The time is finally here for college football with the infamous "Week 0" sweeping the nation. The final game of the week features a Conference USA clash between the Florida International Panthers and Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Saturday night at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, LA.
Both teams will be looking for a positive start to 2023 after miserable 2022 campaigns. FIU went 4-8 under first-year coach Mike MacIntyre, while Louisiana Tech finished with a 3-9 record under Sonny Cumbie.
I analyze the college football odds and give my free college football picks and predictions for Florida International vs. Louisiana Tech below.
Florida International vs Louisiana Tech best odds
Florida International vs Louisiana Tech picks and predictions
Florida International has a lot of improving to do from last season, as the program ranked 121st in scoring offense and 127th in scoring defense. To make matters worse, last year's leading rusher Lexington Joseph is out for the season after tearing his ACL in spring practice.
“Flex”, as they call him at FIU, will be replaced this season by South Dakota transfer Shomari Lawrence. At quarterback, the Panthers will be returning Grayson James, who threw for 1,969 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions last year. They also return four players that contributed double-digit receptions at receiver last season.
Defensively, FIU is missing a few key tacklers from a year ago. While the Panthers brought in transfers Jack Daly from Bryant at defensive tackle and JoJo Evans from Akron at defensive back to fill in some gaps, there will need to be major improvements from returning players for any hopes of success.
Louisiana Tech ranked 61st in scoring offense and 128th in scoring defense. After the departure of last year's starting QB Parker McNeil, the Bulldogs brought in Hank Bachmeier from Boise State as a transfer to fill the position. Bachmeier's prior experience in a more prominent program could be a game-changer for Louisiana Tech this season.
Returning leading rusher Marquis Crosby is out for this game with a leg injury, but replacement Charvis Thornton averaged 5.3 yards per carry in reserve last season. Last year's top receiver Tre Harris is also no longer on the roster, but everyone else is returning and Tru Edwards will be coming off a redshirt season after transferring from Hawaii.
The defense should also be much improved, with several transfers stepping in and returning their leading tackler from last season. This game will be played at Louisiana Tech on Saturday, and FIU went 1-3 in road conference games last year, losing by an average of 31.5 points.
It may take a little bit of time for Louisiana Tech to start gelling together, but the Bulldogs certainly have the talent advantage and should be able to put up plenty of points. FIU will likely score early, but the Panthers will eventually struggle to sustain long drives.
I like Louisiana Tech to win big by pulling away in the second half and covering the spread.
My best bet: Louisiana Tech -10.5 (-115 at FanDuel)
Florida International vs Louisiana Tech same-game parlay
Louisiana Tech -10.5
Cyrus Allen anytime TD
Under 64.5
There are several props that we can combine for this matchup in order to create a profitable same-game parlay.
Along with our best bet, I like Cyrus Allen — who averaged 22.7 yards per catch last season — to make a big play at some point against this bad defense and find the endzone. Be sure to also add in the alternate total of Under 64.5 points for a solid SGP.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Florida International vs Louisiana Tech spread and Over/Under analysis
Last season, FIU ranked 111th in rushing defense and 109th in passing defense. With the Panthers' struggles to force turnovers and their difficulties in halting opposing drives, the double-digit spread becomes a less precarious choice.
Despite FIU's dismal defense, I'm still inclined toward taking the Under (58.5). Even if the Bulldogs approach the 40-point range, I remain skeptical that FIU can exceed the 20-point threshold. It's worth noting that just two of FIU's six away games last year surpassed a total of 53 points, and one of those was a lopsided 73-0 loss to Western Kentucky.
For those considering a same-game parlay, I recommend adjusting the Under to a more comfortable figure, allowing for the possibility that Louisiana Tech delivers a high-scoring performance.
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Florida International vs Louisiana Tech betting trend to know
Louisiana Tech boasted a perfect 5-0 record against the spread last season at home, while Florida International went 2-4 ATS on the road. Find more college football betting trends for Florida International vs Louisiana Tech.
Florida International vs Louisiana Tech game info
| Location: | Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, LA |
| Date: | Saturday, August 26, 2022 |
| Kickoff: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | CBSSN |
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