This week's picks

UTEP vs. North Dakota State Prediction and Pick, Week 9 2026

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Data updatedOct 31, 2026
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Picks two teams at random. Any FBS team can come up.

How we picked it

How we picked it

Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.

Where the game is won

Where the game is won

Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.

Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.

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UTEP at North Dakota State

Week 9, Sat, Oct 31, 3:30 PM ET, Fargodome.

The numbers say: North Dakota State, 99% to win.

The game

KickoffSat, Oct 31, 3:30 PM ET
TVMW+
WhereFargodome
WeatherIndoors
LineNorth Dakota State −24.5, total 42.5
Line movementOpened North Dakota State −27.5; moved 3 points toward UTEP. Total opened 49.5, down 7.
SeriesFirst meeting

The ratings and the line

MarginWin chanceTotal
SP+North Dakota State by 35.699%39
PRIMENorth Dakota State by 32.899%
EloNorth Dakota State98%
The lineNorth Dakota State −24.5, opened −27.542.5, opened 49.5

Margins include home field. SP+ is Bill Connelly's rating; Sources has PRIME and Elo. Line and total from DraftKings, as of Fri, Oct 30, 7:43 PM ET.

Who wins, UTEP or North Dakota State?

The numbers say: North Dakota State. 99% chance to win

Which matchups decide UTEP vs. North Dakota State?

All three ratings favor North Dakota State, by 32.8 to 35.6 points, and it isn't close. North Dakota State's best matchup is its scoring defense, 3rd in points allowed, against UTEP's scoring offense at 135th. UTEP doesn't have a unit with a clear edge over the one it faces.

UTEP with the ball

North Dakota State with the ball

Who's out for UTEP and North Dakota State?

UTEP

North Dakota State

How UTEP and North Dakota State compare, in charts

Each chart puts all 138 FBS teams on two stats; UTEP and North Dakota State are lit. Dashed lines are the FBS averages, and up and right is better. Ranks in parentheses. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How UTEP's and North Dakota State's players compare

The scatter charts show the top 40 FBS players at the position by both stats combined, plus the players lit here. Dashed lines are the averages; up and right is better. Ranks are among every FBS player at the position with enough snaps. Takeaways are interceptions plus fumble recoveries. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How do SP+, PRIME and Elo rate UTEP and North Dakota State?

On a neutral field, SP+ has North Dakota State 33.1 points better (41st to 134th). PRIME also has North Dakota State ahead, by 30.3. Elo, which only sees results, also has North Dakota State ahead (41st to 136th).

UTEPNorth Dakota State
SP+ overall-24.5 (134th)8.6 (41st)
SP+ offense12.7 (137th)25.4 (81st)
SP+ defense36.6 (130th)16.8 (17th)
SP+ special teams-0.6 (131st)0.0 (68th)
PRIME net-25.9 (136th)4.4 (47th)
PRIME offense-9.77 (132nd)-4.23 (98th)
PRIME defense-13.29 (135th)7.07 (21st)
PRIME SOS0.5 (40th)-5.8 (99th)
PRIME SOR-2.4 (122nd)0.9 (44th)
Elo992 (136th)1631 (41st)

Opponent-adjusted power ratings. These drive the projection.

Who's better once you adjust for the schedule?

UTEP's offense ranks 135th in adjusted EPA per play, and the North Dakota State defense it faces ranks 11th in EPA per play allowed. North Dakota State's offense ranks 89th against UTEP's 132nd-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is North Dakota State's offense against UTEP's defense. The biggest edge on the board is North Dakota State's passing game: 66th in adjusted EPA per pass, against UTEP's 136th-ranked defense. That's a mismatch.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
EPA per play (adjusted)−0.03 (135th)+0.07 (89th)
EPA per pass (adjusted)+0.03 (137th)+0.20 (66th)
EPA per rush (adjusted)+0.03 (107th)+0.02 (112th)
Success rate (adjusted)35.6% (132nd)38.7% (108th)
Success rate, standard downs (adjusted)42.5% (132nd)43.9% (118th)
Success rate, passing downs (adjusted)26.5% (127th)30.5% (67th)
Explosiveness (adjusted)0.97 (16th)0.94 (50th)
Line yards per carry (adjusted)2.73 (126th)2.90 (91st)
Open-field yards per carry (adjusted)1.20 (45th)1.01 (105th)
EPA per play allowed (adjusted)+0.23 (132nd)−0.01 (11th)
EPA per pass allowed (adjusted)+0.33 (136th)+0.10 (17th)
EPA per rush allowed (adjusted)+0.14 (122nd)−0.03 (9th)
Success rate allowed (adjusted)48.8% (135th)38.3% (25th)
Explosiveness allowed (adjusted)0.95 (101st)0.92 (31st)
Line yards allowed per carry (adjusted)3.09 (111th)2.85 (38th)
Open-field yards allowed per carry (adjusted)1.35 (121st)0.90 (13th)

The same efficiency numbers, adjusted for the offenses and defenses each team has faced (CollegeFootballData.com). A good number against a soft schedule shrinks; one against a hard schedule grows.

