Wyoming Cowboys vs Arizona State Sun Devils Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

FS1 will be covering the first game of the season for both the Wyoming Cowboys and Arizona State Sun Devils as they face off at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe. Kick-off is set for 10:30 ET, and the over/under line is at 46.5 points. The Sun Devils are the -6.5 point favorites at home. The money line odds are +199 for Wyoming and -255 for Arizona State.

WYOMING COWBOYS VS ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Wyoming Cowboys +6.5

This game will be played at Mountain America Stadium at 10:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE WYOMING COWBOYS:

• We have the Wyoming Cowboys winning this one by a score of 25 to 17
• Not only do we have the Wyoming Cowboys winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +6.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 46.5 points

Will The Wyoming Cowboys Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

Heading into the season, Wyoming is ranked 99th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 48.8% chance of being bowl-eligible. Our projections give them a 3.8% chance of winning the Mountain West based on their performance last season. The Cowboys finished with a 9-4 record, going 8-0 at home and 1-4 on the road. As underdogs, they were 3-3, and as favorites, they went 6-1, including 6-0 at home.

In the futures market, Wyoming is listed at +1600 to win the Mountain West, giving them a 6% chance, which places them 6th in the conference. Their chances of making it to the Mountain West title game are set at +400 (20%), ranking them 5th among the 12 teams in the conference.

Wyoming’s offense was 57th in the country last season, averaging 25.3 points per game. The passing game was a weakness, with the team finishing 107th in passing yards per game. The rushing attack, led by Harrison Waylee, who rushed for 947 yards and five touchdowns last season, was more effective, ranking 62nd in rush yards per game. Waylee returns as the top rusher for the Cowboys this season.

At the quarterback position, Evan Svoboda, who threw for 200 yards last season, is the top returning player. Wyoming also brought in transfer wide receiver Tyler King from Texas Tech. The Cowboys will look to improve their passing game to complement their solid rushing attack this season.

Wyoming’s defense last season was solid, ranking 30th in the nation by allowing 22.3 points per game. They were particularly effective at limiting big plays, ranking 31st in passing yards per attempt and 56th in completion percentage. In the run game, they finished 69th in rushing yards allowed, giving up an average of 145 yards per game on the ground.

Are The Arizona State Sun Devils Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Arizona State enters the season with the 63rd best power ranking after a difficult season last year. The Sun Devils were 3-9 overall, including a 1-3 record on the road and 2-6 at home. They were the underdog in 11 out of their 12 games. Despite this, they pulled off an upset in their one game as the favorite, finishing 1-0 in those situations.

Heading into this season, Arizona State has a 35.7% chance of being bowl-eligible, according to their power ranking, and their odds to win the Big 12 are currently set at +10600. The implied odds of making it to the Big 12 Conference final are at just 2% after being placed at +4000 in the futures market.

Arizona State’s offense struggled on third down last season, converting just 31.4% of their opportunities (113th in the country). They were also 99th in scoring, averaging 17.8 points per game. The Sun Devils’ passing game averaged just 210.3 yards per game, and their rushing attack averaged only 114.4 yards per game, ranking 112th in the nation. Last season, Arizona State quarterbacks threw 14 interceptions and combined for a passer rating of 64, which was 125th in the country.

Cam Skattebo, who rushed for 788 yards and nine touchdowns last season, returns to the backfield for the Sun Devils. Arizona State also added Alton McCaskill from Colorado. In the passing game, the top returning receiver is Xavier Guillory, who had 226 yards last season. The Sun Devils also brought in Malik McClain from Penn State to bolster their receiving corps.

Arizona State’s defense allowed 134.4 rushing yards per game last season, ranking 55th in the nation. However, they struggled against the pass, giving up 263.3 passing yards per game, which placed them 161st in college football. Overall, the Sun Devils allowed 31.8 points per game, putting them 75th in the country. Opposing quarterbacks completed 63.2% of their passes and had a combined passer rating of 101.9.