2018 Pac-12 Championship Game Odds, Analysis, College Football Betting Pick
November 26, 2018
Since becoming conference rivals Washington is 5-1 straight up against Utah, but the Utes are 3-1 against the spread over the last four meetings, pulling off one upset and keeping two other games close as underdogs. Utah is lined as an underdog again for Friday night's Pac-12 championship game against the Huskies at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
College football point spread: The Huskies opened as 3.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)
College football betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 25.0-18.0 Huskies (College football picks on every game)
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Why the Utah Utes can cover the spread
The Utes finished off their regular season with a three-game winning streak, including a come-from-behind 35-27 victory over rival BYU last week. Utah trailed the Cougars 13-0 after one quarter, 20-0 at the half and 27-7 late into the third quarter. But the Utes then scored the last 28 points of the game, taking the lead with three minutes to go, tacking on one last score a minute later for the win.
Utah has now out-gained five of its last seven opponents and out-rushed eight of its last nine foes. In fact, led by their top-10 run defense the Utes are out-rushing opponents by a 201-101 yards per game margin this season. Utah is also 6-2 ATS over its last eight games, and 13-5 ATS its last 18 times out as a dog.
Why the Washington Huskies can cover the spread
Washington also rides a three-game winning streak into this contest after beating rival Washington State in a snow-covered Apple Cup last week, 28-15. The Huskies scored the first 14 points of the game, let the Cougars get within 20-15 in the third quarter but got an 80-yard touchdown bolt from running back Myles Gaskin early in the fourth and hung on from there.
On the night, Washington out-gained Washington State 487-237 and out-rushed the Cougars 258-85. So the Huskies have now out-gained nine of their last 10 opponents and out-rushed each of their last 11 foes.
Led by a top-15 defense, Washington is out-gaining opponents this season by a 421-311 yards per game margin.
Smart betting pick
The Huskies beat the Utes in September, 21-7, in Salt Lake City, covering as four-point favorites, and there's not much reason to believe this game won't play out much differently. Smart money here gives the points with Washington.
College football betting trends
The total has gone over in four of Utah's last five games vs Washington.
Utah is 0-3 SU in its last three games vs Washington.
Washington is 25-5 SU in its last 30 games vs its conference.
All college football odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.