there has been constant talent churn as players come and go with few sticking around long-term.
The offense is scoring 9.2 points per game against FBS competition this season, and the defense has been put in tough spots week after week. I can't imagine Walden retaining his position much longer, and he could be coaching for his job this week.
Still, I expect a decent effort with UTEP coming out of the bye week.
The quarterback play has been mediocre this season, but the switch to Raymond Moore III has at least given the offense a more dynamic element, with rushing yards coming from the QB.
UTEP has struggled with a predictable play-calling script, and the lack of creativity on offense has made this unit hard to watch. Moore creates the threat of a running element and has thrown the ball well while also leading the Miners in rushing.
Kam Thomas and Jaden Smith are explosive receivers, and Carver Cheeks has shown flashes of explosiveness .
The offensive line has been among the worst in the nation this season. UTEP has been dominated at the point of attack, and activity behind the line of scrimmage has been plentiful.
UTEP has given up 36 sacks and 68 tackles for loss this year, both ranking 137th nationally. If the Miners did nothing else during the bye week, this is the unit that needed to get squared away.
We'll know in the first 10 plays against NDSU whether that's the case.
The defense hasn't been overly tough, but it's not bad, and it has some talented players.
The front doesn't create a lot of Havoc , but there has been some competence in stopping the run. We should see a refreshed front seven after the bye week, something UTEP desperately needed.
The secondary has given up some big plays in the pass game, which I'm not convinced NDSU will be able to take advantage of.
NDSU is off a gut-wrenching road loss to New Mexico last week, and the Bison are limping into this game against a team that's banged up on both sides of the football.
Quarterback Nathan Hayes was hurt against the Lobos, and NDSU could be down a pair of starting offensive linemen for this upcoming contest against UTEP.
The ground game is what NDSU hangs its hat on, and the unit hasn't been as productive this season.
The offensive line used to overwhelm opponents, and the running game would bludgeon opponents in the second half. The Bison aren't doing that this year, as they're averaging only 160 rushing yards per game and haven't had a single game averaging over five yards per carry.
Myles Mitchell and DJ Scott have been the primary ball-carriers, and the pair has run for 707 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Hayes has also added 207 rushing yards.
NDSU has just six rushing plays of more than 20 yards all season, a stunning figure given what we're used to seeing here.
Jackson Williams is the primary receiving target, and Reis Kessel is reliable as a pass-catching tight end.
The offensive line play has been quite average this season, and over the last three weeks, the Bison have averaged less than five yards per play.
The defense has been the calling card this year, and this unit has been the most consistent on the team. The Bison are allowing just 250 yards per game and 4.3 yards per play on average.
Third-down and red-zone defense has been outstanding, as the Bison have allowed just 7-of-16 red-zone trips to end in paydirt, and opponents are converting just 33% of third-down attempts.
While the defensive line isn't as dominant as we're used to seeing at the FCS level, this unit has avoided injury and has played very consistent football this season.
This line opened with North Dakota State listed as a 26.5-point favorite, with the total sharply bet down from 49 to 43.5. UTEP has taken a little money this week as well, and the line sits at 24.5.
I like UTEP to keep this game close, and I did bet it earlier in the week, but I really like NDSU to stay under its team total of 33.5. That's my best bet for this game.
The Bison are limping into this one, and the injuries on the offensive line are piling up. Hayes was also banged up in the New Mexico game last week, and this offense really needs to get to the bye week.
The Bison will run the football, and while the ground attack will be effective, it won't be explosive.
UTEP's defense has been a feisty unit this season, and this group should be refreshed after a much-needed off week, and the rest advantage will help this defensive line.
I expect some resistance from the Miners' stop unit against the pass, as UTEP is allowing just 205 yards per game through the air.
The Miners will run the ball on offense, and we should see better execution with Moore at quarterback. I like them to move the football and sustain drives in what should amount to a slower-paced game.
The gambles on fourth down haven't been paying off for UTEP, and I wouldn't be stunned to see Walden concede a fourth-down attempt or two in favor of punting and leaving NDSU with long fields the other way.
This game is going to be a slow-burning grind, and NDSU will win, but not by as much as predicted. The result will be a team total under.
