Sam Houston is hosting UTEP on Wednesday night of Week 8. The game will take place at 7:00 p.m. ET in Huntsville, Texas.
The Miners are 2.5-point road favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 47.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this UTEP vs. Sam Houston C-USA conference matchup.
Sam Houston vs. UTEP prediction, preview
Sam Houston Preview
Things could not be going any worse for Sam Houston this season. Sam Houston just moved up to the FBS level in 2023, and they had a truly special 2024 season. The Bearkats went 10-3, topping off their season with a bowl win over Georgia Southern. The future looked bright for K.C. Keeler’s squad, but they have taken a massive step back in 2025. The Bearkats are 0-6 on the season, and they are not just losing; their competition has largely demolished them. Out of 136 FBS teams, Sam Houston ranks 129th in offensive EPA/play and 133rd in defensive EPA/play. If you can’t score and you can’t get stops, it’s difficult to win football games. That being said, this is one of the more winnable games on their schedule at home against UTEP. If the Bearkats were ever to put forward an improved effort, this would be the week.
UTEP Preview
Sam Houston ranks 129th in the nation in offensive EPA/play, making it a bottom-eight offense in all of college football. However, UTEP ranks 133rd in the nation in offensive EPA/play, one of the seven teams in the country worse than Sam Houston. The Miners have tried two different quarterbacks this season, including former five-star recruit with stops at USC and Boise State, Malachi Nelson. The Miners have found no answers to their offensive woes, winning only one game on the season. That win came against an FCS opponent, UT Martin. However, unlike Sam Houston, UTEP can at least be proud of its defensive effort, despite the abysmal offense. The Miners rank 32nd in the country in defensive EPA/play and 25th in defensive success rate. Their defense has given them chances to win games this season, but the offense hasn’t been able to back it up. That unit should dominate in this game against an atrocious Sam Houston offense.
Sam Houston vs. UTEP pick, best bet
My best bet for this Wednesday night college football matchup is the under 47.5 points. These are two of the eight worst offenses in college football and they are incapable of generating explosive plays. This will be a slow, ugly football game with many stuffed runs and plenty of punts. UTEP actually has a very solid defense. The Miners just held Liberty to 19 points last week and held Texas to 27 points when they faced the Longhorns. UTEP should be able to completely shut down the Sam Houston offense. Unfortunately, the UTEP offense can’t be relied on to take advantage of that situation. The Miners are averaging just 9.5 points per game through their first two conference games this season. Despite Sam Houston’s defensive struggles, UTEP should still struggle to move the ball. This should be a field position battle, with both teams looking to avoid major mistakes.
