UTEP Miners vs. UTSA Roadrunners: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 11/26/2022

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

Where to watch: TBD

DraftKings: UTSA -17

FanDuel: UTSA -16.5

BetMGM: UTSA -17

Caesars: UTSA -17

UTEP: 5-6 (3-4 C-USA)

UTSA: 9-2 (7-0 C-USA)

UTEP: won 40-6 vs. FIU

UTSA: won 41-7 at Rice

I'm not here to say that I know anything about college football. Actually strike that. I'd like to think I know a lot about college football. I can't say that I know a lot about the NFL draft and how prospects are ranked. I think I have a good eye for a prospect when I watch them over and over again and realize that they might be the steal of the draft. I'm not always right, but I do have some instances in which I think I knew it was going to happen.

This leads me to UTSA quarterback Frank Harris. If this man is not at least a second-round pick in this draft we have done something wrong as a society in terms of football. It doesn't matter if this kid played at a smaller school in Texas, it doesn't matter if he's not in the race for the Heisman Trophy. It doesn't matter if UTSA is not even in the College Football Playoff picture. What does matter to me is how a quarterback can stay so consistent for so long and find different ways to beat his opponent. And once again last week in UTSA's dominant 41-7 victory over rice, that's exactly what happened.

Harris threw for 103 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns and UTSA's 41-7 victory over rice on Saturday. And now UTSA has a chance to run the table in the Conference USA during the regular season when it plays its final regular season game against the UTEP Miners. At least for Harris, this will not be his final home game. Technically it is senior day for UTSA so they will be honored accordingly. But next week will be the Conference USA championship game and it will be held inside the Alamodome.

Last year was a heartbreaking season for UTSA. They were undefeated all the way up until the final game of the regular season and missed the chance to play in a high-profile bowl game had they been on the table. The Roadrunners are a program that has come out of nowhere to be as good as they have been and if the Big 12 is looking for a team to replace the outgoing Texas and Oklahoma, I don't see why you wouldn't look at UTSA.

This is a program that started playing football, what, 10 years ago? At the Division One level? And they have been consistently one of the best programs in college football. It is amazing to me that they haven't gotten as much recognition as one would have hoped. Technically speaking they had that chance this year, but lost to Texas and lost to Houston. Even one win against either of those teams would have sufficed for this program as program-defining.

But at the very least, UTSA has earned the right to have respect as one of the best lower-level teams in the country. It's almost like Boise State back in the day. Now I'm not saying that UTSA is going to somehow miraculously get on the same level as Boise State because that would require a Fiesta Bowl victory and a few other top-notch bowl wins along the way. in time, hopefully under this new regime with a new quarterback, UTSA will find its way to that mark. For now, enjoy the ride.

Oh yeah, there's a game. If everything that I just spewed about Harris rings true, this will not be a difficult game for UTSA. The roadrunners will run the table, go into the conference title game undefeated in conference play, and we'll see where the chips fall after that. UTSA by 24

UTSA is 1-9 ATS at home off a conference win all-time.

UTSA is 3-12 ATS at home after allowing 100 yards or less the prior game all-time.

UTEP is 23-41 ATS when the total is 56.5 and 63 since 1992.

Passing: Frank Harris -- 3,142 yards, 24 TD, 7 INT

Rushing: Brenden Brady -- 690 yards, 9 TD

Receiving: Joshua Cephus -- 836 yards, 5 TD

Defense:

Passing: Gavin Hardison -- 2,044 yards, 11 TD, 8 INT

Rushing: Deion Hankins -- 670 yards, 3 TD

Receiving: Tyrin Smith -- 940 yards, 6 TD