Utah Utes vs Houston Cougars Betting Pick & Prediction 10/26/24
Utah is on the road this week, and they will be taking on the Houston Cougars in a week nine matchup. The game is set for 7:00 ET at TDECU Stadium in Houston and will be broadcast on ESPN+. Utah comes in with a 4-3 record, while Houston is just 2-5 on the season. The Utes are the -3.5-point favorites on the road, and the over/under line is currently 36.5 points.
UTAH UTES VS HOUSTON COUGARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Utah Utes -3.5
This game will be played at TDECU Stadium at 7:00 ET on Saturday, October 26th.
WHY BET THE UTAH UTES:
- We have the Utah Utes winning this one by a score of 23 to 19
- Not only do we have the Utah Utes winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -3.5
- Look for this game to go over the line of 36.5 points
Will The Utah Utes Win As Road Favorites?
Utah enters Week 9 with a 4-3 record, ranked 52nd in our power rankings. They have a 70.5% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. On the road, they are 2-1, while their home record stands at 1-2 this season.
Despite a +7.6 average scoring margin, Utah is 1-5 against the spread. They’ve been favored in six of their seven games, going 1-5 ATS as the favorite.
Utah’s over/under record is 1-5, with their games averaging 40.4 points. This week’s line is 36.5, significantly lower than their average line of 49.6 points.
Utah’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 24 points per game, which ranks 72nd in the nation. They are 99th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Their third-down conversion rate is just 32%, and their passing game has been inconsistent, with a passer rating of 77.
Isaac Wilson, Utah’s quarterback, has thrown for 1,029 yards with a passer rating of 68. He has seven touchdowns but also eight interceptions. Utah ranks 41st in rushing attempts, averaging 161.3 yards per game. Micah Bernard leads the team with 731 rushing yards, averaging 6 yards per carry.
Utah’s defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 12th nationally by allowing just 16.4 points per game. They’ve given up 128.1 rushing yards per game and 185 passing yards, with opposing quarterbacks completing only 50.1% of their passes, which ranks 8th-lowest in the country.
In their recent game, Utah’s defense allowed 13 points in a 13-7 loss to TCU. They gave up 403 total yards, including 263 passing yards, but didn’t allow a passing touchdown.
Are The Houston Cougars Going Win In At Upset At TDECU Stadium
Houston enters Week 9 with a 2-5 record, ranked 87th in our power rankings. They have just a 1.6% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. At home, the Cougars are 1-2, and they’ve been favored in only two games this season.
Houston’s ATS record is 3-4, with a 2-2 mark on the road and 1-2 at home. Their average scoring margin is -9.9 points per game.
The over/under line for this week is 36.5 points. Houston’s over/under record is 1-6, with an average line of 48.3 points and their games averaging 37.3 points total.
Houston’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 13.7 points per game, ranking 104th nationally. They are 110th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Their third-down conversion rate is only 29%, and they rank 115th in passing yards per game, with 166.6 yards per contest. Donovan Smith has thrown for 867 yards, with four touchdowns and eight interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 68.
Houston ranks 48th in rushing attempts, averaging 136.1 yards per game on the ground. Stacy Sneed leads the team with 245 rushing yards, averaging 5 yards per carry, and has scored one touchdown. Smith has completed 65.4% of his passes, while the team ranks 20th nationally with a 66.7% completion rate. Mekhi Mews leads the receivers with 218 yards and one touchdown.
Houston’s defense will look to rebound after allowing 42 points in their recent game against Kansas. The Cougars gave up 470 total yards, including 223 rushing yards on 30 attempts and 247 yards through the air, surrendering three passing touchdowns.
Despite the rough outing, Houston ranks 26th nationally in passing yards allowed, giving up just 173.9 yards per game. They’ve faced the 23rd fewest pass attempts in the country, but opposing quarterbacks have completed 63.8% of their throws, posting a 97.7 passer rating against the Cougars.