The UT-Martin Skyhawks take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown, WV. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
West Virginia is favored by -39.5 points on the spread, while the UT-Martin has a moneyline of +7000. The total is set at 56.5 points.
Here’s my UT-Martin vs. West Virginia prediction and college football pick for Saturday, September 12.
UT-Martin vs West Virginia Prediction
- UT-Martin vs. West Virginia Pick: West Virginia 1H Team Total Over 27.5
My West Virginia vs. UT-Martin best bet is on the Mountaineers ' team score at half. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page and be sure to download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
UT-Martin vs West Virginia Odds
| UT-Martin Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+39.5 -110 | 56.5 -110o / -110u | +7000 |
| West Virginia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-39.5 -110 | 56.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
- UT-Martin vs West Virginia point spread: West Virginia -39.5 (-110), UT-Martin +39.5 (-110)
- UT-Martin vs West Virginia over/under: 56.5 (-110o / -110u)
- UT-Martin vs West Virginia moneyline: UT-Martin +7000
UT-Martin vs West Virginia College Football Preview
UT-Martin Skyhawks Betting Preview
UT-Martin rebounded from a season-opening loss against Central Arkansas with a 42-7 win against FCS upstart Chicago State.
The Skyhawks were replacing an experienced quarterback, Julian Calvez, who struggled in the opener. Calvez started against Chicago State but was replaced by Tate Surber, who was making his collegiate debut and threw the ball well.
The ground game relied on Tommy Ansley and Chris Franklin, who combined for 176 yards on 30 carries. This offense is down from prior seasons and the quarterback play is not outstanding. I expect the Skyhawks to struggle against West Virginia on the road in a significant step up in competition.
The defense looked good against Chicago State, which is in its first year playing football, but the Skyhawks were shredded by Central Arkansas the week prior. UCA was able to register several chunk plays against the Skyhawks' defense, which could not create any pressure against the Bears.
Despite the solid performance against Chicago State, I do not anticipate this defense, which is replacing eight starters from last year's unit, will be able to procure stops and get WVU off the field in this contest.
The Mountaineers should score a ton of points in this game.
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West Virginia Mountaineers Betting Preview: Hawkins + Cook
West Virginia looked great in the first half last week against Coastal Carolina as quarterback Michael Hawkins threw the ball well and the run game was firing on all cylinders.
Cam Cook was explosive early on, and West Virginia took a 24-0 lead into the half. The lead should have been even greater if not for a fumble on the 1-inch line that went through the back of the end zone, which resulted in a touchback for the Chanticleers.
West Virginia did a lot of things well in that game, but the second half was disjointed as the Mountaineers appeared disinterested after building a large halftime lead.
The defense allowed Coastal Carolina quarterback Deuce Bailey to throw the ball all over the yard, and he ended up with 373 passing yards for the game.
The Mountaineer defense was able to register plenty of havoc in the first half, and I believe Rich Rodriguez will clean up the lack of effort displayed in the second half.
UT-Martin vs West Virginia Pick, Betting Analysis
This line opened with West Virginia listed as 34.5-point favorites, and I took a position on the Mountaineers early in the week.
This line has moved all the way out to -41.5 in some spots, with a total of 55.5, but there is another bet that I like the most in this game. West Virginia's first half point total is 27.5, and I like for the Mountaineers to exceed that point total.
West Virginia was explosive offensively and Michael Hawkins looked good in his first game in the system. He will only improve with more reps, and West Virginia should be able to register the explosives early and often against UT-Martin.
I fully expect West Virginia to clean up some of the procedural and operational mistakes that thwarted two scoring drives in the first half last week.
Rich Rodriguez made mention of the mistakes and errors that led to stalling out in the second half during his press conference this week and said it has been a major focus during practice.
I fully expect the offense to look great again on Saturday afternoon against a more overmatched opponent than West Virginia faced last week.
UT-Martin does not have good quarterback play and I could see the offense struggling early on here. The Skyhawks are going to try to run the football here, but I don't believe they can stay on the field and move the football effectively.
Look for a few short fields for West Virginia and for the Mountaineers to cash those opportunities in for touchdowns in the red zone. West Virginia should exceed this first-half point total.
Pick: West Virginia 1H Team Total Over 27.5
