2017 Heart of Dallas Bowl Betting Preview: Utah vs. West Virginia

Oregon at Utah Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

Written by on November 16, 2016

Saturday’s Pac-12 Conference game between Oregon and No. 11 Utah in Salt Lake City means everything for the Utes as if they win this week and then next week against Colorado they will claim the South Division title and face either Washington or Washington State in the conference title game. Oregon is having its worst season in years and playing out the string — Coach Mark Helfrich certainly will be fired after this season. The Utes are two-TD favorites for Saturday’s game on college football odds.

Oregon at Utah Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 PM ET Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City TV: TBA Stream: Pac-12 Network Radio: Oregon / Utah Opening NCAA Football Lines: Utah -14 (70)

Why Bet on Oregon?

The Ducks come off a 52-27 blowout loss in their home finale vs. Stanford. The UO football team fell to 3-7, ensuring its first losing season since 2004 and its most losses since the 1991 team went 3-8. For the third time in five games, Oregon found itself down 21-0 in the first half. After being stopped on their opening possession, Stanford scored on six straight to build the halftime lead of 38-13. The Cardinal finished the game with 282 rushing yards but also passed for 258. While Oregon’s offense has been still fairly solid, it’s the defense that has been by far the issue. The Ducks ranks 127th nationally in allowing 43.5 points per game. The Stanford loss was the Ducks’ sixth game this season they’ve allowed 500-plus yards, tied for most in FBS. One bright spot from the Stanford loss was Oregon running back Royce Freeman topping 100 yards rushing for the 20th time in his career, finishing with 111 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown. It was the 44th rushing TD of his career, moving him into 10th on the Pac-12’s all-time list. The Ducks have had at least one back gain 1,000 yards for nine straight seasons, with two reaching the milestone in 2008. The nine-year run is the longest current streak in the nation, besting both Auburn and Boise State by two seasons. Oregon also extended the longest current FBS streak in the nation of scoring at least 20 points to 40 straight games.

Why Bet on Utah?

Utah (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) beat Arizona State 49-26 last week. Utes running back Joe Williams has been huge since coming out of a short retirement and he rushed for 181 yards and two TDs on 15 carries. Williams is averaging 216 yards per game with eight rushing touchdowns since his return from that retirement and goes against an Oregon defense allowing up 243 rushing yards per game. Troy Williams threw for 296 yards and four scores vs. ASU. Raelon Singleton caught four passes for a career-high 116 yards, his first 100-yard receiving game. Singleton also caught three touchdown passes — the last time Utah had a receiver catch three touchdown passes in a game was Brent Casteel against UNLV in 2006. Utah had a crazy 11 sacks (FBS-high this season by any team) and 22 tackles for loss (one shy of NCAA record) in the ASU win. Defensive lineman Hunter Dimick set a school record with five sacks, which is tied for third-most in NCAA history. His 6.5 tackles for loss were the sixth-most all-time in NCAA history and also a school record. With 939 net rushing yards in just six games played, Joe Williams is 61 yards away from becoming the 13th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season (three players did it twice in their careers). Williams is averaging 156.5 yards per game, which is on school-record pace. It will be Senior Day at Utah in its home finale. Utah is bidding to win back-to- back games against Oregon for just the third time in series history. The Utes, who beat the Ducks 62-20 last year, won back-to-back games in 1966-67 and 1991 and 1995

Oregon at Utah Expert Pick:

Ducks are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 conference games. Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings. Give the points, go over the total in NCAAF betting.