Beavers vs Cougars NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping
The 10th ranked Oregon State Beavers have shocked the nation through six weeks of college football, and they plan to resume their success against the BYU Cougars this Saturday.
No. 10 Oregon State Beavers (4-0) vs. BYU Cougars (2-4)
Saturday October 13, 2012
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UTAH
3:30 PM ET
Moneyline: Oregon State +190, BYU -220 From BetOnline
Spread: BYU -5.5
O/U: 38.5
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The Cougars are 4-2 on the year, and while they haven’t stood out as a BCS contender, they do boast one of the better defenses in the nation.
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers have had all the momentum in the world throughout the 2012 season, but they were thrown a major curveball when it was announced that sophomore quarterback Sean Mannion will be out indefinitely with a knee injury.
Without Mannion in the lineup, the edge slips to BYU on paper and the job at quarterback goes to Cody Vaz. At this point, it’s tough to know what to expect out of Vaz.
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The junior has just 17 attempts in his entire career with six completions, 48 yards and no touchdowns. The BYU defense is going to be a tough challenge for the first-time starter, especially considering the Beavers’ struggles in the run game this season—the team has averaged just 120 yards per game (106th in the nation).
Vaz will be counting a lot on his defense. Having given up just 17 points per game this season (24th in the nation), the Beavers have been a surprising defensive squad all year. They did give up 35 points against the Arizona Wildcats, but they followed it up with a big-time performance against Washington State last week, including star corner Jordan Poyer’s three interceptions.
The Beavers have been one of the biggest surprises in all of college football—if not the biggest—but it’s going to be tough to keep things rolling without their sophomore leader.
BYU Cougars
The BYU Cougars have struggled against quality teams this season. Their only victory against a team with a winning record came last week in a gritty—and ugly—battle against the Utah State Aggies. The next two games on BYU’s schedule are top-10 programs, and it begins with the Oregon State Beavers this week.
While BYU’s level of competition has been questionable up to this point, there’s no debating how good their defense has looked up to this point. With the No. 1 rushing defense in the entire country, the Cougars are allowing just 59.5 yards per game on the ground. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Their passing defense has been great, too, as they’ve allowed just 169.8 yards per contest (12th in the nation). The team is giving up just 8.8 points per game, which is an added advantage against a team that has struggled to score points this season.
If Oregon State’s starting quarterback were in for Saturday, this game would belong to the No. 10 team in the nation. Without him, it’s a whole new ball game.
The Beavers haven’t begun a season 5-0 in more than 70 years, and it’s unlikely they reach that mark without their quarterback in a tough football venue. The game should be close as long as the OSU defense can keep BYU honest, as defense will be what both teams rely on come Saturday.
Trends
Beavers are 4-0-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Beavers are 4-1-1 ATS in their lat 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Beavers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Under is 4-0 in Beavers last 4 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Beavers last 5 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 4-0 in Cougars last 4 games on grass.
Under is 5-0 in Cougars last 5 home games.
Under is 9-1 in Cougars last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-1 in Cougars last 6 non-conference games.
O/U Pick: Under 38.5
Score Prediction: BYU 17 – Oregon St. 13
