The Utah Utes are five-point road favorites over the BYU Cougars, as the best online betting sites spread goes for the NCAA Football game at 8:15 pm on August 29th MT at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, UT.
Utah Utes vs. BYU Cougars Betting Odds by Xbet Sportsbook
Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Utah | -5 (-110) | 48 (-110) | -200 | |
BYU | +5 (-110) | 48 (-110) | +170 | |
Betting Utah Utes
The Utes finished the 2018 season 9-5 SU, 6-3 (Pac 12 play), and 7-7 ATS, per the top online sportsbooks. The U won the South Division for the first time since joining the conference in 2011. However, they lost the championship game 10-3 to North Division champion Washington. The Utes were invited to the Holiday Bowl to play Big Ten Conference second place Northwestern. Utah lost 31-20 to complete a three-game ATS losing streak, according to the best online betting sites.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley threw for 1788 yards with 12 TDs before a season-ending fracture against Arizona State on November 3rd. Redshirt freshman Jason Shelley took over for the rest of the season. Running back Zack Moss rushed for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns. On defense, four players earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. Namely, defensive linemen Bradlee Anae and Leki Fotu, linebacker Chase Hansen, and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Hansen led the Pac 12 in tackles for loss with 22. And Anae tied for the conference lead in sacks with eight.
Like Huntley, an injury ultimately derailed Moss’s season. That was a blessing in disguise, though, for the Utes. Because as a result of it Moss put his NFL plans on hold and returned for his senior year. To end his college career with a bang as opposed to a whimper. If I may be so bold as to paraphrase TS Eliot. And that’s just as well, since newly promoted offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig is a firm believer in running the ball. Utah ranked No. 53 last season in rushing yards per game (180.0). “I can be elusive when it’s needed,” Moss said, “and I can be downright nasty when it’s needed as well.” Heh. Moss. Is he all green and fuzzy and mossy?
Betting BYU Cougars
The Cougars finished the season 7-6 SU and 9-4 ATS according to the best online betting sites. BYU was invited to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where they beat 49-18 Western Michigan. Brigham Young ranked No. 100 in total offense in 2018. The Cougars averaged 27.2 points, 211.8 passing yards, and 153.2 rushing yards per game. In a vacuum, that’s really rather mediocre. Nonetheless, it was a leap in quality from the 2017 season, when BYU went 4-9. And scored just 17 points per game. The improvement can be traced back to the offensive line. Or the “tip of the spear,” as offensive coordinator Jeff ‘Frank’ Grimes calls it.
“One thing we see is that we have an incredible amount of depth,” junior offensive lineman Tristen Hoge said. “And then we have a lot of guys coming up fast and getting ready to play, and we saw that throughout the spring and into the offseason. We feel like we’re in position now to not lose much of a step at all even if someone goes down.” “I love what I’ve seen from the offensive line. No doubt,” opined sophomore running back Lopini Katoa. “Those guys are big and really working hard as a group to get better. We’re all excited about how that group has come together.”
Utah Utes vs. BYU Cougars Game Prediction
BYU is getting, but hasn’t quite yet gotten, there. The Cougars still have a ways to go reach the heights of other independents like, say, Notre Dame. Meanwhile, the Utes look like they’re ready to peak, and are top contenders for the Pac 12 crown. Take Utah and the points.