The Connecticut Huskies and Fresno State Bulldogs begin the 2021 season Saturday at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, Calif. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Connecticut vs. Fresno State odds and lines, and make our best college football picks, predictions and bets.
UConn didn’t participate in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, last playing Nov. 30, 2019 at Temple, a 49-17 loss. This will be the first non-conference game for the Huskies since Oct. 26, 2019, when they won at Massachusetts.
Fresno State registered a 3-3 SU/ATS mark in six games last season. While its three losses were by 10 or more points, there is a lot of optimism heading into 2021. They’ll lean heavily upon RB Ronnie Rivera, who is one of the top tailbacks in the nation. QB Jake Haener is back, too, and he helped the offense to a tremendous average of 32.8 PPG.
Connecticut at Fresno State odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Connecticut +1300 (bet $100 to win $1,300) | Fresno State -5000 (bet $5,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Connecticut +27.5 (-110) | Fresno State -27.5 (-110)
- Total (Over/Under): 62.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
WIN YOUR FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE!
For 25 years, TheHuddle.com has been helping fantasy players just like you win. This year, it’s your turn! Custom player rankings, tools and more to give you the edge over your competition.
Use code SBW21 to take 20% OFF a new subscription. Join now!
Connecticut at Fresno State odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Fresno State 45, Connecticut 14
Money line
Fresno State (-5000) will cost you way too much, as a $100 bet returns a profit of just $2. There is never a reason to justify risking that kind of money for such a small return.
AVOID, and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
The play is FRESNO STATE -27.5 (-110) as they should lean upon the experienced Haener and Rivera for a nice, balanced offensive attack. UConn +27.5 (-110) will be awfully rusty after such a long layoff, and a cross-country trip will not be helpful to getting them off on the right foot.
Over/Under
The UNDER 62.5 (-110) is the play in this East-West matchup. The Huskies are going to have difficulty scoring on the Bulldogs, a team with bowl aspirations in the Mountain West. Fresno has the offensive tools to rack up a good deal of points, especially against a UConn defense that won’t be very good. However, after building a big lead, especially the Bulldogs to let their foot off the gas late.
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Joe Williams on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Auburn / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]
