Washington Huskies vs. Utah Utes Betting Odds, Analysis, College Football Pick

Washington won and covered the first two meetings with Utah after the latter joined the Pac-12, but the Utes pulled off an upset of the Huskies last year in Seattle. Washington looks to return the favor when it takes on Utah in a possible preview of the Pac-12 Championship Game on Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake City.

Point spread: The Huskies opened as 11.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 46.8-25.0 Huskies (college football picks on every game)

Why the Washington Huskies can cover the spread

The Huskies are making a claim as the best team west of the Mississippi with their 7-0 start, which includes a 41-17 drubbing of Oregon State last week. Washington led 7-0 two minutes into the game, 21-0 after one quarter and 31-0 at halftime on its way to its 10th straight victory overall. The Huskies got within a field goal of covering the spread as 36-point favorites midway through the third quarter but eased up and declined the cash.

On the evening, Washington outgained the Beavers 519-325. Quarterback Jake Browning threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns without a pick, and running back Myles Gaskin produced his third straight 100-yard rushing effort.

At 4-0 in conference play and averaging 48 points per game in conference play, the Huskies are tied with rival Washington State for the lead in the North Division.

Why the Utah Utes can cover the spread

The Utes, at 4-1 in conference play, are tied for the lead in the South Division following their 52-45 victory at UCLA last week. Utah bounced out to a 14-0 lead on the Bruins four minutes into the game, fell down 21-14 but eventually took control, hanging on for the outright win as a three-point road dog.

On the day, the Utes racked up 539 yards on offense, 360 on the ground, as Joe Williams, who wasn't even on the team three weeks ago, ran for a school-record 332 yards and four touchdowns. Utah also dominated time of possession, holding the ball for over 36 minutes, and forced five UCLA turnovers.

Utah has now outrushed its last four opponents by an average of almost 150 yards per game.

Smart pick

Washington is rolling, but Utah has the capability to keep this one close. The Utes can run the ball and play defense, and if they can win the turnover battle, they might pull off the upset. The smart money here lies with the home dog.

Betting trends

The total has gone under in nine of Utah's last 12 games at home.

Utah is 2-8 against the spread in its last 10 games after winning as an underdog.

Washington is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games on the road.

All college football betting lines and point spreads data courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and Odds Shark YouTube for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.