[tps_title]Utah at Washington[/tps_title]
[tps_header]5:30 p.m., Fox Sports[/tps_header]
UTAH (7-1, 4-1) AT
WASHINGTON (4-4, 2-3)
5:30 p.m., Fox Sports
Pointspread: Washington is favored by 2 points
— The line has shifted from a pick ’em at the start of the week.
— Points will be at a premium when the 13th-ranked Utes visit Washington and the league’s best scoring defense.
— Utah bounced back nicely from its first setback, winning 27-12 last Saturday against Oregon State after losing 42-24 at Southern California a week earlier. The Utes are No. 12 in the season’s first College Football Playoff rankings and control their destiny to play in the league’s title game in Santa Clara on Dec. 5. They own a one-game edge over UCLA in the Pac-12 South and host the Bruins in their second-to-last game Nov. 21.
— Kyle Whittingham’s group has limited conference foes to 23.2 points per game, a number made more impressive by the fact that eight Pac-12 teams are averaging 29.0 or better. The Utes have been particularly effective against the run, holding opponents to 3.5 yards per carry. Offensively, Utah has been unsteady. They scored 14 in the first quarter against the Beavers but was shut out in the second and third.
— Improvement this week could be difficult to come by against the Huskies, who are allowing 20.4 points per game in Pac-12 play. Arizona had averaged 41.8 points in its first eight games before losing 49-3 at Washington last Saturday.
— Washington will game-plan to slow down Utah star Devontae Booker, who ranks eighth among FBS running backs with 156.0 yards from scrimmage per game. He has accounted for 43.2 percent of his team’s scrimmage yards and his 232 touches lead the nation.
— Washington true freshman Jake Browning was 16 of 24 for 263 yards and a season-high four TDs against Arizona after missing the previous week’s loss at Stanford with a shoulder injury.
— The Huskies have won all eight meetings against Utah, including 34-15 in Seattle in the most recent one in 2012.
Utah is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah’s last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Utah’s last 19 games
Utah is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Washington is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington’s last 5 games
Washington is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington’s last 7 games at home
My pick: Utah will win and cover
Steve Rivera’s pick: Utah will win and cover
Anthony Gimino’s pick: Utah will win and cover