Who's more efficient, UTEP or North Dakota State?

UTEP is better running (118th in EPA per rush) than throwing (135th). North Dakota State's run defense ranks 13th, so the defense has the better of it. North Dakota State is about as good throwing (76th in EPA per pass) as running (89th). On third down, North Dakota State has the edge: its offense ranks 71st in EPA per third-down play, and the defense it faces ranks 124th.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
EPA per play−0.08 (136th)+0.10 (83rd)
EPA per pass−0.10 (135th)+0.20 (76th)
EPA per rush−0.01 (118th)+0.05 (89th)
EPA per 3rd-down play−0.06 (138th)+0.45 (71st)
EPA per play allowed+0.28 (134th)−0.13 (3rd)
EPA per pass allowed+0.50 (136th)−0.15 (1st)
EPA per rush allowed+0.17 (117th)−0.09 (13th)
EPA per 3rd-down play allowed+0.61 (124th)+0.10 (7th)

Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.

Who scores more, UTEP or North Dakota State?

UTEP is outscored by 22.2 a game, and North Dakota State by 15.3. UTEP's offense ranks 135th in scoring, and the North Dakota State defense it faces ranks 3rd in points allowed. North Dakota State's offense ranks 77th against UTEP's 134th-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is North Dakota State's offense against UTEP's defense.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
Points scored15.1 (135th)27.8 (77th)
Points allowed37.3 (134th)12.5 (3rd)

Per game, FBS opponents only.

Which offense has the edge?

UTEP has no clear edge here. Its best is yards per carry, 63rd, against a defense ranked 31st in yards per carry allowed. North Dakota State's best matchup is third downs: its offense ranks 58th in 3rd down conversion rate, and UTEP's defense ranks 113th in 3rd down conversions allowed.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
Pass yards / game154.4 (126th)190.4 (109th)
Rush yards / game159.9 (79th)167.9 (68th)
Yards per play5.80 (94th)5.69 (104th)
Yards per carry5.28 (63rd)4.62 (110th)
Yards per attempt8.19 (45th)7.50 (75th)
Completion %76.5% (6th)62.6% (72nd)
Success rate38.0% (120th)40.1% (103rd)
Explosive play rate11.6% (83rd)12.5% (62nd)
3rd down conversion27.2% (134th)42.2% (58th)
Sack rate (taken)21.0% (134th)4.7% (47th)
INT rate (thrown)3.8% (121st)3.5% (109th)
SUPLEX50.8% (103rd)48.9% (118th)

Per game and per play, from play-by-play.

Which defense has the edge?

North Dakota State's defense is best placed to pick off passes: it ranks 2nd in interception rate, and UTEP's offense is bottom-20 at avoiding interceptions (121st). That's a mismatch.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
Pass yards allowed / game204.6 (56th)132.1 (3rd)
Rush yards allowed / game196.6 (120th)132.1 (43rd)
Yards per play allowed6.28 (98th)4.73 (9th)
Yards per carry allowed5.57 (111th)4.21 (31st)
Yards per attempt allowed7.42 (77th)5.81 (16th)
Success rate allowed45.0% (101st)36.5% (23rd)
Explosive plays allowed12.3% (93rd)10.1% (41st)
3rd downs allowed45.1% (113th)34.3% (37th)
Sack rate (generated)4.0% (119th)7.1% (45th)
INT rate (generated)1.6% (106th)6.6% (2nd)
SUPLEX allowed60.9% (112th)46.3% (23rd)

What opponents managed against them.

Who wins up front?

North Dakota State has the better number in 11 of 12. The biggest gap is big Uglies: defensive front, where North Dakota State ranks 37th and UTEP 112th.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
Big Uglies: offensive line26.4 (137th)47.9 (89th)
Big Uglies: defensive front43.6 (112th)54.1 (37th)
Line yards per carry2.73 (115th)3.01 (84th)
Line yards allowed per carry3.11 (99th)2.80 (55th)
Second-level yards per carry1.24 (26th)1.14 (58th)
Open-field yards per carry0.79 (115th)0.82 (113th)
Stuff rate (runs stopped at or behind the line)22.0% (121st)19.9% (99th)
Stuff rate (defense)18.1% (80th)22.4% (24th)
Power success (short yardage)64.3% (116th)68.0% (96th)
Power success allowed75.9% (100th)74.1% (89th)
Front-seven havoc allowed18.0% (137th)9.2% (72nd)
Front-seven havoc8.8% (87th)10.6% (43rd)

The lines. Big Uglies is our rating for each offensive line and each defensive front: adjusted line yards (30%), stuff rate (20%), power success (15%), sack rate (20%) and front-seven havoc (15%), against every FBS team. 50 is average, and every 10 points is a standard deviation. Line stats from CollegeFootballData.com, garbage time out.

