The Wyoming Cowboys will attempt to 'steer' clear of a road beat down this evening when they open their season against the Texas Longhorns at Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin (8:00pm ET start time, Longhorn Network). The latest college football predictions say they will not, though, with Wyoming at Texas Odds presently listing the Longhorns as a -31.5 against the spread home favorite. Tonight’s posted game total sits at 51 points.

This evening marks the third meeting between the Cowboys and Longhorns in the last four years. The previous two contests did not go well for Wyoming as it lost 41-10 in Laramie in 2009 and 34-7 in Austin in 2010. The Pokes did, however, earn a push in those two games, but that will not take place tonight with the current .5 hook.

Despite Wyoming’s 8-5 finish last season, a record which served as the school’s best in over a decade, most are expecting the team to experience a thrashing in tonight’s game. Texas has suffered through two down seasons, but Mack Brown has assembled a wealth of talent in Austin, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, leading to a mismatch in the trenches in this contest.

The Longhorns defensive line, which features two top shelf pass rushers in Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor, figures to give Wyoming’s offensive line fits tonight. The Cowboys only allowed 12 sacks last season, but they lost both starting tackles and their starting right guard in the off-season. The unit should improve as the year wears on, but having to open against Texas’ talented front four is an unwelcome prospect even for an experienced crew.

Conversely, Wyoming’s soft defensive front (allowed over 230 rush yards per game in 2011) will have all kinds of trouble stopping a Longhorn rushing attack that averaged 203 yards per game last year (4.5 ypc).

Free Pick: Take the Longhorns -31.5 in tonight’s game.

Wyoming at Texas Odds:

Wyoming Cowboys +31.5 (-110), Over 51 (-110)

Texas Longhorns -31.5 (-110), Under 51 (-110)

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