After a hard-fought three-point victory over Oklahoma State on the road, Utah appeared to be well on its way to putting together a strong resume heading into the College Football Playoff.
However, the Utes were beaten at home by Arizona following that game, dropping from 10th to 16th in the Associated Press poll.
On Friday, Utah State heads off to face one of the Big 12's biggest midseason surprises, 4-1 Arizona State.
The Utes enter the game as 4.5-point road favorites, down one point from the opener. Over/Under is set to 45. Here are our predictions and picks for the match:
Utah vs. Arizona State odds
| team | spread | money line | over/under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | -4.5 (-112) | -198 | o45 (-108) |
| arizona | +4.5 (-108) | +164 | u45 (-112) |
Utah vs. Arizona State Predictions
After securing a road win against No. 14 Oklahoma State, Utah quickly went from being a strong contender for a CFP spot to having its back against the wall midway through the season.
Unfortunately for the Utes, the value of the win against OSU diminished as the Cowboys went on to lose their final two games to Kansas State and West Virginia.
To keep CFP's hopes alive, Utah may not be able to afford to lose on Friday, especially with BYU, Iowa State and a suddenly resurgent Colorado team remaining on the schedule.
The Utes have been hit by injuries, particularly quarterback Cam Rising, but they will still be held to a high standard when the selection committee has to make a decision.
So what is Rising's Week 7 status, having not played since injuring his finger against Baylor on Sept. 7? We finally found the answer – he's playing.
This is great news for the Utes as Rising is a game-changing player. Unsurprisingly, in Rising's absence, Utah became a somewhat one-dimensional offense with true freshman Isaac Wilson under center.
Wilson had more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (six), allowing opposing defenses to pile up in the box with consistent pressure on the pass rush.
The strategy paid off, as Utah ranked 83rd in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus. It would have been unimaginable when the season started.
Rising back changes everything. He's one of the nation's best and most experienced quarterbacks (8th in QB run grade and 36th in offensive grade in 2022, according to PFF), so his presence makes the Utes' offense one-dimensional. It should be raised from a basic foundation. Attack by relying on a balanced force.
Do you want to bet on college football?
Utah State vs. Arizona State Candidates
Arizona State has held opponents to the 11th-fewest rushing yards per game this season, but the Sun Devils have been mediocre and ranked 59th in strength of schedule rating through the first six weeks. It was.
The Utes are a fringe team in the nation's top 10 with a rising star under center and should have a great chance to bounce back after losing by double digits at home to Arizona.
Pick: Utah -5.5 (-105, Caesars)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Andrew Norton has handicapped the NBA, WNBA, NFL, College Basketball, Football, UFC, and Golf. During the 2022-23 NBA season, he delivered an outstanding ROI of 14.1%, cashed in 60% of his NBA spread picks, and led Tallysight in SportsIQ metrics.
