MSU Bobcats vs. WSU Cougars College Football Week 1 Odds & Pick

As most fans who regularly bet on college football knows, the NCAA is unlike other sports in that a single loss can totally demolish a season. Every team starts the year with the dream of being in the playoffs, but in order to get there, you really can’t afford to lose more than one game. This is why so many of the bigger programs got in the habit of front-loading their season schedule with punching bag teams, although that has changed somewhat with the arrival of the playoff system. The Washington State Cougars are not really considered an elite program at this time, and are certainly not a favorite to make the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean that coach Mike Leach isn’t under pressure to win. The Cougars have made a habit of starting their season against lesser foes, but that is something that has backfired on them over the last couple of seasons, which is something we will talk about a little later.

MSU Bobcats vs. WSU Cougars College Football Week 1 Odds & Pick

When: Saturday, September 2 at 10:30 PM EST Where: Martin Pullman Stadium, Pullman TV: FS1 Live Stream: NCAA Live College Football Odds:  TBA GAMETIME WEATHER

• Clear
• 22°C/72°F
• Humidity 27%
• Precipitation % 0%
• Cloud Cover 0%
• Wind No Wind
• Stadium Type Open

Why bet on Montana State Bobcats

The Bobcats went 4-7 last season, which is reason enough to believe that they may just head into Pullman to roll over and die, but this looks like a better, more dangerous group than last year. This is a team that was not as bad as their record suggests last season, as 4 of their 7 losses were by 6 points or less. There are a lot of guys returning from that team, and the experience they gained during the 2016 campaign may serve them well this season. On the downside here is that the Bobcats have now lost 5 straight road games coming into this one, and they are going against an offense that should be high-powered this season. Montana State are going to need to find a way to sustain some drives so that they can keep Washington State off the field. They certainly have the ability to keep this thing close for a while, but can they do that for the full 60 minutes?

Montana State Bobcats College Football Trends

• The Montana State Bobcats are 0-5 SU in its last 5 college football games
• Montana State Bobcats are 0-5 SU in its last 5 college football games on the road

Appalachian State at Georgia NCAA Football Odds & Preview for Week 1

Why bet on Washington State Cougars

The Washington State Cougars have made a rather bad habit of making a slow start to the season, and over the past two seasons, they have fallen too much lesser opposition. It was Eastern Washington who delivered the killer blow to the Cougars in Week 1 last year, while the Portland State Vikings did them in on the opening week in 2015. You can bet that Coach Mike Leach will have made everyone very aware of those losses during the preparation for this game, and you have to believe that the Cougars are going to come out and chuck the ball all over the field as they look to get off to a fast start against the Bobcats. Montana State are going to try and sustain drives via the ground game, but they are going to run into a brick wall in the shape of the Cougars defense. That could turn this thing into an air battle, which very much plays in the favor of Luke Falk and the Cougars offense.

Washington State Cougars College Football Trends

• Washington State Cougars  are 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games
• The Washington State Cougars are 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
• Washington State Cougars  are 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
• The Washington State Cougars  are 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games at home
• Washington State Cougars  are 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home
• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington State Cougars’ last 5 games at home

Expert Pick and College Football Final Score Prediction

A little bit of nerves on the part of the Cougars may keep this thing close in the early stages, but the quality of the Washington Cougars offense should eventually shine through. I like the Cougars to really start to pull way in the second half, finally exorcising the demons of their last two Week 1 disasters.

College Football Pick: Montana State Bobcats 16 Washington State Cougars 44