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It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Nevada-Hawaii prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Nevada-Hawaii.
The Week 9 slate concludes with this game on the islands. Nevada and Hawaii have both endured very difficult seasons. Start with Nevada. The Wolf Pack blew a double-digit lead to SMU in Week Zero in August. They lost by a field goal to Georgia Southern. They fell by four points to San Jose State and by three to Fresno State last week. Regularly competitive but just not good enough to finish games, the Wolf Pack perfectly fit the description of a team which plays just barely well enough to lose. Six of Nevada's eight games have been decided by no more than five points. Nevada has lost only one game by more than five points. So close and yet so far — that sums up Nevada's first two months of this season.
Hawaii's season hasn't been any better. The Rainbow Warriors lost to UCLA by a field goal on Aug. 31. They lost by a field goal at San Diego State. They gave Boise State and Heisman Trophy contender Ashton Jeanty a good and vigorous battle for three quarters earlier this month, but they faded in the fourth quarter and ran out of gas to lose 28-7. Hawaii's games haven't been as consistently close as Nevada's games have been, but the larger overall reality is that Hawaii has played competitive football but at some point has struggled enough to turn a winnable game into a losing one. Both sides have to find a way to rise, not fall, when the fourth quarter rolls around in this game.
Here are the Nevada-Hawaii College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Nevada-Hawaii Odds
Nevada: -1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -113
Hawaii: +1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -106
Over: 45.5 (-106)
Under: 45.5 (-114)
How to Watch Nevada vs Hawaii
Time: 11:59 p.m. ET/8:59 p.m. PT
TV: Local cable
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Nevada Could Cover The Spread/Win
Nevada's familiarity with close games — six of eight being decided by one score this season — should enable the Wolf Pack to handle stressful situations a little bit better than Hawaii. Given that the point spread is just 1.5, this game is essentially a pick 'em. The only way Nevada wins the game but fails to cover is if it wins by exactly one point. In what is therefore a game in which outright victory will almost certainly translate into a winning spread bet, taking Nevada straight up makes plenty of sense.
Let's also realize that Nevada has played decent Mountain West teams. Fresno State isn't a great team, but the Bulldogs are 4-3. Nevada lost to that 4-3 team by only three points. San Jose State is 5-2. Nevada lost to SJSU by only four points. Nevada's strength of schedule is actually fairly good, so the fact that the Wolf Pack have a losing record shouldn't be seen as a supreme indictment of how bad they are. They're better than their surface record would suggest.
Why Hawaii Could Cover The Spread/Win
Hawaii has been knocking on the door at home, taking UCLA to the last minute and making Boise State sweat for three quarters of what was a physical and contentious game before Boise State's depth wore down the Rainbow Warriors in the fourth quarter. Playing at home, Hawaii will finally win a close game against a team with comparable talent.
Final Nevada-Hawaii Prediction & Pick
We can't say it often enough: Don't bet on games between two bad teams. Sure, the moneyline price is better, but coin-flip games aren't worth the headache. Stay away.
Final Nevada-Hawaii Prediction & Pick: Nevada -1.5
