WSU opens as one-possession underdogs against Utes

Welcome back to football, Coug fans. Your Washington State Cougars return to the gridiron on Thursday night after their bye week to host the No. 14 Utah Utes.

WSU (4-3, 1-3 in Pac-12) is looking to get back on track after back-to-back road losses. On the flip side, Utah (5-2, 3-1) took some momentum into the bye week with a home upset of the USC Trojans.

The Cougs enter Thursday night’s contest a touchdown underdog. DraftKings has the Utes as the 7.5 point favorites. The total points is set at 55 and WSU is +250 on the money line to upset. A $100 bet cashes in for $250 with a Cougar victory.

A couple of rarities in this week’s matchup. One, the Cougars, playing the Utes in Pullman as opposed to Salt Lake City. Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, the Cougs and Utes have played nine times, and in the 10th meeting of the Pac-12 foes, this will be just the fourth time the Utes have come up to Pullman. This also marks the first Thursday game the Cougars have played since “hosting” Rutgers in Seattle in 2014 to open the season. They last played a Thursday night game in Pullman on Halloween in 2013 against the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Cougars lost both of those games.

Though there are some bright spots for the Cougs if you’re looking into the numbers. In their last seven matchups, Utah has failed to cover the spread in five of those games.

One of the biggest things to watch this week will be the adjustments that WSU will be making at the offensive line. Ma’ake Fifita will move into the interior at guard after starting at right tackle. The right tackle spot seems to be between Grant Stephens and Fa’alili Fa’amoe. The line has become a problem the past few weeks and will need to pick it up if the Cougars want to get back to their winning ways.

Jake Dickert doesn’t just seem to have offensive line changes in mind. The WSU Football twitter released this video that leaves us wondering.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.