Washington State vs. Utah State Prediction, CFB Week 6 Odds & Best Bets (10/9)

Fact checked at 8:45 AM ET, Oct 9, 2026

Odds as of Oct 9, 7:36 AM ET

Two 1-4 teams, two 0-1 Pac-12 records, and two offenses that are the reason for both. Washington State visits Utah State on Friday at 9:00 PM ET at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, on The CW, in the Aggies' first Pac-12 home game. Utah State averages 14.0 points a game, 136th of 138 FBS teams. Washington State averages 19.0, but 48 of its 95 points came against FCS Duquesne, and the Cougars have gone without an offensive touchdown in two of their five games, including Saturday's 26-6 home loss to Fresno State.

Since that loss, Kirby Moore has taken play-calling away from offensive coordinator Matt Miller and opened the quarterback job: Caden Pinnick, Owen Eshelman and Julian Dugger all took first-team reps this week, and Moore said practice would decide who starts. Utah State's Bronco Mendenhall isn't saying much either. Grady Brosterhous has started the last four games, but McCae Hillstead came in to start some drives at Boise State, and Mendenhall declined to name a starter. Neither quarterback is confirmed.

Bettors read the Washington State news one way. Utah State opened as a favorite of a field goal or less, depending on the book, and is now -5.5. The total opened in the mid-40s (46.5 at some books, 44.5 at others) and sits at 43.5. The moneyline is Washington State +170, Utah State -210.

Here's the game we expect: not many points, and when Utah State does find the end zone, Eli Wood is the one catching it. A 17-13 or 20-10 Utah State win cashes both picks.

Both teams played Saturday, so each has had six days. The National Weather Service hourly forecast for Logan calls for the mid-70s at kickoff, upper 60s by the fourth quarter, a south wind under 10 mph and almost no chance of rain during the game. Weather won't matter.

Washington State vs. Utah State Predictions

• Pick #1: Under 43.5 (-106)
• Pick #2: Eli Wood Anytime Touchdown (+115)

PICK #1: Under 43.5 (-106)

Start with Utah State's scoring, because there isn't much of it. The Aggies have 70 points in five games: 17 against FCS Idaho State, 14 at Washington, 0 at Utah, 21 against Troy and 18 at Boise State. Against FBS opponents that's 53 points in four games, and 21 is the season high. They have thrown 10 interceptions against nine offensive touchdowns. Three of their five games finished with 33 points or fewer (30, 33 and 31); the Idaho State opener reached 46 and the Boise State trip 55.

Washington State hasn't been any better when the opponent is real. Its four FBS games produced 10 points at Washington, 7 at Kansas State, 24 against Arizona and 6 against Fresno State, with three offensive touchdowns across the four. The Cougars gained 166 yards at Kansas State and 182 against Fresno State, converting 2 of 12 and 3 of 14 third downs. A new play-caller, possibly a new quarterback, and six days to install it is not the recipe for a sudden jump.

The total has come down about three points since the Washington State news broke, so don't treat the drop as a separate reason to bet this; it's the market pricing the same thing. The case is the two scoring records above. At -106 the Under implies a 51.5% chance, and some books have 44, a better number for the same bet.

What beats it is points that don't come from a drive. Washington State has four non-offensive touchdowns this season, interception returns against Arizona and at Kansas State and two punt returns against Duquesne, and Utah State threw a pick-six at Boise State. Both offenses turn it over enough (Washington State has lost nine turnovers, Utah State has thrown 10 interceptions) to hand out short fields all night. Washington State's game with Arizona totaled 58 and Utah State's at Boise State 55. The Over is also the pricier side at -115, so the market leans slightly that way at this number.

PICK #2: Eli Wood Anytime Touchdown (+115)

Wood has scored in four of Utah State's five games: a 15-yard catch from Hillstead against Idaho State, a 7-yarder from Brosterhous at Washington, a 5-yarder against Troy and a 31-yarder at Boise State. The only miss was the 33-0 shutout at Utah, when nobody in an Aggies uniform scored. Four of Utah State's nine offensive touchdowns belong to him.

He has also been the steadiest part of the offense. Wood has led the team in catches in every game (6, 6, 4, 7 and 7, oldest first) for 90, 53, 47, 96 and 102 yards, and his 30 catches are 18 more than anyone else on the roster. Both quarterbacks have thrown him a touchdown, one from Hillstead and three from Brosterhous, which is worth something with the starter still unannounced.

The rest of the receiving room keeps shrinking. Nikko Boncore is out for the season, and tight end Kache Kaio and receiver Rex Haynes are listed as out on the Pac-12 availability report. Wood is not on it.

You're getting +115, which works out to 46.5%, on a player who has scored in 80% of his team's games. The market is calling him an underdog to score; his season says he hasn't been one.

The danger is the offense around him. Utah State scored nothing at Utah, and a 14-point-a-game team can finish with one touchdown or none. If there is only one, running back Javen Jacobs (two touchdowns in five games, priced shorter than Wood) or Javon Robinson (touchdown catches of 78 and 57 yards) can take it. The obvious plan for Washington State is to roll coverage toward Wood. If Hillstead starts, the 15-yard score in the opener is the only touchdown the two have together. And the Pac-12 game-day availability report comes out about two hours before kickoff; if Wood turns up on it, pass.

The two picks describe the same night: Utah State scores once or twice, Wood catches one of them, and neither offense does much else.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.