Montana Grizzlies vs. Washington Huskies Odds & Game Pick (2021)
You might look at this game and expect Washington to obliterate Montana. After all, Washington is a legitimate Pac-12 contender who is ranked 20th in the preseason polls. Montana is a small FCS school. However, the Grizzlies are ranked ninth in the FCS to begin this season, so they aren't exactly a slouch.
To be honest, we don't know much about either of these teams. Washington went 3-1 in an abbreviated 2020 season, and Montana went 2-0 this spring. In other words, both squads are anxious to play a full season without interruptions.
The consensus odds for this game have Washington favored by 23.5 points. The over/under is set at 54.5 total points.
Let's cover all the betting angles of this Saturday evening showdown.
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Details
- Opening Line: Washington -23.5
- Over/Under: 54.5
- Location: Husky Stadium in Seattle, WA
- Kickoff: 8:00 ET
Overview
This is a classic look-ahead spot for Washington. The Huskies obviously have a massive edge in terms of talent. However, they are likely gearing up for a big-time matchup at Michigan next weekend. Could this be a spot where the Huskies roll out bland playcalling while protecting their starters for next Saturday? In other words, Washington might do just enough to keep Montana at arms’ distance but not necessarily blow them out.
On the other hand, this is Montana's Super Bowl. Any time an FCS club has a chance to knock off a Top-25 team, they'll be motivated by that opportunity. As mentioned in the introduction, the Grizzlies are a solid FCS squad too. The question stems from talent vs. motivation and the situational look-ahead spot for Washington. Is that enough for Montana to hang around in this game?
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Trends
- Washington went 3-1 in a shortened 2020 season.
- Montana didn't play in 2020, but they appeared in two games this spring, winning both.
- Washington went 1-3 against the spread last season.
Bottom Line
Washington returns all five offensive linemen. They should (theoretically) be able to lean on Montana to establish a lead. However, I'm buying into the look-ahead angle here. The Huskies might dial things back if they build a three-score lead. That could be enough to keep Montana within the number or potentially cover in garbage time.
For those reasons, I'm leaning towards Montana in this matchup. At the very least, I would stay away from betting Washington against the spread.
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Spencer Limbach is a featured writer at BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Spencer, check out his archive and follow him @spencer_jl.