Las Vegas Bowl: Utes vs Rams
College Football Bowl Season sees betting action between the Utah Utes and the Colorado State Rams in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl. Cappers Picks provides free college football handicapping tips all season long.
Entering this contest, the Utes are coming off an 8-4 season that saw them win their final contest of the year against Colorado, 38-34.
College Football Odds
#22 Utah (8-4) vs. Colorado State (10-2)
Saturday, Dec. 20
3:30 PM ET (ABC)
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl
College Football Betting Lines: Utah -4.5 (via Bovada)
College Football O/U: OFF
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Colorado State is coming off a 10-2 showing, but it lost its final game of the year against Air Force, 27-24.
Utah
This season the Utah Utes were 8-4 SU, but they were also 8-4 ATS. There were numerous statement wins on the schedule, including a win at Michigan, a win over then-ranked No. 8 UCLA, a win over then-No. 20 USC and two 2OT victories over Oregon State and Stanford.
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The catch to all of this is that the Utes actually started the year 6-1. Not bad, right? Unfortunately, they dropped off in the second half of the year, going just 2-3.
Utah’s numbers aren’t as impressive as Colorado State’s at this point in the process, but their strength of schedule will be what prepares them best for this contest. They play in the tougher conference of the two, and they put together a solid record despite playing five ranked opponents and a tough road contest against Michigan throughout the year.
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Colorado State
Colorado State has not played a ranked opponent this season. Their contest against Utah will be the first time that happened, but their prolific offense will be enough to make this one interesting.
On the year, the Rams scored an average of 35.9 points per contest. That number is good enough for the 22nd-best mark in the country, and it’s complemented nicely be the 34th-ranked points allowed, 23.4.
Passing the ball is where this team found the most success. The team was 57th in the nation in running, while it was eighth in passing yards, compiling 326.3 yards per contest in that particular category.
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NCAA Football Handicapping Trends:
- Rams are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a S.U. loss.
- Rams are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.
- Rams are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog.
- Rams are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games on fieldturf.
- Utes are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 bowl games.
- Utes are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
- Utes are 8-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Utes are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 Bowl games.
Las Vegas Bowl
Utah is the better prepared team in terms of strength of schedule, but Colorado has been the more productive team in terms of statistics. What does that give us? A close football game.
4* Free NCAA Betting Pick Colorado State 4.5
Utah is the favorite in this one for a reason, but both the Utes and the Rams are 7-2 ATS in their last nine bowl games. Don’t be shocked if Utah sneaks out a win, but don’t be surprised, either, if the Rams come up with the win ATS.
Check out our Updated College Football Bowl Game Odds.
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