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FIU Panthers vs. UTSA Roadrunners prediction, pick for First Responder Bowl on Friday 12/26/25

FIU Panthers vs. UTSA Roadrunners prediction, pick for First Responder Bowl on Friday 12/26/25

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By: Blake Krass

The FIU Panthers take on the UTSA Roadrunners on Friday in the First Responder Bowl. The game kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET in University Park, Texas.

The Roadrunners are listed as 5.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 60.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction, and best bet for the First Responder Bowl.

FIU Preview

FIU has made it to a bowl game for the first time since 2019. This has been one of the worst teams in college football the past few seasons, averaging 2.6 wins per season over the past five seasons. In his first season as head coach, Willie Simmons won seven games and is in a solid bowl game. The Panthers won four straight games to end the season, and their offense looked explosive down the stretch. This team has a dynamic rushing attack and should be tough to stop in this game.

UTSA Preview

UTSA had a middling season in the American, going 6-6 and finishing sixth in the conference. UTSA was too inconsistent this season. The Roadrunners pulled off a big upset over Tulane, a College Football Playoff team. However, they struggled to compete with the other top teams in the conference and lost a few games that they shouldn’t have. UTSA has a strong, inexperienced quarterback, Owen McCown. They also have a solid running game, led by Robert Henry Jr. However, the UTSA defense struggled to get stops all season, especially in its biggest games of the season.

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FIU vs. UTSA pick, best bet

My best bet for this game is for FIU and UTSA to go over the total of 60.5 points. FIU has a strong rushing attack and should move it against UTSA. UTSA allowed over 150 rushing yards per game this season and gave up 29.6 points per game. Meanwhile, Owen McCown should hit some explosive plays through the air for UTSA. The Roadrunners have a strong rushing attack, which keeps opposing defenses honest. That allows McCown to make plays downfield. Most importantly, both of these defenses massively struggle to keep teams out of the end zone. They rank 94th and 97th in the nation in points per quality drive allowed. Both offenses should convert any positive drives into touchdowns, pushing the game over the total.

Best Bet: FIU/UTSA o60.5 (-110)

Blake Krass
Blake Krass
Blake Krass has contributed to DraftKings since 2024, and is a content creator with a specialty in sports betting. Blake primarily focuses on college football and NFL coverage but will also be covering college basketball, the NBA, MLB and more. Prior to arriving at DK, Blake was a sports betting writer for The Action Network.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.