Utah vs. Washington State Picks, Predictions College Football Week 9: Utes Need Win to Stay in Pac-12 Hunt

College football Week 9 picks and predictions for Utah vs. Washington on Oct. 27.

Philip Wood

Last updated: October 27, 2022 4:31 AM EDT • 3 min read

The Utah Utes visit the Washington State Cougars as the third game of three on college football's opening Thursday slate of Week 9. Read on for our top Utah-Washington State picks.

Utah narrowly escaped a home game with USC two weeks ago with a 43-42 win. The Utes were on a bye last week and head into Week 9 looking for a second straight win.

Washington State dropped each of its last two games, on the road at USC and Oregon State, by a combined margin of 54-24 and failed to cover the spread both times. That's three losses in four games overall for the Cougars.

Here are our Utah-Washington State college football picks for Week 9 (odds via BetMGM and DraftKings Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out all of our top college football picks for Week 9, as well as our favorite upset picks.

Utah vs. Washington State Game Info

Date: Thursday, Oct. 27, 10 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Location: Martin Stadium, Pullman, Washington
Weather: 39 degrees, 13% chance of precipitation, 7-mph winds

Utah vs. Washington State Odds

Utah vs. Washington State Odds Analysis

The spread has fallen from a consensus opening line of Utah -9 to -7 as of Thursday morning. While Washington State has drawn 51% of the tickets, 57% of the handle is on Utah.

Even with 72% of the tickets and 63% of the handle on the Over, the consensus opening total of 55 has ticked up just to 55.5 as of Thursday morning.

Utah vs. Washington State Picks

Utah vs. Washington State Pick

Utah -7.5 (+100) ★★★

The Utes received a gift from the schedule makers, getting a bye the week after handing USC its first loss. That prevents a letdown spot as the team travels to Washington State.

The Utes are 2-1 against the spread over their last three games against Washington State, though they did fail to cover as 15-point favorites in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Cougars are 3-1 ATS at home in 2022, and they did cover earlier in the season against Oregon. However, their offense has been terrible the last few weeks. The bye week may have been enough to help them get back to their ways from earlier in the season. But it’s hard to imagine Washington State keeping up with Utah for a full 60 minutes.

Check out our Week 9 college football games to watch.

Utah vs. Washington State O/U Pick

Under 55.5 (-110) ★★★

This game is a battle of opposing styles. The Under is 6-1 during the Cougars' seven games in 2022, while the Utes are 5-2 to the Over. When the Under has hit during the Utes’ contests, it's been due to the opponent failing to score. The two Unders came in 35-7 and 34-13 victories.

The Cougars could create a similar outcome in this game if they're unable to make corrections after their bye week. However, the Cougars have only allowed 30-plus points twice in 2022. It's hard to imagine the Over cashing If their defense can hold the Utes to around that number.

Utah vs. Washington State Prop Pick

First-half spread: Washington State +4 (-115) ★★★

The Cougars trailed USC 17-14 at halftime in Week 6 after leading with just over two minutes remaining in the half. While the end result may make it seem like the Cougars were blown out, the team gets up for big games, even if it fizzles.

That's been true a few times, with the Cougars defeating the Badgers in Wisconsin and suffering just a three-point loss to Oregon. While the Utes should be able to pull away late much like USC, the Cougars are capable of staying close early.

They’re at home, they’re coming off the bye, and their defense could cause problems until Cameron Rising and the Utes adjust. Don’t be surprised if the Cougars lead at the half.

Check out our top Week 9 college football ATS picks.

Where to Bet on Utah-Washington Picks

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Utah-Washington State picks made 10/25/2022 at 10:39 a.m. ET

Written By:
Philip Wood

Phil has covered sports betting since 2016, and he has been with SportsBook Review since 2022. He previously hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast for CanesInsight.com. He is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is that if a line doesn't make sense just assume oddsmakers know something you don't. He also loves in-season futures. There is so much value to be had as the public overreacts weekly. Bettors tend to forget just how long NFL and college football seasons are. After all, the Green Bay Packers were 2-5 in 2023 and they made it to the Divisional Round. When deciding where to bet, it comes down to value over everything. +100 is always better than -110. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. He is also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and is willing to forgive Dan Campbell for forgetting that a kicker can be useful.