The Picks Are In: UTEP

It has been a rocky season for Middle Tennessee State football. This week the boys in blue will try to get off the schneid and snap a losing streak.

Here are the staff picks for the road game against UTEP.

Publisher Matt Dossett. 4-3 on the season

Typically speaking, it is a slap in face when you are the homecoming opponent of another team. Usually teams opt to play a cream puff for their homecoming game. This Saturday will mark homecoming for the UTEP Miners. The Miners possess something the Blue Raiders lack. A conference win. The Miners have two victories in league play opposed to two defeats.

This game should be perceived as a coin flip game. UTEP is currently listed as a 1.5 point favorite. On the flip side, the FPI gives Middle a 63.7 percent chance to earn the win.

UTEP has struggled to establish a vertical passing attack. They have proven that they can gift wrap the defense an interception. Gavin Hardison has thrown nine touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The UTEP offense is predicated around running the rock. They have over 1,100 yards for the season.

Ronald Awatt and Deion Hankins can be lethal rushing the ball. Hankins is averaging a hair under five yards per rush. Hankins and Awatt is a decent one-two rushing attack.

Look for ground and pound action for the UTEP offense. On the flip side, MT will need to establish a passing attack, taking advantage of UTEP's secondary woes.

This should be an entertaining game. Look for MT to win a squeaker.

MTSU 31

UTEP 30

Rickey Fuquay (4-3 on the season)

Western Kentucky used 28 unanswered points to spoil Middle Tennessee's Homecoming 35-17.

After a bye week, the Blue Raiders travel to El Paso, Texas, to face against the Texas-El Paso Miners on their Homecoming.

The Miners come into game ranked third in Conference USA with total YPG allowed with 352.6 while MT is ranked 11th in C-USA with 360.0 total YPG on offense.

With two weeks to prepare for this game, I'm pretty confident that Redshirt Senior Quarterback Chase Cunningham will find a way to get the job done and spoil the Miners' Homecoming.

Look for a seesaw battle, with the game coming right down to the wire. In the end I think MT has just enough firepower to get the job done.

MT 31

UTEP 28

Braden McPherson (5-2 on the season)

The Blue Raiders are now at the more favorable part of the conference schedule. This time matching up on the road with the miners of UTEP. With two weeks of preparation due to the bye week, this contest has a chance to get interesting. Will Middle Tennessee flip the script of this season or will the losing skid continue?

I'm hedging my bet on the Blue Raiders. This is where the rubber meets the road for MTSU. Look for a nail biter, with MT getting the victory.

MT 28

UTEP 27