We have eight Bowl games this week in the NCAAF including this tilt in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 17, so make sure you don’t miss out on the best Cougars vs. Bulldogs betting pick and odds.

Washington State and Fresno State will battle for the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl when they meet at SoFi Stadium. The Bulldogs are -3.5 favorites on BetDSI Sportsbook, while the total is set at 53 points. These non-conference rivals have never met before.

Cougars couldn’t make it four in a row

The Washington State Cougars (7-5-0, 8-4-0 ATS) were in their best run of the season as they won three straight, but couldn’t make it four in a row after losing to the in-state and Pac-12 foes Washington Huskies at home. The Cougars played well in the opening half but scored just six points in the second 30 minutes and suffered a 51-33 loss in the end, allowing a season-high 51 points in the process.

Cameron Ward completed 33 of 52 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns. Even though he finished with -5 rushing yards on 16 attempts, Ward added a rushing TD. Nakia Watson led the Cougars on the ground with 73 yards and a score on 15 carries, while Robert Ferrel and Nakia Watson each chipped in a receiving touchdown and combined for 112 yards on 11 catches. Washington State recorded zero sacks opposite Washington’s six. Armauni Archie led the Cougars with eight tackles.

WR Renard Bell is dealing with an unknown injury, and it is unclear if he will be available for the LA Bowl versus Fresno State.

Bulldogs are red-hot right now

The Fresno State Bulldogs (9-4-0, 6-7-0 ATS) opened the season with four losses in five games, but since then, they connected eight victories to secure a top spot in the Mountain West (West). Not only that, the Bulldogs defeated the Boise State Broncos for the MW title, thanks to a strong defensive showing and special team effort. Fresno State did collect 245 yards opposite Boise State’s 321, but forced two turnovers and committed none on the other end to get a 28-16 road win.

Jake Haener completed 17 of 27 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown. Zane Pope caught that lone TD pass and had 51 yards on four receptions, while Nikko Remigio and Jalen Moreno-Cropper combined for 128 yards on ten catches. Jordan Mims was solid on the ground with a game-high 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 25 carries. Remigio also returned a punt for a 70-yard score, while on defense, LJ Early and Levelle Bailey contributed seven tackles apiece.

Trends:

Washington State:

  • 1-4 ATS in the last five Bowl games
  • 1-5 ATS in the last six neutral site games
  • 3-7 ATS in the last ten non-conference games

Fresno State:

  • 4-1 ATS in the last five games overall
  • 6-2 ATS in the last eight vs. Pac-12 rivals
  • 21-5 ATS in the last 26 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game

Washington State Cougars vs. Fresno State Bulldogs Pick

Fresno State is in excellent form and is looking for the second Bowl in a row after winning the New Mexico Bowl with a win over the UTEP Miners last year. The Bulldogs will be playing on the wings of the first conference title in four years and here in Los Angeles, they will feel like hosts. Fresno State has better offense and defense, while Washington State’s weak secondary that is allowing 266.7 yards per game is going to be a problem for the Cougars here. Jalen Moreno-Cropper and Nikko Remigio could have a big game on Saturday.

Pick: Take the Bulldogs at -2.5 (-130)

The Total

The Bulldogs have been fantastic offensively in the past few weeks; they scored 28+ points in each of the last seven games and I wouldn’t be surprised if they score 30+ in this one. Still, I don’t think the Cougars will provide enough points for this game to be a high-scoring one, especially considering that Fresno State kept the opponents to 16 or fewer points in six of the previous eight games. Under is 10-3 in the Cougars’ last 13 games overall; Under is 5-0 in Washington State’s previous five non-conference games, while Under is 4-0 in the Cougars’ last four neutral site games.

Pick: Go Under 54.5 points (-130)