Washington State (9-2, 6-2) at Washington (9-2, 6-2)
When: Saturday, November 25th 2017
Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA
Time: 8:00 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Washington -10.5/51
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The Washington State Cougars looked awful in their two losses this season, but have a chance to make that a distant memory when they take on the Washington Huskies in the annual Apple Cup game from Seattle. The Cougars can clinch the Pac-12 North title and secure a date with Southern California in next week’s Championship game with a victory over their rivals, while a Huskies win would hand the North to Stanford. Expectations were high in Seattle after the Huskies played in last year’s College Football Playoff, so fans are pretty bummed about a 9-2 season and coach Chris Peterson doesn’t like it. “People don’t know how difficult 9-2 is. They don’t know. It is hard,” Petersen said at a press conference. “I don’t know if it’s the College Football Playoffs, but it’s just expectations. That’s one of the hard things in this whole thing is just managing expectations.” Washington State is averaging 33 points per game in coach Mike Leach’s air-raid offense that has made a star of quarterback Luke Falk. The senior now holds school and Pac-12 records for career passing yardage (14,117) passing touchdowns (118). Washington has won the last four meetings in a series that began with a 5-5 tie in 1900.
Falk has passed for 3,224 yards and 29 touchdowns against 10 interceptions this season and boasts 29 300-yard career passing performances, including topping 400 on 11 occasions. Three different Cougars have caught more than 50 passes – junior receiver Tavares Martin Jr. (65 for 759 yards and 9 TDs), sophomore running back James Williams (59 for 383 with three scores) and sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Johnson-Mack (57 for 530, five TDs). With all the hype surrounding the offense, the Washington State defense has held it’s own, ranking 11th in total defense (303.8 yards per game) and second nationally with 94 tackles for losses with junior defensive end Hercules Mata’afa (41 tackles, 9.5 sacks) recording 21.5 of them. The Cougars are tied for third in the nation with 27 takeaways (14 interceptions, 13 fumbles).
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Junior quarterback Jake Browning became the school’s all-time leader in career passing touchdowns (77) during last Saturday’s 33-30 victory over Utah and has passed for 2,451 yards and 18 touchdowns against five interceptions in 2017. Junior running back Myles Gaskin (1,090 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns) also moved to the top of the career rushing touchdowns list with 39, and sits 235 yards away from becoming the third Washington back to reach 4,000 career rushing yards. Dante Pettis will be playing his final home game and has four punt return touchdowns this season and holds the NCAA career mark of nine. The Huskies defense, which led them to the CFP last season, ranks fourth in total defense (271.3 yards per game), fifth in scoring defense (14.5) and eighth in passing defense (168.4).
TOP 25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS
The only reason for Washington to get up for this game is that it’s their rival. The lack of intensity showed last week in the close victory over Utah. The Cougars have more to play for than they have in years and they’ll be up for the task. I will take the points in this one.
Pick: Washington State +10.5
TRENDS:
- Cougars are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games on fieldturf.
- Cougars are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Cougars are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cougars are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
- Cougars are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 conference games.
- Cougars are 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games following a ATS win.
- Cougars are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Cougars are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Cougars are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Cougars are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games in November.
- Cougars are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Cougars are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
- Huskies are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.
- Huskies are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games.
- Huskies are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Huskies are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 conference games.
- Under is 6-1 in Cougars last 7 games on fieldturf.
- Under is 6-1 in Cougars last 7 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Cougars last 6 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Cougars last 8 games overall.
- Over is 6-2 in Cougars last 8 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2 in Cougars last 8 road games.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Cougars last 8 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Cougars last 7 conference games.
- Under is 5-1 in Huskies last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 8-2-1 in Huskies last 11 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 7-2 in Huskies last 9 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 12-4 in Huskies last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 8-3-1 in Huskies last 12 conference games.
- Under is 7-3 in Huskies last 10 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings in Washington.
- Favorite is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
- Cougars are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 meetings.
