The traits recommend Utah is the play Saturday evening as a house underdog within the first Holy Warfare in three years.
Although the Utes have dropped 4 in a row and adjusted playcallers and quarterbacks.
Although Brigham Younger is undefeated and churning towards a date within the Massive 12 title sport.
Although the Cougars have eight wins and the Utes have 4.
And when the traits communicate, the Hotline usually listens. Right here’s what they are saying:
— Utah has dominated the collection, profitable 14 of the previous 20 matchups and 7 of the previous 9 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
— The underdog lined the unfold in 15 of these 20 video games.
— When one crew has a minimum of three extra wins than the opposite on the time of kickoff, the crew with the higher file is 3-0 straight up however 1-2 in opposition to the unfold.
Those self same fundamentals exist this week with the Utes as a four-point residence underdog.
However in a season that is mindless, with the Cougars and Utes in a job reversal for the ages, our intuition is to keep away from the wise and dismiss the traits.
To disregard the lure of the house underdog in a collection that favors the house underdog.
Our intuition is to take BYU, give the factors and watch the present trajectories proceed.
The Utes discover methods to lose.
The Cougars discover methods to win.
We don’t know the way it will unfold however absolutely count on the surprising. And in a collection dominated by the underdog, the surprising end result could be a decisive victory by the favourite.
To the picks …
Final week: 4-3
Season: 50-35-1
5-star particular: 5-5
All picks in opposition to the unfold
Strains taken from vegasinsider.com
(All occasions Pacific)
Cal (-7) at Wake Forest
Kickoff: Friday at 5 p.m. on the ACC Community
Remark: The Bears as a landing favourite on the highway? That presents a possibility we can not ignore — a possibility to take the house underdog. Choose: Wake Forest
San Jose State (+4) at Oregon State
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. on The CW
Remark: The Beavers have struggled defensively in opposition to the run (186 yards per sport), however SJSU has no operating sport to talk of. First-year coach Ken Niumatalolo, who beforehand coached Navy’s triple choice, is all concerning the aerial sport. That ought to profit the Beavers. Choose: Oregon State
South Carolina (-3.5) at Vanderbilt
Kickoff: 1:15 p.m. on the SEC Community
Remark: Few groups throughout the land have been higher in opposition to the unfold than the Commodores, who’ve lined in all 5 SEC video games. The Gamecocks shall be driving excessive after their upset of Texas A&M and underestimating their opponent. Choose: Vanderbilt
UCF (+3) at Arizona State
Kickoff: 4 p.m. on ESPN2
Remark: This seems like a pump-the-brakes sport for the Solar Devils, who clinched a bowl berth final week and shall be feeling good about their trajectory — a bit too good, in our view. One other surprising end result within the wild Massive 12. Choose: UCF
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Washington (+13.5) at Penn State
Kickoff: 5 p.m. on Peacock
Remark: There’s no higher time to go to Glad Valley than the week after Penn State suffers a gut-punch loss to Ohio State. We aren’t positive the Huskies could make sufficient performs offensively to win, however they need to be in place to cowl if the Nittany Lions begin with an OSU hangover. Choose: Washington
Brigham Younger (-4) at Utah
Kickoff: 7:15 p.m. on ESPN
Remark: Each groups had two weeks to arrange, so there’s no aggressive benefit both manner. Considered one of a number of essential variations between the Cougars and Utes is success in situational soccer: The previous scores touchdowns on two of each three journeys contained in the Crimson Zone; the latter scores on fewer than half their Crimson Zone alternatives. Discipline objectives gained’t reduce it. Choose: Brigham Younger
Utah State (+20.5) at Washington State
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. on The CW
Remark: The Aggies have one victory over an FBS opponent (Wyoming) whereas the Cougars have one loss to an FBS opponent (Boise State). This shouldn’t be shut. And it gained’t be, a minimum of within the fourth quarter. Choose: Washington State
Straight-up winners: Wake Forest, Oregon State, Vanderbilt, UCF, Penn State, Brigham Younger and Washington State
5-star particular: Brigham Younger. The Cougars are 7-1 in opposition to the unfold this season; the Utes are 2-6. Let’s not over-complicate the state of affairs.
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