Pac-12 football: Washington State at Wisconsin highlights early betting lines for Week Two games
Welcome to a new weekly feature on the Hotline, an early look at the betting lines and point totals for upcoming Pac-12 games.
Not only was sports wagering deemed legal by the Supreme Court in 2018, it’s playing an increasingly large role in college football as the Pac-12 and other conferences determine how to best monetize the data.
The information below is provided for entertainment purposes only (unless it’s not).
All times Pacific. Over/Under in parenthesis.
*** Note: Games against FCS opponents not included (Washington, Oregon, Utah and UCLA).
Colorado at Air Force
Line: Colorado +17.5 (45.5)
Comment: Deeply telling about the perceived state of the CU program that it would be an underdog against a Mountain West team. Air Force, which beat the Buffaloes three years ago (in overtime), is 6-3 against the spread in its last nine games against the Pac-12.
Washington State at Wisconsin
Line: WSU +18.5 (46.5)
Comment: Of course Wisconsin has an elite tailback: The latest in the lineage is Braelon Allen, who rushed for 1,300 yards last season. The Cougars are 4-1 against the spread in their past five road games.
UNLV at Cal
Line: Cal -13.5 (50.5)
Comment: UNLV opened against Idaho State on Week Zero and has had two weeks to prepare for the Bears. Cal is 6-2 against the spread since the middle of last season.
Arizona State at Oklahoma State
Line: ASU +11.5 (54.5)
Comment: The Cowboys return seven offensive starters, including quarterback Spencer Sanders, from a team that won 12 games last season. ASU is 1-4 against the spread in its last five road games.
USC at Stanford
Line: USC -9.5 (65.5)
Comment: Terrific quarterback duel between USC’s Caleb Williams and Stanford’s Tanner McKee, perhaps the best NFL prospect in the Pac-12. The Trojans are 3-7 against the spread in their past 10 conference openers — many of them against Stanford in the second week of the season.
Oregon State at Fresno State
Line: Oregon State +1.5 (60.5)
Comment: We anticipate OSU coach Jonathan Smith relying on his ground game to control the clock in what should be a hot, hostile environment. Four of the Beavers’ last five games have gone under the total.
Mississippi State at Arizona
Line: Arizona +8.5 (61.5)
Comment: The last time MSU coach Mike Leach set foot in Tucson, with Washington State in 2017, there were 95 points scored — and his Cougars won by three touchdowns. This should be much, much closer. But the total? Feels low.
*** Lines taken from BetMGM. Statistics and trends taken from Phil Steele Magazine and oddsshark.com