The surprising Washington State Cougars are one of only two teams undefeated in Pac-12 play, and hope to continue that when they host the UCLA Bruins in Week 7. Washington State is one of the toughest teams to peg in the league as they are so inconsistent.
The Bruins would normally have a good chance of reeling in this road win but it will be much tougher if they don’t have the services of quarterback Josh Rosen. There is no line yet because of that situation, so keep an eye on Rosen’s status as the week moves forward.
Watch this regular season Week 7 matchup live on Saturday, October 15, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Clarence D. Martin Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
Washington State figures to be the favorite in this game even if Rosen plays, but will become a bigger one of the Bruins quarterback is sidelined.
The Cougars have fared very well against the spread this season, covering in four of five contests. UCLA has done the opposite, covering only one time in six tries. The Bruins haven’t covered in either of their road games.
As usual with Washington State games, expect the scoring total to be sky high.
Injury Report
Rosen left a 23-20 loss to Arizona State last week with a lower body injury. He came back in that one but then injured his throwing shoulder on a sack with a few minutes remaining,
The Bruins run a very pass-heavy offense behind Rosen, averaging 328.7 yards a game and face a Cougar defense that hasn’t been particularly strong against the pass this year.
The Cougars have allowed 228.2 passing yards a game this year but Rosen could surpass that number pretty easily. Rosen threw for 400 yards with two touchdowns against Arizona State and is approaching 2,000 yards on the season. The big question is if he will be healthy enough to play in this one.
Player to Watch
Luke Falk -- The Washington State quarterback threw four touchdowns last week in the win over Stanford. Despite two first-half interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, Walk led his team to a 42-16 win over the Cardinal.
The junior has a 74.1 completion percentage this season. He has thrown for 1,852 yards on the season with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. Falk throws a lot of passes and has done a really nice job of taking care of the ball.
The UCLA defense has been really stingy against the pass this season but will have its hands full. Falk leads a Washington State offense which averages 381 passing yards per contest so it will be an interesting battle of strengths.
Free ATS Pick
Washington is expected to eventually pull away and win the Pac-12 North since both Stanford and Oregon have struggled within conference play. The Cougars are, surprisingly, their toughest competition.
Washington State lost three-point games to Eastern Washington and Boise State early on which put it off the radar, but this recent hot streak has brought the Cougars back with a vengeance. While they are known for their gimmicky offense, there is some substance there.
The team has grown as the season has gone on and is tough to beat at home.
UCLA wants to stick around in the Pac-12 South but is in a tough spot against a hot Cougars team. If Rosen can play, it will certainly give the Bruins a chance, but expect Washington State to keep it rolling.
The line should be set relatively soon as Rosen’s status becomes more clear. Washington State can take this one by a touchdown or so. The over-under will also be affected by what the Bruins send out under center, as a less talented quarterback won’t have the type of efficiency as a proven commodity like Rosen.
There are a lot of unknowns in this one, but Washington State should be able to keep pace for at least one more week in the Pac-12 North race with a victory.
College Football Odds: Washington State 49, UCLA 34
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