BYU vs. Washington State Week 8 Picks: Battle of the Cougars

BYU has torn through the Pac-12, but can it cover the spread as a 3.5-point road underdog vs. Washington State in this Week 8 college football matchup?

The BYU Cougars may be without Zach Wilson but they still have a winning record, have exceeded versus Pac-12 opponents, and have plenty of reasons to be excited. The Cougars are 5-2 straight up despite their 3-4 record against the spread, and they have a positive turnover differential.

Washington State, which hosts BYU on Saturday, is both 4-3 straight up and against the spread. These Cougars lack the potent offense we’ve seen in the past, but they remain a tough team to beat in the Pac-12. No one is safe in that conference, and that includes non-conference games.

Here are my picks and predictions for the college football Week 8 matchup between BYU and Washington State (Odds via FanDuel).

BYU vs. Washington State Game Info

Date/Time: Saturday, October 23, 3:30 p.m. ETTV: FS1Location: Martin Stadium, Pullman, WAWeather: 10 mph winds, no rain

BYU vs. Washington State Odds Analysis

Despite having a worse record against the spread and playing on the road, the college football odds favor BYU at -3.5 (-110) and with a -188 moneyline. While most sportsbooks agree with the -3.5 line, some require more money down on the BYU side suggesting that it is more likely for the visiting team to cover the spread.

FanDuel has set the Over/Under at 55.5 points. Neither offense is explosive, and both have regularly hit the Under this season. With that being the case, it is more likely for there to be plenty of turnovers and few points scored.

BYU vs. Washington State Betting Picks

Washington State +3.5 (-110)Under 55.5 (-112)

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BYU vs. Washington State Betting Predictions

Washington State +3.5 (-110)

Washington State has struggled this year, but it will be at home, which helps it out against BYU. The home cougars also force turnovers at a high clip, which will help them in this game.

Washinton State has a more potent passing attack and takes risks that pay off. That adds entropy to the situation, but it also boosts the team's chances of winning the game outright.

When BYU has to throw the football, it likely won’t be able to take deep shots down the field without being sacked due to Washinton State's good pass rush. This will force BYU to rely heavily on the run, which will be hard to sustain for four quarters.

Washington State has a poor rushing defense, but BYU hasn’t had an aggressive attack. BYU simply lacks balance, so the home Cougars can lock in on stopping the run.

Both teams will make plenty of mistakes and this game will likely come down to the end. With a spread of more than a field goal, it makes sense to take the home underdog in a close one.

Under 55.5 (-112)

This is more than your traditional -110 bet on an Over/Under, but this game has the makings of a sloppy performance. Neither team has done well with putting points on the board, and it is mostly because of their own mistakes.

You won’t see elite defenses in this game, but neither offense has what it takes to push this total past the Over. BYU will want to slow the pace down and Washington State is likely to bring chaos as it slings the ball down the field.

The weather conditions don’t help here, either. There won’t be rain, but the heavy winds will affect both the passing and kicking game. There could be missed field goals and a few extra interceptions as a result.

If you look at all the factors in this game, it is leading to this BYU and Washington State matchup being a low-scoring affair. Even with such a low O/U total, the Under remains the better play.