Head Coach Lane Kiffin and the Florida Atlantic Owls (-8) are coming into the Conference USA Championship Game as considerable favorites as they prepare to take on Coach Bill Clark and the UAB Blazers. This Saturday daytime game is scheduled to get underway at 1:30 p.m. ET and CBS Sports Network has the TV rights.

UAB at Florida Atlantic Betting Odds 12/7/2019

Florida Atlantic is giving up 8 points in this CUSA game. The Blazers are currently being given +250 moneyline odds while the Owls are -330. The over/under is set at 50 points, and if one team finds paydirt early on, it’ll likely create a decent in-game betting scenario.

The Blazers are 9-3 straight up (SU), including 6-2 SU against conference opponents. The Owls are 9-3 SU overall and are also 7-1 SU in conference play. Each of these teams has posted a good return this year as the Owls are up 4.2 units and the Blazers have recorded 4.5 units.

These two CUSA adversaries did not get a chance to play each other in 2018.

The Blazers continue riding high after a 26-21 victory over North Texas last week. Dylan Hopkins completed only six passes on 12 attempts for 99 yards. Spencer Brown (111 yards on 19 rush attempts, one TD) and Lucious Stanley (72 yards on 14 carries, one TD) spearheaded the ground attack while Kendall Parham (two receptions, 60 yards) and Austin Watkins (two catches, seven yards) shared the receiving duties in the win.

Florida Atlantic is coming off of a 34-17 win over Southern Miss. Chris Robison completed eight-of-19 passes for 156 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. BJ Emmons (71 yards on 11 rush attempts, one TD) handled the running game while Harrison Bryant (three receptions, 75 yards, three TDs) and Deangelo Antoine (two catches, 37 yards) led the receiving attack in the win.

UAB’s run the ball on 63 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Florida Atlantic has a rush percentage of 52.3 percent. The Blazers have rushed for 161 yards/game (including 176 per game against Conference USA opponents) and have 16 scores on the ground this year. The Owls are logging 154 rushing yards per contest (180 in conference) and have 27 total rush TDs.

The Blazers have logged 203 yards/game in the air overall (189 per game versus conference opposition) and have 18 passing TDs so far. The Owls have produced 277 pass yards per game (273.5 in the CUSA) and have 23 total pass scores.

Defensively, UAB seems to have the upper hand in both facets. The team has let opponents rush for an average of 92 yards and throw for 178 yards per game. Florida Atlantic has allowed 136.5 yards per game on the ground and 246.1 to opposing teams in the air. Both teams allow similar adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) to opponents, as the Blazers have given up an ANY/A of 4.83 to opposing QBs, while the Owls are allowing an ANY/A of 5.22.

Robison has been more effective than Hopkins of late. His adjusted net yards per pass attempt sits at 7.39 for the season and 8.15 over his last two games while Hopkins’ ANY/A is 2.89 and 6.61 over the last two games.

UAB Blazers vs. Florida Atlantic Owls NCAA Tip

SU Winner – Florida Atlantic, ATS Winner – Florida Atlantic, O/U – Over

Notes

Betting Notes

As a team, UAB has produced 5.1 yards per carry over its past three contests and 4.0 over its last two.

Florida Atlantic has averaged 5.3 yards per carry over its last three matchups and 4.8 over its last two.

The Florida Atlantic offense has lost three fumbles this season while UAB has lost six.

Florida Atlantic has won 10 of its last 11 games SU, with a -5-point defeat to Marshall on October 18th accounting for its one loss over that stretch.

The Blazers offense has created 12 pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Owls have accounted for 10 such plays.

The UAB defense has allowed seven pass plays of 40 yards or more, while Florida Atlantic has given up 10 such plays.

The UAB offense has created 10 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while Florida Atlantic has created 26 such runs.

The Blazers defense has allowed 11 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Owls have given up 17 such runs.

The UAB D has 43 sacks on the year while Florida Atlantic has just 30.