Washington (8-3) at Washington State (10-1)
When: Friday, November 23rd 2018
Where: Martin Stadium,
Pullman, Washington
Time: 8:30 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Washington State -2/52.5
The Washington State Cougars have been handled in the Apple Cup by the Washington Huskies for the last couple of decades, but this year’s team seems special enough to get one back in the win column. The teams will meet on Black Friday in Pullman, Wash. with the winner representing the North Division in the Pac-12 Championship Game next week against the Utah Utes. The Cougars, who are eighth in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, have an outside shot at cracking the top four, but would need a lot of help from the teams ahead of them. Still, this has been a very successful season for a team that was predicted to maybe get six wins. The Cougars had to replace a prolific quarterback (Luke Falk), then had his replacement tragically commit suicide. In came East Carolina transfer Gardner Minshew, who is putting his name on all sorts of award watch lists, and leads the FBS with 36 touchdown passes. Wazzu followed up an impressive road win at Colorado with a thumping of Arizona at home last week, scoring 55 in the first half against the Wildcats. Washington has underperformed this season, especially on offense, but have won two straight after a 12-10 loss at California on October 27th. The Huskies have won 15 of the last 20 meetings, including a 41-14 triumph last season.
The Huskies defense will try and slow down the Air-Raid attack of Washington State with a unit that allows an average of 16.6 points and has held five opponents to 13 or fewer points. Leading tackler Ben Burr-Kirven (145) also ranks second nationally in that category and the only Washington player to record more since 1989 is Mason Foster with 163 in 2010. Senior quarterback Jake Browning is having a down season, battling injuries to throw just 16 touchdowns while senior running back Myles Gaskin is just 94 yards away from becoming the 10th FBS player to record four straight 1,000-yard seasons.
Minshew has topped 300 yards a school-record 11 times while passing for 4,325 yards – fourth-most in school history. Minshew fired a school-record seven touchdown passes in last weekend’s 69-28 win over Arizona as 11 different players caught passes and six had scoring receptions. Sophomore wideout Tay Martin has four career multi-touchdown performances (two this season, two in 2017). The defense is a little underrated, allowing 22.6 points per game and is led by senior linebacker Peyton Pelluer (team-high 76 tackles) and sophomore linebacker Jahad Woods (68 tackles, four forced fumbles).
Washington State has the motivation advantage in this one including some revenge from last season in Seattle. They also have an outside shot at the playoffs and simply have a better team. The weather will be nasty in Pullman, but that won’t slow down this Wazzu offense enough, neither will Washington.
Pick: Washington State -2.5
Betting Trends:
- Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Huskies are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Friday games.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
- Huskies are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 road games.
- Huskies are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Huskies are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
- Huskies are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
- Huskies are 0-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Huskies are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Huskies are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Huskies are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.
- Cougars are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Cougars are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Cougars are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win.
- Cougars are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Cougars are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Cougars are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games on fieldturf.
- Cougars are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games overall.
- Cougars are 23-7 ATS in their last 30 games following a ATS win.
- Cougars are 31-11 ATS in their last 42 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Cougars are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 home games.
- Cougars are 25-10 ATS in their last 35 conference games.
- Cougars are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Friday games.
- Cougars are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 5-0 in Huskies last 5 games in November.
- Under is 7-1 in Huskies last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 road games.
- Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Under is 7-2 in Huskies last 9 games on fieldturf.
- Under is 6-2 in Huskies last 8 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Huskies last 8 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 8-3 in Huskies last 11 games overall.
- Under is 5-2 in Huskies last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Huskies last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 13-6-1 in Huskies last 20 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Cougars last 6 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Over is 7-2 in Cougars last 9 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Cougars last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 9-3 in Cougars last 12 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 10-4 in Cougars last 14 games overall.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Cougars last 8 Friday games.
- Under is 7-3 in Cougars last 10 home games.
- Over is 7-3 in Cougars last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-3 in Cougars last 10 conference games.
- Over is 9-4 in Cougars last 13 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Huskies are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
- Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
- Huskies are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 meetings in Washington State.
