In a battle featuring two schools that prefer running the football, Head Coach Skip Holtz and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (-21) are set to face their conference counterpart UTSA Roadrunners at Joe Aillet Stadium. Kickoff for this showdown is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and ESPN+ has the TV rights.
Betting Preview: UTSA Roadrunners vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech has been tabbed as heavily favored in this one and is currently giving up 21 points to UTSA. If the Bulldogs stumble early it’ll create a reasonable betting opportunity in-game. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 55 points.
This game’s opening line was -21, while the total hasn’t moved since it opened at 55.
Both of these teams have been profitable this year as the Roadrunners have gained 1.1 units while the Bulldogs are ahead 3.4 units.
The Roadrunners have gone only 4-7 straight up (SU), including 3-4 SU against CUSA opponents. The Bulldogs are 8-3 SU overall and 5-2 SU in conference play.
Each team enters this matchup on a two-game losing skid. The Roadrunners will attempt to get back in stride after a 40-26 loss to Florida Atlantic last week. the Roadrunners completed 18-of-30 passes for 209 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Lowell Narcisse went 10-for-19 for 86 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while Jordan Weeks completed eight-of-11 for 123 yards and one touchdown. Brenden Brady (86 rushing yards on 15 attempts) and Sincere McCormick (76 yards on 12 carries) led the ground attack in the loss while Zakhari Franklin (seven receptions, 98 yards, one TD) and Carlos Strickland II (five catches, 85 yards, one TD) shared the receiving duties.
Louisiana Tech just fell 20-14 to UAB. The team’s defense allowed the Blazers to run for 166 yards on 44 rush attempts, along with one rushing TD. Myron Mitchell had a productive outing in the win for UAB, recording 81 yards on four catches. For Louisiana Tech, Aaron Allen completed 16-of-34 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Justin Henderson (63 rushing yards on 16 attempts) spearheaded the ground game in the defeat while Smoke Harris (four receptions, 29 yards, one TD) and Tucker (three catches, 31 yards) led the receiving corps.
UTSA’s run the ball on 56.7 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Louisiana Tech has a rush percentage of 50.1 percent. The Roadrunners have rushed for 165.6 yards per game (including 175.7 per game versus Conference USA opponents) and have 14 scores via handoffs this year. The Bulldogs are logging 167.9 rush yards per game (155.7 in conference) and have 25 total rushing TDs.
If 2019 results are any indication, then it appears the Bulldogs may own an advantage when it comes to efficiency in the ground game, as their running backs has logged 4.7 yards per carry while the defense has allowed a YPC of 3.8 to opponents. The Roadrunners have rushed for 4.3 yards per carry while allowing a YPC of 5.4 to opponents.
The Roadrunners offensive scheme has averaged 173.5 yards in the air overall (179.1 per game versus conference opposition) and has 12 passing TDs so far. The Bulldogs have put up 272.4 pass yards per outing (258 in the CUSA) and have 17 total pass scores.
UTSA should have an advantage when it comes to limiting the pass. The team has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 201 yards and throw for 221.7 yards per game. The Louisiana Tech defense has allowed 244.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 143.8 yards per game on the ground. The Bulldogs are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 5.63 to opposing QBs, while the Roadrunners have given up a 7.46 ANY/A.
Offensively, Narcisse has put up 901 passing yards this season. He’s connected on 53 percent of his 161 attempts with six scores through the air and four interceptions. Narcisse has a 4.50 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 5.38 over the last two outings.
For the home team, Aaron Allen has completed 24-of-43 passes for 287 yards, three TDs and one INT. Allen’s ANY/A stands at 6.56 for the year and 5.09 over his last two outings.
These two squads met last year with the final outcome being a 31-3 victory for Louisiana Tech.
UTSA Roadrunners vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Free NCAA Betting Tip
SU Winner: Louisiana Tech, ATS Winner: UTSA, O/U: Over
Betting Trends
- Each team defense has tallied 19 sacks this year.
- The Louisiana Tech offense has lost seven fumbles this season while UTSA has let 12 get away.
- The Roadrunners offense has created five pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Bulldogs have put up 10 such plays.
- The UTSA defense has allowed seven pass plays of 40 or more yards, while Louisiana Tech has given up nine such plays.
- The UTSA offense has created 15 rushing plays of 20+ yards, while Louisiana Tech has created 14 such runs.
- The Roadrunners defense has allowed 30 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Bulldogs have given up nine such runs.
- The Over/Under for Louisiana Tech’s last matchup was 44.5. The under cashed in the 20-14 defeat to UAB.
- In its last three matchups, Louisiana Tech is 1-1-1 ATS and the under cashed in each of those three.
- Over its last three matches, UTSA is 2-1 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
- UTSA has lost four of its last five games SU, with a one-point victory over Old Dominion on November 9th accounting for the only win over that span.
- The O/U for UTSA’s previous game was set at 58. The over cashed in the team’s 40-26 defeat to Florida Atlantic.
- As a team, UTSA has averaged 3.9 yards per carry over its last three games and 3.9 over its last two.
- Louisiana Tech has averaged 3.7 yards per carry over its last three outings and 2.6 over its past two.
