UTSA vs Houston Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Clayton Tune Lead Houston To A Week 1 Win?

UTSA vs Houston Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Clayton Tune Lead Houston To A Week 1 Win?

Houston suffered a 38-21 loss in their 2021 season opener against Texas Tech, passing for only 174 yards and getting stifled in the run game. Quarterback Clayton Tune is a fifth-year senior who led the Cougars to a 12-2 season under the tutelage of fourth-year head coach Dana Holgorsen. Houston rattled off 11 consecutive wins, blowing out the majority of their opponents, until losing 35-20 against Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship game. Tune and wide receiver Nathaniel Dell were a formidable duo who should return to dominance in 2022.

The UTSA Roadrunners were equally impressive competing against Conference USA opponents in 2021, finishing 12-2 and 7-1 in their conference. A 45-23 loss at North Texas in their final regular season game last year was the only blemish on the Roadrunners' resumé before losing to San Diego State University 38-24 in the Frisco Bowl. Redshirt senior quarterback Frank Harris returns under center and he'll remain alongside his entire wide receiving corps from 2021. Defense is UTSA's weakness but they still have several impressive players, especially within their linebacking corps.

UTSA vs HOUSTON START TIME, WHERE TO WATCH, AND ODDS

Date: Saturday, September 3rd

Game Time: 3:30 pm ET

Where to Watch: CBSSN

Click Here for UTSA vs Houston Odds

UTSA vs HOUSTON INJURY REPORT

UTSA

RB - De'Anthony Lewis (Leg) is out for the 2022 season.

HOUSTON

RB - Alton McCaskill IV (Knee) is out for the 2022 season.

UTSA vs HOUSTON LINE MOVEMENT

UTSA vs HOUSTON PREDICTION

Tune threw for over 300 yards in three of his final six games in the 2021 regular season and has Dell, KeSean Carter, and freshman Matthew Golden forming a talented wide receiving corps in 2022. Each team will be without its primary running back but the Cougars will be relying on Ta'Zhawn Henry, who averaged 4.7 YPC and handled 111 carries with seven rushing touchdowns in 2021. The Cougars have arguably the strongest offensive line in the AAC and will have a notable advantage over UTSA's front-seven, particularly the defensive line.

UTSA is a well-disciplined team that only drew 71 penalties in 2021. This will help keep them in the game, while quarterback Frank Harris looks to replicate a 4:1 touchdown to interception ratio in 2022. He's a mobile quarterback who can buy time when the pocket breaks down, allowing his receivers to break free of coverage and make a play. Running back transfer Trelon Smith Sr. has bounced around from Arizona State and Arkansas but he averaged five-plus YPC and over 1,300 rushing yards in 2020 and 2021 for the Razorbacks. Smith will be the X factor for the Roadrunners in a game that expects a lot of scoring (61.5 total points) and for UTSA to hang around until the end, based on the +4 they are receiving on the spread.

UTSA vs HOUSTON PICK

• PICK: Houston -4 (-110) (Bet $110 to win $100)

UTSA ROADRUNNERS vs HOUSTON COUGARS - WEEK 1

Moneyline: HOU (-180)

Spread: Houston -4 (-110)

Total: 58.5

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