Washington State Cougars at Utah Utes Pick ATS

Washington State Cougars (3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS) at No. 19 Utah Utes (3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS)
College Football Week 5
Date and Time: Saturday, September 28, 2019, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT.
TV: FS1

Point Spread: WSU +5.5 /UT -5.5 (Pinnacle)
Over/Under Total: 56.5

Power Ratings: UT by 5

Will Washington State’s Defense Rebound after Epic Collapse?

Let’s be clear; not many teams score 63 points and lose the game. WSU’s defense was a no show the final quarter and half of the UCLA game last week thus the Bruins poured it on by scoring three touchdowns in six minutes to finish out the third qtr. The rest is history—literally. Just when I thought the Cougs D might be turning the corner after a solid second half on the road at Houston, they proved that is not the case. It may be their youth and the fact they were up by 32 points which led them to stop playing but man, did it cost them big time. This week and from here on out the Cougars face arguably the toughest schedule on the road than they’ve had in years. At No. 19 Utah, at former No.24 Arizona State, at No. 13 Oregon, and close out the year at currently ranked No. 17 Washington. But still, the best bet will likely be on the Cougs to score a lot of points.

UTAH’s Outlook for this Matchup

The Utes dropped from No. 10 to No. 19 after their highly praised defense was picked apart by a third string QB at USC. It was definitely an eye-opening night for the Utes defensive coordinator, but this is what happens when these ranked teams finally play in the conference against higher-level talent—the true colors come out. There’s a reason “The cream rises to the top,” and both WSU and Utah got a taste of that last weekend, especially on the defensive side. Utah will be tough at home and hungry to get back on track. Look for the Utes to pressure the pocket and make the passing game much more difficult for WSU’s QB Anthony Gordon this weekend. However, Utah had trouble keeping up with the USC WRs so it could be another long night if WSU gets the ball out quickly and with the number of targets, only compounds the task. Utah’s best bet might be to run the ball as WSU hasn’t stopped the run yet this season. The only hiccup with the Utes running game is that RB Zack Moss is not expected to play—he was knocked out of the USC game last week with a separated shoulder.

How the Public is Betting the Game

The public is currently betting WSU 40 percent and Utah 60 percent. The Over/Under percentage is presently 75 percent OVER and 25 percent UNDER.

Injury Concerns

WSU: No significant injuries to report.
UT: SR RB Zack Moss, out with separated shoulder after USC game. Not expected to play vs. WSU.

More Picks: Miss St. at Auburn Against the Spread Prediction

When Washington State has the ball

It is safe to say that the Washington State Cougars have no problem scoring a ton of points—211 total, to be exact, in their first four games. WSU QB Anthony Gordon set a new school record for touchdowns in a single game. Gardner Minshew’s seven TD passes in a single match was the school record. Gordon tossed nine TD passes last week vs. UCLA…and lost! RB Max Borghi continues to run well, and he helps open the air-raid because defenses must respect his game. Meanwhile, all Gordon does is throw the pigskin all over the field to as many as eight or nine targets. Look for the Cougs to keep the offensive machine going strong.

When Utah has the ball

Utah should focus on the running game but will, of course, try to establish a balance to keep WSU’s defense on edge. For a team that is only averaging 29 points per game, they will undoubtedly need to find the endzone more if they want to play with Washington State. WSU is scoring 52 points a game.

Why Bet the UNDER?

Obviously, if you’ve been following the past few weeks on WSU predictions and picks it has been a crapshoot. The defense has been non-existent. While there have been a ton of points scored in their games, this week’s contest presents a few variables that will keep the game lower scoring than previous weeks.

For starters, there’s a 93% chance of rain. Precipitation hurts the passing game, so teams generally tend to run more in these conditions.

Second, despite the Utes not having stellar defensive stats, they play much better at home and will be up for this game. You better believe WSU got a tongue lashing and will bring their best effort as well.

Lastly, the over/under opened at 59. It has dropped to 56.5 at time of print. All-the-while, the general betting public is HAMMERING the OVER to the tune of 73%, yet the line is falling. Sharps and wiseguys are hitting the UNDER hard.

Betting Trends

• Head to Head: OVER is 5-1 in their last six meetings. We’re taking a hard fade here.
• The UNDER is 5-2 in Utes last seven games in September.
• The UNDER is 13-6 in Utes last 19 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.

Weather Report

Game time conditions in Salt Lake City will be in the low 50s. There is a 93 percent chance of rain. Humidity: 51 percent. Wind: 3 mph

Dave Wilson’s Pick to Cover the Spread: Bet the UNDER. Bet WSU/UT game and ALL of this week’s college and pro games for FREE by taking advantage of a massive 100% REAL CASH bonus at GTBets!