.jpg "College Football ATS Picks – Houston at Arizona")
The Cougars have a talented team and there’s no question they can compete against this Pac-12 foe, but it’s fair to wonder if the trauma from the hurricane in their home town has taken its toll. Arizona does not look strong this season but gets this game at home and will aim to take care of business in a contest the oddsmakers have pegged as a virtual coin-flip.
This contest in Week 2 of the regular season will go down Saturday, September 9, 2017, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Arizona Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston -1
Arizona +1
Over/Under 70
Odds Analysis
The Cougars are the slightest of favorites but the bettors aren’t buying it, as Arizona is getting about 60 percent of the money to cover. The scoring total sits at a sky-high 70 points in a game where defense may be optional. Even though a shootout is expected, the “over” is still the more popular pick, with 79 percent of the action headed that way.
Houston is -115 on the moneyline, while Arizona is listed at -105. The Wildcats are thus far getting the majority of the action.
Key Stat
506. That’s how many yards Arizona ran for last week in the team’s 62-24 win over Northern Arizona. Eight different Wildcats contributed on the ground with quarterback Brandon Dawkins finishing with a team-best seven carries for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
Dawkins also added another touchdown passing. While the win was not without its struggles, the running game seemed to pick right where it left off last season.
The defense did not quite match the intensity of the offense and that could spell serious trouble for Arizona this week as it faces a dynamic offense in Houston.
Player to Watch
Kyle Allen -- The Houston quarterback will be eager to finally get back on the field Saturday after waiting an entire year. Allen transferred from Texas A&M at the end of the 2015 season and was forced to sit out last year with Houston.
Allen, an Arizona native, threw for 3,532 yards and 33 touchdowns with 14 interceptions in his first two seasons with the Aggies. He’ll enter this season with two full years of eligibility with Houston.
Allen has the luxury of inheriting on offense with two talented receivers in Linell Bonner and Steven Dunbar. Bonner was the team’s top target last year, accumulating more than 1,000 yards in the air, and Dunbar added another 692 yards.
Allen is a former top recruit, and as long as he doesn’t try to do too much in a return to his home state, should put up big numbers in this one.
Free ATS Pick
The Wildcats are impressive on the ground, but Houston can stack its defense to slow that down. The Cougars have the superior air attack and are more balanced offensively.
This should be a fun one in which the game could go back and forth as each side makes big plays. In the end, the Wildcats may get bogged down one too many times, allowing Houston to take control.
This is an intriguing matchup, and Houston is hoping to hit the road for a win to bring back a sense of normalcy after some tense moments at home because of the hurricane. The Cougars’ defense doesn’t need to be great but it should do just enough to help the team claim the victory.
College Football Odds: Houston 35, Arizona 31
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