Wisconsin and Arizona State prepare to face off in the Las Vegas Bowl Thursday night. It's time to continue our college football odds series with a Wisconsin-Arizona State prediction and pick.
Wisconsin is coming off a successful season but fell out of the top-25 after losing to Minnesota in the season finale. Minnesota defeated N0. 14 Wisconsin 23-13 after the Badgers had won seven straight games. Starting the season 1-3 and ending 8-4 is a good momentum builder for next season, especially after a win against a good Arizona State team. The Badgers defeated No. 25 Purdue and No. 9 Iowa in back-to-back weeks which turned out to be the high-point of the season. Wisconsin stayed true to their tradition this season and continued to be a run-dominant offense. Running back Braelon Allen led the way with 1,109 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Arizona State also ended 8-4 and won three of their last four games. The high point of the season came in Week 5 when they defeated No. 20 UCLA 42-23. The Sun Devils jumped into the top-25 but fell out when they lost to Utah a few weeks later. For the Las Vegas Bowl, Arizona State will be missing a few starters as they prepare for the draft. Running back Rachaad White, who ended the year with 1,006 yards and 15 touchdowns, will not play Thursday night. Quarterback Jayden Daniels will need to be on his game as the pass-game will need to be on point against a good Wisconsin defense.
Here is how FanDuel set the Wisconsin-Arizona State line for the Las Vegas Bowl.
College Football Odds: Wisconsin-Arizona State Odds
Wisconsin: -6 (-110)
Arizona State: +6 (-110)
Over: 41.5 (-110)
Under: 41.5 (-110)
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Why Wisconsin Could Cover The Spread
Wisconsin only allows 16.4 points per game this season. Their defense ranks among the top in the nation and that will be a big reason they cover. With the Sun Devils' top back out for the game, then it will be even easier for the Badgers to stop the run. Wisconsin only allowed 65.2 rushing yards per game and so it's not likely that will just change now. They will need to force Daniels to throw the ball more often than not which could hurt the Sun Devils. Offensively, Wisconsin will need to limit the turnovers and control the game with their run game. They can't let the game get into quarterback Graham Mertz's hands late or it might not end well for them.
Why Arizona State Could Cover The Spread
Without White available, their odds become a little tougher. They can cover this spread if they defend the run and force turnovers on defense. On the offensive side, they will be without their starting center Dohnovan West because of an injury. The run game will be a lot harder to rely on but it will need to work if they want to cover. Wisconsin's defense is very good against the run so it will take a group effort to get it done. Daniels will be relied on to carry the team and so if he plays well then he'll give them a chance to keep it close.
Final Wisconsin-Arizona State Prediction & Pick
With a good amount of crucial players out for Arizona State and a healthy Wisconsin team, I'm taking the Badgers to cover this spread. Their defense should be able to keep it low-scoring but I expect the offense to pick it up from their last game. If Wisconsin scores more than 30 points, I think that will be enough to cover this spread. The over seems it will be the likely option as well as 41.5 isn't much for a college game. Wisconsin is 6-6 against the spread and Arizona State is 5-7 against the spread.
Final Wisconsin-Arizona State Prediction & Pick: Wisconsin -6 (-110) & over: 41.5 (-110)
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