San Diego State (3-3) vs Washington State (6-1)
Game Info: Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 10:30 pm (Snapdragon Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: San Diego State +14.5 / Washington State -14.5 — Over/Under:
The Washington State Cougars and the San Diego State Aztecs meet Saturday in college football action from Snapdragon Stadium. Here’s a Washington State vs San Diego State prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Washington State vs San Diego State pick. We will examine:
The Washington State Cougars’ recent form and player performance
The San Diego State Aztecs’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Washington State Cougars
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the San Diego State Aztecs
Recent betting trends in games played between Washington State and San Diego State
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Washington State vs San Diego State game
Washington State Cougars Betting Preview
Washington State’s season started out quite well. The Cougars beat Portland State, Texas Tech, Washington, and San Jose State (OT) before their first loss to Boise State. Washington State would come back for a win over Fresno State in their next outing, though.
The Cougars took on Hawaii last weekend. In that one Washington State scored 14 points in both the second and fourth quarters during a 42-10 victory. QB John Mateer logged 295 yards and three touchdowns. Mateer also posted two rush scores, and Kris Hutson led the receivers on seven grabs for 90 yards and a TD.
San Diego State Aztecs Betting Preview
Over on the San Diego State side, they’ve opened the year on a .500 run through six games. The Aztecs’ wins have come versus Texas A&M-Commerce, Hawaii and Wyoming. The losses otherwise were versus Oregon State, California, and Central Michigan.
In the Wyoming game back on October 12, the Aztecs scored 10 points in both the first and fourth quarters on the way to a 27-24 win. QB Danny O’Neil finished with 254 yards, one TD, and one pick. Marquez Cooper led the rush with 25 totes for 87 yards and a score.
Why the San Diego State Aztecs will win
- San Diego State has won six of its last eight October games as an underdog.
- Washington State has lost seven of its last nine games in October.
- San Diego State has covered the spread in seven of its last eight October games as an underdog.
Why the Washington State Cougars will win
- Washington State has won nine of its last 10 games against non-conference opponents.
- San Diego State has lost five of its last six games against non-conference opponents.
- San Diego State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games against non-conference opponents at Snapdragon Stadium.
- Washington State has covered the spread in four of its last five games as a favorite.
- Washington State has won the first half in four of its last five games against opponents from the Mountain West Conference.
Total Points Facts
- Ten of Washington State’s last 12 games in October have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of San Diego State’s last six games against non-conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- San Diego State ranks 125th among FBS teams for time of possession per game this season (26:16).
- San Diego State ranks T122nd among FBS teams for red zone percentage against this season (94.1).
- Washington State ranks T11th among FBS teams for average point differential in second quarters this season (+6.9).
- Washington State ranks 12th among FBS teams for Q2 points per game this season (12.6).
Washington State vs San Diego State Prediction
I’ll lean toward Washington State. The Cougars didn’t have too many issues versus Hawaii, holding the Warriors to 300 yards (196 passing), 17 first downs, and a clean 0-of-8 on third-down conversions. The three takeaways also helped quite a bit, as did the 444 offensive yards (321 passing).
As for San Diego State, they’re coming off a gutsy win over Wyoming but it wasn’t exactly pretty. The Aztecs posted just 16 first downs, nine penalties and a 3-of-13 success rate on third-down tries in that one. San Diego State has given up 21 or more points in five straight games now, and I don’t think they’ll be able to keep pace with Washington State if the Cougars play well.