Huskies vs Cougars NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping
The Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars won’t grab many headlines this weekend, but the Apple Cup is a tradition in the Pacific Northwest. Over the past decade, these two teams have split the series six games to four in Washington’s favor.
No. 25 Washington Huskies (7-4) vs. Washington State Cougars (2-9)
Apple Cup – Friday, November 23, 2012
Martin Stadium, PULLMAN, WASH.
3:30 PM ET
Moneyline: Washington -490, Washington St. +390 from GTBets.eu
Spread: Washington -13.5
O/U: 51
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Unless the Cougars can miraculously make up for a completely lost year in the final week, we’ll likely see another notch added to Washington’s belt in this one.
Washington Huskies
The Washington Huskies have been the epitome of an up-and-down team this season. They began the season with a 3-1 start, then they fell to 3-4 and now they’re back up to 7-4. The good news for the Huskies is that they’ve yet to drop a game they were supposed to win, which is a trend they’ll look to keep going against the Cougars.
Washington’s defense is what has propelled them to success this season, and it will be what helps them take down their in-state rivals on Friday. They’ve allowed just 23.2 points per game on the year (36th in the nation), but their last four games have seen them give up just 12 points per contest.
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Their pass defense is ninth in the country at 174.3 yards per game allowed.
Offensively, this team has been inconsistent. Quarterback Keith Price was supposed to be in the midst of a breakout season, but it was backup running back Bishop Sankey who really proved to be the most valuable on more than one occasion. A good offensive performance out of both these players will help solidify their chances, but as long as their defense takes care of business, there won’t be much to worry about against the Cougs.
Washington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars haven’t had much going for them this season. They are in the midst of an eight-game losing streak, they have just two wins on the year and quite frankly, this season can’t be over more quickly for fans and players in Pullman.
This team has executed head coach Mike Leach’s “Air Raid” attack all season, and that’s not likely to change in week 13. The problem is, despite throwing the ball for more than 328 yards per game (10th in the nation), those yards have not translated into wins, and they likely won’t this weekend against one of the best passing defenses in the country. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
One of the Cougars’ biggest weapons against Washington could be freshman wide receiver Dominique Williams. In the team’s last four contests, Williams is averaging 74.3 yards per game on five catches. Whether or not he can be a true difference maker has yet to be seen, but the potential is there, and he makes this inconsistent offense more reliable if his game is on.
This game is going to come down to one simple concept: can Washington State score the football? If they can somehow manage to turn those passing yards into passing touchdowns, they’ll stand a chance against a UW offense that has underwhelmed all year. However, if they can’t, this game could make for an ugly end to an ugly season for the Cougars.
Trends
Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Washington State.
Huskies are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
Huskies are 4-0 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 Friday games.
O/U Pick: Under 51
Score Prediction: Washington 33 – Washington St. 17
