Washington State (6-1) hits the road to take on San Diego State (3-3) on Saturday, October 26.
The game kicks off at 10:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live on CBS Sports Network.
The Cougars are coming off a beatdown of Hawaii, 42-10, while the Aztecs have won two straight, including a 27-24 victory at Wyoming.
Wazzu comes in as 14-point favorites in the contest with a total set at 58.
Where does the betting value lie? Read more for my Washington State vs San Diego State predictions and my college football picks for Saturday.
Washington State Cougars vs San Diego State Aztecs Prediction, Picks
- Washington State vs. San Diego State Pick: Washington State -14.5
My San Diego State vs. Washington State prediction is on the Cougars to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at bet365, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Washington State vs. San Diego State Odds, Spread, Lines
Washington St Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-15.5 -108 | 56.5 -115o / -105u | -670 |
San Diego St Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -112 | 56.5 -115o / -105u | +470 |
- Washington State vs San Diego State Spread: Washington State -15.5
- Washington State vs San Diego State Over/Under: 56.5 Points
- Washington State vs San Diego State Moneyline: Washington State -670 · San Diego State +470
Washington State Football vs San Diego State Football Preview
Washington State Cougars Betting Preview
Washington State has been playing really good football this year and comes into this one off an impressive home win against Hawaii.
The Cougars controlled the first half, racing out to a 21-3 halftime lead and played lockdown defense in the second half to leave no doubt.
Washington State scored on its first three possessions of the second half and ended its last possession by taking knees in the red zone.
Hawaii found it tough to get anything going offensively, as its run-and-gun pass game continues to be inefficient.
San Diego State Aztecs Betting Preview
San Diego State is coming off a bye week after previously defeating Wyoming on the road.
The Aztecs continued to run Sean Lewis’ “Flash Fast” offense that he made famous at Kent State. In reality, as we like to say here at Action Network, they're going nowhere fast.
SDSU does have two close squeaker wins against two Mountain West bottom feeders but is facing a significantly better opponent this week.
It could be much more difficult on the offense this week against an underrated Wazzu defense.
San Diego State vs. Washington State Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how San Diego State and Washington State match up statistically:
Washington State Offense vs. San Diego State Defense
Offense | Defense | Edge | |
Rush Success | 55 | 115 | |
Line Yards | 81 | 130 | |
Pass Success | 29 | 19 | |
Havoc | 76 | 66 | |
Finishing Drives | 42 | 62 | |
Quality Drives | 24 | 54 |
San Diego State Offense vs. Washington State Defense
Offense | Defense | Edge | |
Rush Success | 132 | 63 | |
Line Yards | 79 | 58 | |
Pass Success | 111 | 76 | |
Havoc | 110 | 97 | |
Finishing Drives | 130 | 56 | |
Quality Drives | 122 | 94 |
Pace of Play / Other
PFF Tackling | 132 | 68 |
PFF Coverage | 33 | 16 |
Special Teams SP+ | 100 | 119 |
Middle 8 | 37 | 59 |
Seconds per Play | 25.0 (26) | 24.6 (20) |
Rush Rate | 54% (72) | 56% (58) |
Washington State vs. San Diego State Prediction and Pick
I'm laying the points here and taking Washington State -14.
San Diego State has won its last two games despite being outgained and achieving fewer first downs than its opponent. The offense has struggled to run the ball this year, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry with just six explosive rushes all season.
The Aztecs are 128th nationally in Offensive Havoc allowed and have allowed 47 tackles for loss and 13 sacks on the season.
Defensively, Washington State has allowed some yards between the 20s but has bowed up in the red zone nicely. Wazzu is 56th nationally in Defensive Finishing Drives and is allowing touchdowns on just 55% of red zone trips.
San Diego State is just 131st in Offensive Finishing Drives and has settled for field goals or failed fourth-down attempts in the red zone far too frequently.
I really like what the Cougars should be able to do on offense here against the SDSU defense. Quarterback John Mateer has been electric this year, completing 60% of his passes for 1,896 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season. He also leads the team in rushing with 533 yards and eight scores on the ground.
Washington State has focused more on running the football and has seen success compared to prior seasons. Wazzu is 31st nationally in Offensive EPA Per Rush and fourth in Rush Play Explosiveness.
The Aztecs' rushing numbers have been respectable, but the offenses that they've lined up against so far this season have been weak. This will be the stiffest test for SDSU in the trenches that it's seen all season.
The Washington State defense has done well this year in shutting down some fairly potent offenses. It was able to contain both Texas Tech and Washington early in the season and have locked in on defense in its most recent contests against Fresno State and Hawaii.
The team has responded well since a road loss to Boise State earlier in the year.
San Diego State struggled badly when facing similar competition in Oregon State and California, failing to cover the spread in both games while only scoring 10 total points. A couple of wins against two of the softer opponents in the Mountain West Conference — which required fourth-quarter comebacks in each — isn't sustainable.
With the schedule getting tougher, I expect SDSU to revert to what we expected from it at the beginning of this season. Inefficient offense and weak interior defensive line play will cause the Aztecs to struggle in this game.
Pick: Washington State -14.5 (-110)
Washington State vs. San Diego State Start Time, TV Channel, Location, How to Watch
Location: | Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA |
Date: | Saturday, Oct. 26 |
Kickoff Time: | 10:30 p.m. ET |
TV / Streaming: | CBS Sports Network |
Washington State takes on San Diego State in San Diego, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Washington State vs. San Diego State Betting Trends
- Washington State has landed 57% of the tickets and 58% of the money.
- The over has taken 70% of the bets and generated 90% of the cash.
Washington State vs. San Diego State Weather