College Football Week 1 Predictions: Utah State vs. Wisconsin 9/1/17
Will Wisconsin roll past Utah State tonight when the two teams meet in Madison at 9:00PM ET?
The Matchup: Utah State vs. Wisconsin, 9:00PM ET, Madison, Wisconsin
According to oddsmakers, the Badgers are 27.5-point home favorites to beat the Aggies on Friday night. As for the total, the number currently sits at 52.5 points.
There has been significant line movement on both the point spread and total. Wisconsin opened as a 33.5-point favorite but the line was bet all the way down to 27.5 at most online and Vegas sports books. The total, meanwhile, hit the board at 49 before jumping to 52.5.
Utah State
The biggest hurdle that the Aggies will face this year is rebuilding both the offensive and defensive lines. They’ll replace three and a half starters on offense and another four along their offensive line. As Matt Wells heads into his fifth year in the program, if Utah State isn’t good in the trenches it could cost Wells his job.
Wisconsin Badgers
Paul Chryst is heading into his third year in Madison. The Badgers are 21-6 under his guidance and are coming off an 11-3 season. Their defense will be outstanding again this season, with more senior leadership than almost any unit in the country.
Where the question marks lie are on offense, specifically at running back where the Badgers must replace Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale. They also have inexperience at quarterback.
That said, the Badgers have the talent and the schedule to potentially run the table in 2017.
Our Prediction
This is a huge number but Wisconsin should roll from start to finish. The Badgers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games in September and are 11-4-1 against the number in their last 16 games overall.
On the other side, the Aggies are winless at the betting window in their last four road games dating back to last season. In their last 17 games overall, they’re also 3-14 against the spread.
Friday College Football Week 1 Prediction: Wisconsin Badgers -27.5
