The Utah Utes (4-3) face off against the Houston Cougars (2-5) on Saturday, October 26th. This game will be played at TDECU Stadium in Houston and televised on ESPN+. Both Utah and Houston will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 ET.
Utah Utes vs Houston Cougars
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Utah Offense Breakdown
Utah’s offense has struggled this season, ranking 99th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. They are averaging 24 points per game, placing them 72nd nationally. Their third-down conversion rate is just 32%, and their passing game has been inconsistent, with a team passer rating of 77, ranking 109th.
Quarterback Isaac Wilson has thrown for 1,029 yards but has 8 interceptions compared to 7 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 68. Utah is 42nd in passing attempts per game. Leading rusher Micah Bernard has 731 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, but has only scored twice. Dorian Singer leads the receivers with 486 yards on 33 catches.
Houston Offense Breakdown
Houston’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 13.7 points per game, placing them 104th in the nation. They rank 110th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Their third-down conversion rate is low at 29%, and their passing game has been ineffective, averaging 166.6 yards per game, with a passer rating of 72.
Donovan Smith has thrown for 867 yards this season, completing 65.4% of his passes, but has only four touchdowns compared to eight interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 68. On the ground, Houston averages 136.1 rushing yards per game. Stacy Sneed leads the team with 245 yards, averaging 5 yards per carry.
Utah Team Defense
Utah’s defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 12th nationally by allowing just 16.4 points per game. They’ve held opposing quarterbacks to a 67.8 passer rating, the 15th-lowest in the country, and limited them to 185 passing yards per game. Opponents have completed just 50.1% of their passes against Utah, the 8th-lowest percentage in college football.
In their recent game, Utah’s defense allowed 13 points in a 13-7 loss to TCU. They gave up 403 total yards, including 263 passing yards, but didn’t allow a passing touchdown. TCU ran the ball 29 times for 140 yards and recorded 20 first downs in the game.
Utah Team Defense
Houston’s defense will look to bounce back after allowing 42 points in their recent game against Kansas. They gave up 470 total yards, including 223 rushing yards on 30 attempts and 247 yards through the air, surrendering three passing touchdowns.
On the season, Houston ranks 47th nationally, allowing 23.6 points per game. Opponents have averaged 147.9 rushing yards per game and 173.9 passing yards, the 26th-lowest mark in the country. Quarterbacks have completed 63.8% of their passes against Houston, posting a passer rating of 97.7.
Utah vs Houston Trends
- In their last three games away from home, the Utah Utes have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 26 points per game in these contests.
- When looking at their past ten home matchups, Houston has an ATS record of 5-5 while averaging 20 per game. The team went 3-7 overall in these games.
- Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Houston Cougars have a straight up record of 2-8. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Utah Utes have a straight up record of 6-4. But, their mark vs the spread was just 3-7.
Utes vs Cougars Prediction
With the over/under line set at 36.5 points, our projection of 42 total points suggests that taking the over is the best play for this Utah vs. Houston matchup.
Utah comes in as the -3.5 point favorite on the road, and we expect them to cover the spread as they are projected to win by a score of 23-19.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:October 22, 2024 Houston Cougars, Utah Utes