Who wins the turnover battle?

North Dakota State is +0.4 in turnover margin a game and UTEP is −0.3. At about five points a turnover, that's roughly a 4-point edge for North Dakota State. Turnover margin rarely holds from one month to the next, so don't count on it. Fumble recoveries are mostly luck, and UTEP's takeaways lean on them (0.7 of 1.1 a game).

UTEPNorth Dakota State
Interceptions thrown / game0.71 (61st)1.00 (105th)
Fumbles lost / game0.71 (99th)0.14 (3rd)
Giveaways / game1.43 (88th)1.14 (52nd)
Interceptions / game0.43 (105th)1.29 (10th)
Fumbles recovered / game0.71 (24th)0.29 (94th)
Takeaways / game1.14 (67th)1.57 (28th)
Turnover margin / game-0.3 (89th)+0.4 (35th)

Per game, from play-by-play.

Which team has more talent?

UTEP has the more talented roster (102nd in the 247Sports talent composite; North Dakota State is 131st). But North Dakota State plays further above its talent: +17.8 points of SP+ beyond what its roster predicts, to UTEP's −19.7.

UTEPNorth Dakota State
Talent composite585.8 (102nd)515.6 (131st)
Blue-chip ratio2.6% (117th)0.0% (126th)
Players on roster110 (75th)130 (3rd)
Rated by 247Sports76 (80th)70 (98th)
5-star players0 (37th)0 (37th)
4-star players2 (106th)0 (126th)
3-star players70 (28th)50 (106th)
Below 3-star4 (38th)20 (1st)
2026 transfers in23 (56th)— ()
Transfer share30.3% (61st)— ()
SP+ vs. talent-19.7 (136th)+17.8 (5th)
Returning production-1.1% (134th)— ()
Returning passing production18.1% (72nd)— ()
Returning rushing production-30.9% (130th)— ()
Returning receiving production15.3% (111th)— ()
2026 recruiting class (national rank)92 (92nd)117 (117th)
Recruiting rank, last four classes91.5 (84th)139.8 (134th)

247Sports team talent composite and 2026 transfer portal class. Star counts cover only the players 247Sports rates, not walk-ons, so they add up to less than the full roster. Ranks are out of all 138 FBS teams.

Where did each team's wins come from?

UTEP is −2.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is coaching (−1.6). North Dakota State is +2.0 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is coaching (+2.4).

UTEPNorth Dakota State
RECEIPTS (total)-2.5 (129th)+2.0 (20th)
Schedule RECEIPTS-0.0 (90th)+1.3 (32nd)
Roster RECEIPTS-0.6 (107th)-1.2 (130th)
Coach RECEIPTS-1.6 (125th)+2.4 (5th)
Luck RECEIPTS-0.3 (89th)-0.4 (91st)

Where the wins came from. Every team starts as a .500 team. Then each win (or loss) goes to the schedule, the roster, the coaching or luck, and the four add up to the real record. Wins above or below a .500 team.

UTEP at North Dakota State: questions people ask

UTEP vs. North Dakota State prediction: who will win?

The numbers pick North Dakota State, 99% chance to win. All three ratings favor the same team. North Dakota State's best matchup is its scoring defense, 3rd in points allowed, against UTEP's scoring offense at 135th.

Where can I watch UTEP vs. North Dakota State, and what time is it?

Sat, Oct 31, 3:30 PM ET at Fargodome. It's on MW+.

What's the projected score of UTEP vs. North Dakota State?

SP+ projects North Dakota State 37–2. That's from this season's SP+ offense, defense and special teams ratings, with home field worth 2.5 points.

What's the line for UTEP at North Dakota State?

DraftKings has North Dakota State −24.5, total 42.5. The numbers pick winners, not bets.

What's the UTEP vs. North Dakota State series history?

This is the first meeting.

Who are the players to watch in UTEP vs. North Dakota State?

UTEP: EJ Colson (632 passing yards), Tavorus Jones (255 rushing yards) and Jaden Smith (233 receiving yards). North Dakota State: Nathan Hayes (1,484 passing yards), Myles Mitchell (394 rushing yards) and Jackson Williams (505 receiving yards). Season totals through Oct 24, 2026.

Who are the quarterbacks in UTEP at North Dakota State?

UTEP's is EJ Colson (632 passing yards this season); North Dakota State's is Nathan Hayes (1,484 passing yards this season).

More on this game

Numbers through the games of Oct 24, 2026. SP+ as of Oct 27, 2026. Updated every week.

UTEP and North Dakota State: team pages with every stat and national rank. Compare any two teams.