BYU Cougars at Washington State Cougars Odds and Game Pick (2021)
The biggest news heading into this game comes from the firing of Washington State Head Coach Nick Rolovich, which happened earlier in the week. Rolovich is now suing the university for wrongful termination revolving around his COVID-19 vaccine status. No matter how you feel about the situation, it's safe to say that this could be a huge distraction for Washington State. They will be without their head coach while facing a media circus leading up to Saturday. Oh yea, they play a pretty good team this weekend too.
BYU started the season hot with impressive victories over Utah and Arizona State. They built up a 5-0 record before dropping their last two games to Boise State and Baylor respectively. That prompts the question of whether or not BYU is sliding. This is a tricky road contest against a legitimate Washington State team, but it also provides a bounce-back spot for the Cougars to prove their worth.
We'll break down all the betting angles of this Saturday afternoon matchup.
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Details
- Opening Line: BYU -3
- Over/Under: 55.5
- Location: Clarence D. Martin Stadium
- Kickoff: 3:30 ET
Overview
It's hard to predict how Washington State will play in this game, but I'm leaning towards a slight downgrade due to the coaching circumstances. It's difficult to draw any positives from this situation unless the players are extra motivated to avenge their coach. You could argue that they will probably be more distracted by the issue than motivated, and that's the angle I'm looking at.
On the other hand, is it safe to bet BYU laying points on the road? The Cougars haven't instilled much confidence over the past two weeks, and they seem to be inconsistent at this point in the season. Logic dictates that BYU took care of business against two other Pac-12 teams (Arizona State and Utah) who are superior to Washington State. However, that version of BYU seems to be in the rearview mirror at the moment.
Trends
- The UNDER is 8-2 in BYU's last 10 games.
- Washington State is 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
- The UNDER is 4-1 in Washington State's last five games.
Bottom Line
This is a difficult game to handicap for the reasons listed above. However, I believe BYU will seize the opportunity to bounce back against a distracted Washington State side. Take BYU and the points as long as you can get it at three or less.
The Pick: BYU -3
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