College Football Lines: UTEP vs Houston - Week 2 Odds

Conference USA will garner the national stage for the ESPN Friday Night doubleheader with a week 2 odds match-up in the 10:20pm EST nightcap as the defending West Division champion Houston Cougars host the Texas El Paso Miners. Online sportsbooks have opened with Houston as 20.5-point favorites in college football lines for week 2 with a total of 74. UTEP won their opener over Arkansas Pine Bluff last week 31-10 while Houston beat Texas State 68-28. Mike Price enters his 7th season at UTEP and is considering retirement but says “I want to retire on a winning note.” Price led UTEP to back-to-back bowls but has failed to lead the Miners to the college football betting post season since 2005. “I think we’re going to be really good,” said Price. “I’d be disappointed if we’re not.”

Kevin Sumlin enters his third season at Houston with a record setting offense that has 8 starters back on a unit that scored 42 points per game last year. Senior QB Case Keenum is Heisman materiel after throwing for 5671 yards and 44 TD’s in 2009. UTEP has covered the last 3 consecutive meetings between these two teams heading into college football odds for week 2 including last year in an epic 58-41 shocker of an upset as 14-point underdogs. This sets up a big revenge angle for Houston, who was caught in a letdown at UTEP last year after consecutive wins over Big 12 bowl teams Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

UTEP has gotten the money in 14 out of their last 20 games as a underdog of more than 8 points. Heading into week 2 odds, they have gone 6-8 against the college football line in Conference USA action. The Miners have gone OVER the total in 9 out of their last 13 conference games. Houston has gotten the cash in 4 straight games as a favorite of more than 8 points with 3 of those games going under the total. The Cougars have covered 5 out of their last 8 games in Conference USA with 5 of those games going over the total.