Colorado State Rams vs Utah Utes Point Spread Picks

Colorado State has to be disappointed as they thought they had nailed down a Fiesta Bowl berth at 10-1 but couldn't finish the job as they lost to Air Force 27-24 in their last game. The Rams went from playing in a major Bowl to playing on the first day of Bowl games, and the wounds and what could have been will still on their minds. One team that always seems to show up for the Bowl season is Utah. The Utes always seem to come into these games hungry, and testament to that fact is their 10-1 record in their last 11 Bowl games. That 10-1 record has occurred despite the Utes being an underdog in six of those contests (more than half). And, this season, they are 5-1 on the road. The Utes have been a favorite in five Bowls since 1999 and they have won all of them straight-up. Since Kyle Whittingham took over head coaching duties here, the Utes are 14-5 straight-up with 2+ weeks to prepare and 23-8 in non-conference games. These teams will have a different mindset coming in. Colorado State will be wondering what if, and Utah comes in to continue the Bowl legacy of their former teams. Take Utah to win this game outright. Also take the UNDER. This total is set very high, especially considering CSU's defense which has allowed 23.4 points per game this season. And, the Rams' offense falls down by a significant margin away from home. At home this year, the Rams averaged over 43 points per game. But on the road, that dropped by over two touchdowns on average (to 28.7)! Since last season, the Utes are 11-2 to the UNDER vs. winnign teams and 9-2 UNDER vs. teams that average 31+ per game. Take Utah and the UNDER in this one.

Utah is a big surprise this season and comes into this one vs. Colorado State with a perfect 6-0 mark. They have quietly snuck into the top 10 in all of the polls (BCS, AP, USA Today). This is a team that is now 30-3 in their last 33 games, so it's clear to me that this has become a program that doesn't rebuild - they reload. QBs Jordan Wynn and Terrance Cain have already thrown for 15 TD passes, and the Utes’ offense is rolling for 52.5 points per game in their last four outings. It will be a tall task for the Colorado State Rams to keep pace, as their offense has really struggled on the season. The Rams have seen four games already this year where they have failed to top the 10-point mark. On the season they are 0-4 on the road, getting outscored on average 39-12! Utah has been the kings of the double-digit home favorite ledger at home where they are now 19-5-3 ATS as home chalk of 10.5+. And, they are a perfect 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight as a favorite. The Rams have not been able to get it done vs. the Utes as they have covered just one of the last seven. They really struggle vs. good passing teams, having gone 1-11 ATS in their last 12 on the road vs. teams completing 62% or beter. This one looks like a major blowout, and I'm on Utah to win and cover.