Utah vs. Texas Betting Odds, Pick, Prediction: 2019 Alamo Bowl Spread, Line

Utah vs. Texas Odds and Pick

• Odds: Utah -7
• Over/Under: 55
• Time: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Location: San Antonio, Tx.

Utah vs. Texas odds via FanDuel, where Action Network users get a risk-free bet up to $500.

Collin Wilson: How To Attack This Total

There will be plenty of new faces for this game. Texas head coach Tom Herman cleaned out his staff on both sides of the ball, firing his defensive coordinator and demoting his offensive coordinator.

As for Utah, its secondary will be missing a few key players, including Julian Blackmon, who has four passes defensed to go along with four picks this season.

Utah's depleted secondary may give Texas a lifeline to get the ball down the field. The Utes were terrific at limiting explosiveness this season but the missing pieces could open them up and allow quarterback Sam Ehlinger and wide receivers Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay to get the Longhorns into scoring range.

Utah has a distinct advantage when it has the ball. The Utes rank inside the top 10 in passing success rate and will go up against a defense that ranks 114th in the same category.

Long story short, both teams should have success moving the ball into scoring position, which should translate into points.

Pick: Over 55

Stuckey: Stick To the Tom Herman Trend?

As soon as Oregon had the Pac-12 championship locked up, I immediately started thinking about the potential Utah bowl fade.

The Utes had their College Football Playoff dreams shattered and that could create a situation where they check out during bowl preparation and come out a little flate.

We all know that the Longhorns are always intriguing as an underdog under Tom Herman. The Texas head coach is 15-5-1 ATS (70.6%) as a pooch, covering by more than 10 points per game. That includes a perfect 3-0 ATS record in Bowl games with three outright wins as underdogs:

• 2015 Houston (+7.5) beat Florida State
• 2017 Texas (+3) beat Missouri
• 2018 Texas (+12.5) beat Georgia

This is an extremely important game for Texas in regards to recruiting, especially after such a disappointing season. One of the primary concerns I have with Texas is the coaching staff shakeup in Austin.

Herman fired both coordinators and a few other key staff members late in the season. So, it's anybody's guess where this team is mentally. It's a legitimate concern, though the 'Horns did respond nicely in their finale against Texas Tech.

History also suggests I should trust Herman to have his troops ready here for a game in their home state. Plus, some new and unfamiliar looks on both offense and defense from Texas could work in its advantage.

The Longhorns were decimated by injuries on both sides this year but I assume they'll be as healthy as they've been all season for this game. Ultimately, I think Texas is a little undervalued in the market after having their season derailed by injuries. Meanwhile, Utah may have been a bit of a paper tiger that I had overrated after dominating so many inferior Pac-12 squads (and a few with backup quarterbacks).

I also think the two losses in the secondary in Julian Blackmon and Jaylon Johnson, two All-American caliber defensive backs, will loom large here.

I like Texas at a touchdown dog or better.