At 7:30 ET, the Utes and Wildcats meet up at Allegiant Stadium for a week 1 NCAAF matchup. The action will be broadcast on ABC, and it’s all happening on Saturday, December 23rd. In this non-conference matchup, the Utes are listed as 6.5 point favorites to come out on top. Should you place your bet on them to cover the spread, or is there a better option with the Wildcats? Read on to find out.

UTAH UTES VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Utah Utes -6.5

This game will be played at Allegiant Stadium at 7:30 ET on Saturday, December 23rd.

WHY BET THE UTAH UTES:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 25-18 in favor of Utah.
  • Not only will Utah pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -6.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 41.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 43 points.

Taking a Look at the Utes Chances on the Road

With a 8-4 record, the Utah Utes take on Northwestern. Their road record so far is (2-3) and at home (5-1).

Against the spread, Utah has gone 6-5 this season. The Utes have been favored six times compared to five games as the underdog.

After 12 games, the average over/under line in Utah’s matches stands at 45.8 points. The collective score in their games has averaged 44.2 points, resulting in an OU record of 5-6.

Utah’s offense is averaging 24.5 points per game, which ranks them 69th in the NCAA. Through the air, they’re at 173.6 passing yards on average, putting them at 115th in the nation. Their rushing attack is currently 33rd in rushing yards, with an average of 507 rushing attempts per game this season.

This season, the Utes’ defense has allowed 84.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 208th. Opponents average 224.3 passing yards, and opposing quarterbacks have put together a passer rating of 83.3 against Utah. They hold the 88th position in NCAA points allowed.

Do the Wildcats Stand a Chance at Home?

So far, the Northwestern Wildcats are 7-5, including going 2-3 on the road and 3-2 at home.

Northwestern’s average scoring differential for the season is -1.1 leading to an ATS mark of 7-3. The Wildcats have been favored two times and the underdog in eight games

Northwestern has an over/under record of 5-5 so far this season. On average their games have combined for 46.6 points with the average over/under line being 42.9 points.

Northwestern’s rushing attack is ranked 60th in college football with 416 rushing attempts per game. This has translated into an average of 108.2 rushing yards per game, placing them 115th nationally. On average, they are attempting 29 passes per game leading to 200.1 passing yards per contest. In terms of scoring, they hold the 81st position, averaging 22.8 points per game.

Northwestern’s defense holds the 168th rank in passing yards allowed per game as they head into this game. On average, opponents have made 28.7 passing attempts against the Wildcats. They have given up 23.8 points per game, which places them at 87th in college football. In the rush defense category, they rank 103rd in the NCAA.