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The Washington State Cougars (1-0) welcome the Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-0) to Gesa Field Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET (FOX). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Washington State vs. Texas Tech odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Red Raiders squeaked out a nail-biter in their season opener, edging Abilene Christian 52-51 in OT Aug. 31. Despite leading 32-14 at halftime and 39-28 in the 4th quarter, Tech allowed Abilene Christian to force the extra period. In overtime, Tech scored first and then stopped a crucial 2-point conversion to secure the win. Although Texas Tech was outgained 615-539 and struggled defensively, QB Behren Morton threw for 378 yards and 5 TDs and RB Tahj Brooks rushed for 153 yards and a score. The Red Raiders will need to shore up their defense to avoid another close call.
The Cougars kicked off their season in style with a dominant 70-30 win over Portland State Aug. 31. Despite an early 7-0 deficit, they quickly took control, leading 49-17 by halftime and never looking back. The Cougars racked up 637 total yards and went 3-8 on third downs. QB John Mateer was on fire, throwing for 352 yards and 5 TDs, while WR Kyle Williams hauled in 4 catches for 141 yards and 2 scores. Even with a strong offensive showing, Washington State’s defense let up 30 points and around 450 yards, so it’ll need to tighten things up if it wants to keep rolling.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Texas Tech at Washington State odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 1:10 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Texas Tech +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Washington State -126 (bet $126 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Texas Tech +1.5 (-104) | Washington State -1.5 (-118)
- Over/Under (O/U): 65.5 (O: -114 | U: -106)
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Texas Tech at Washington State picks and predictions
Prediction
Washington State 38, Texas Tech 35
Moneyline
BET WASHINGTON STATE (-126).
Both Washington State and Texas Tech picked up wins in their first games, but let’s be real — their defenses were shaky at best.
Texas Tech barely got past an FCS team and gave up over 500 yards, which doesn’t look great against Washington State’s high-flying passing game. Sure, Texas Tech might have some success through the air, but its defense looked pretty rough last week.
Washington State, on the other hand, looked solid offensively and should have the upper hand at home. With the way things are shaping up, taking WASHINGTON STATE (-126) seems like the smart move here.
Against the spread
PASS.
I’m not going to play around with the spread, especially when it’s this small. I’ll keep my bet to the ML.
Over/Under
BET OVER 65.5 (-114).
Get ready for a scoring frenzy! Both Washington State and Texas Tech lit up the scoreboard in their season openers, with each game resulting in 100-plus points being scored. Neither team plays much defense — Texas Tech even allowed over 500 yards to an FCS opponent. With both teams showing they can put up big numbers and struggle defensively, the Over seems like a no-brainer.
Washington State has hit the Over in 5 of its last 7 games, and Texas Tech has gone Over in 2 of its last 3. Expect a high-scoring shootout, and take the Over with confidence!
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