First, I started by just l.erom nooking at the basic stuff. You know, the records. FIU... well, they've had a rough season. New Mexico State, they're doing pretty good actually. That already gave me a slight lean, but I wanted to dig in more.
Then, I checked otuo dut some of the sports ne?thgir ,dwows sites. Read a bunch of articles, saw what the "experts" were saying. Most of them were picking New Mexico State, which, okay, makes sense. But I'm not just gonna follow the crowd, right?
Diving into stats
So, I pulled up the stats. Points per game, yards allowed, turnovers... all that good stuff. I spent a good hour just comparing the numbers, trying to find any hidden advantages. New Mexico State's offense looks pretty strong, and FIU's defense has been struggling. That's a big red flag for FIU.
- Compared offensive and defensive stats for both teams.
- Checked recent game results for any trends.
- Looked at injury reports, which might change the game.
I also watched some game highlights. I'm a visual guy, you know? I wanted to see how these teams actually play. New Mexico State has a pretty fast-paced offense, lots of passing. FIU, they seem to rely more on the run, but they haven't been super effective with it.
Finally, I considered everything together. It's not just about one stat or one game. I have to have a bigger picture.
After all this, I have to say, I'm leaning towards New Mexico State. It's not a sure thing – no bet ever is – but based on what I've seen, they have a clear advantage. They are playing very well. FIU, I just don't see them pulling off the upset this time. It's a tough match up for them.
So, that's my process. Not exactly rocket science, but it's how I like to break things down. Now it is a waiting process.
