Cougars vs Beavers NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping
Following their 25-point loss to the Ducks in week five, the Washington State Cougars head to Corvallis to face the other team from the state of Oregon, the Oregon State Beavers. The Beavers are coming off a big-time road victory in Arizona that has propelled them to No.14 in the nation. The Cougars have struggled against decent programs, and they’re looking to get their first big win of the season.
Washington State Cougars (2-3) vs No. 14 Oregon State Beavers (3-0)
Saturday October 6, 2012
Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR
6:00 PM ET
Moneyline: OFF from BetOnline
Spread: Oregon St. -15 GTBets.eu
O/U: 58
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Washington St. Cougars
The Washington State Cougars have been surrounding by a lot of in-conference hype since the hiring of Mike Leach as the newest head coach. However, up to this point, his record is an underwhelming 2-3. Against lesser opponents, the Cougars have looked better than their record indicates; but against tougher-quality teams, they’ve struggled to get much done.
Last week against Oregon was a rough going for the team from Pullman, but if anything went right, it’s that they were able to launch the ball through the air for 348 yards. Connor Halliday had trouble completing many of his tosses for scores—he had one touchdown on the night—but his arm was as big a weapon as it had been all season.
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The biggest problem last week was that Oregon’s line had seemingly no trouble at all getting to the quarterback. This is an even bigger problem this week, as the Beavers’ front line is arguably more dangerous than the one the Ducks boast week in and week out.
If the Cougars can throw for 300-plus yards against the Beavers, they’re on the right track. They have to put up points, though, against this team, which they should be able to do if they can get the attack going early in the contest.
Oregon St. Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers are off to their best start in recent memory, and it’s their defense that has propelled them to such success. The team from Corvallis is allowing just 20.7 points per game, which is good enough for 39th in the nation at this point. Their defense up front is solid, and they’ve posted wins against two ranked teams and Arizona, who was ranked at one point early in the season.
The Beavers’ offense hasn’t thrived, as they’ve averaged just 25 points through three games, but they’re sophomore quarterback has been outstanding early in the year. Sean Mannion has thrown for 1,088 yards and six touchdowns, as the team has averaged 362.7 yards per game so far (4th in the nation). He threw for a career-high 433 yards against Arizona last week.
This squad is coming off a season where they won just three games, and they are a whole new team with a whole new definition of success. The Washington State Cougars probably looked at their schedule a few weeks back and breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the Beavers following the Ducks. Now, however, they’re probably shaking their heads, as this week’s contest should prove to be another difficult one. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Expect the ball to move through the air in this matchup, but remember that each team has had trouble scoring throughout the season. Neither team averages a lot of points, but the Beavers’ defense should be enough to contain the air raid of Mike Leach and the Cougars on Saturday.
Trends
- Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a double-digit loss at home.
- Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 games following a ATS win
- Under is 4-1 in Beavers last 5 games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-1 in Beavers last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
O/U Pick: Under
Score Prediction: Oregon St. 30 – Washington St. 21
