UTEP vs. Sam Houston football: Preview, picks, odds, and how to watch
Sam Houston is two months into the school's first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Bearkats moved from the Western Athletic Conference to Conference USA this season amid massive college football realignment. This fall marks the school's 108th college football season in what is its FBS debut.
But after a very successful stretch in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), the Bearkats are struggling to adjust ahead of a crucial Wednesday night matchup against Conference USA foe UTEP (2-6, 1-3).
Sam Houston vs. UTEP how to watch: TV and streaming
The Bearkats host the Miners Wednesday night at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m., ET, on ESPN2 and the ESPN App.
Sam Houston vs. UTEP odds and picks
Sam Houston is favored for the Bearkats' first win of the season over UTEP per the latest odds from BetMGM. UTEP is 2-0 all-time against Sam Houston.
- Favorite: Sam Houston (-3.5)
- Moneyline: Sam Houston (-175), UTEP (+145)
- Point total: 36.5 points
Picks and preview:
The Bearkats have come so close to victory on multiple occasions. This week will likely be another close battle as I'm sure Sam Houston coaches, players, and fans have come accustomed to in 2023. The Miners will cover the spread but the Bearkats will finally break through with a 24-21 win.
UTEP comes into Wednesday's game off a tough 28-7 loss to New Mexico State. The Miners couldn't stop dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia as he scored all four touchdowns in the loss. UTEP's improved under quarterback Cade McConnell after his strong performance in the 27-14 win the week prior over FIU. But Sam Houston's quarterback Keegan Shoemaker's been far more prolific lately and will perform better than the Miners' sophomore signal caller to make the difference in this one.
Sam Houston State's FCS success
Current Bearkats coach K.C. Keeler took over the Sam Houston program in 2014 after a long run at Delaware. The Bearkats are one of the oldest college football programs in the country: when the first Bearkats team took to the field in 1912, Arizona and New Mexico were just months removed from being admitted as states.
The program had some highs before Keeler took over. A strong period under coach Paul Pierce in the 1950s and 1960s saw three conference titles and an NAIA (now FCS) co-championship in 1964. Coach Ron Randleman, the winningest coach in program history, led the Bearkats to four conference titles from 1982 through 2004. Willie Fritz's time as Sam Houston head coach yielded two conference titles in 2011 and 2012.
Keeler continued that success immediately. The Bearkats won two conference titles in his first three seasons as head coach. But that success didn't drop off; The final three years of Sam Houston State's time in the FCS were some of the best in program history.
In 2020, Keeler and the Bearkats went 10-0 and won the program's first FCS national championship over South Dakota State. A year later, the team won a conference title with an 11-1 record. From 2020 through 2022, the Bearkats went a combined 26-5 with a national championship and two playoff appearances.
Sam Houston's struggles in 2023
Given Sam Houston's record under Keeler, a move up to the FBS level wasn't a surprise. Conference USA lost multiple teams to the AAC in the latest realignment and the AAC in turn lost teams to the Big 12. This left an opportunity for Sam Houston to fill in.
"There's the athletic competitor in me that this is a new challenge, a new opportunity, that excitement, but also a lot of emotional pride that they saw our value and what we've built," Bobby Williams, Sam Houston State athletic director, told the Houston Chronicle this summer. "That was exciting. I just love those situations."
The Bearkats now had a wider national audience for the program and stronger competition to improve on what they built in the FCS.
But adjusting has been harder than expected for a title-winning team.
The Bearkats are 0-7 so far in 2023 with five games left. They were shut out by BYU to open the season and struggled to put up points against No. 19 Air Force and Houston. Over their first three games in 2023, Sam Houston was outscored 65-10.
The Conference USA schedule's been better so far. One-score losses to conference leaders Jacksonville State and Liberty were tough but showed the team can compete in the FBS.
The most recent loss to FIU, again by one score, came in double overtime.
"Battling back and forth, so disappointed for the kids," Keeler said post-game. "A call here, a call there, a play here, a play there, that's where we are right now."
"We knew this transition was going to be a challenge," he added. "Us getting beat up so much in those first three games has really put us where we're now scrambling. Losing begets losing and I think sometimes you just forget how to win and we got to get back on a winning track."
This week, the Bearkats look to get back on that winning track Wednesday night against UTEP at home.
Sam Houston vs. UTEP key injuries
- Bearkats UT Trapper Pannell (leg) is questionable
- Bearkats RB Landan Brown (undisclosed) is questionable
- Bearkats RB Charles Crawford III (undisclosed) is questionable
- Bearkats RB Zach Hrbacek (leg) is questionable
- Miners QB Jake McNamara (concussion) is questionable
- Miners WR Tyrin Smith (undisclosed) is questionable
- Miners WR Jostein Clarke (undisclosed) is out
- Miners WR Marcus Bellon (leg) is out
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