California vs Washington Odds: California’s Defense Is Underhyped!

The Washington Huskies will continue their College Football Playoff berth quest against the California Bears.

The Huskies are 3-0 and ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll NCAA Football rankings heading into Week 4. Washington most recently knocked off Michigan State, 41-7, on the road.

The Huskies have already earned massive wins against Boise State, Tulsa, and Michigan State, giving them three authentic FBS wins to begin the season.

On the other hand, the California Bears added wins against North Texas and Idaho but have a 14-10 loss to Auburn dating back to August 9.

Can Washington demolish California like they’ve demolished the other three teams they’ve faced?

Take a look at the California vs Washington odds for Saturday night’s game on ESPN.

Taj Davis Returning To Old Stomping Grounds

Taj Davis hasn’t been the top receiver for California this year. However, he transferred as a junior to California from Washington over the offseason.

Davis added about 600 yards receiving in two seasons and scored four touchdowns on 47 receptions with the Huskies in his first two NCAAF seasons.

But the wide receiver room was so crowded that Davis decided to transfer to California for a more significant role and more playing time.

Davis has earned eight catches for 81 yards, with one touchdown through three games. These aren’t the most exciting stats, but he’s on pace to surpass his stats from 2021 and 2022 this season.

However, Davis still had some fond memories with Washington. Last season, he hauled in a 62-yard touchdown against Oregon in the fourth quarter to help lead Washington past Oregon, 37-34.

Washington already has a dominant pass-catching trio of Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk. So, it made sense for Davis to leave for an opportunity elsewhere.

Michael Penix Jr. On The Heisman Tracker!

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has emerged as one of the favorites to win the Heisman award this season.

Penix Jr. has added 1,332 yards through three games with 12 touchdowns and one interception. He also leads the entire nation with a QBR of 94.2. Penix Jr. has admirable NCAAF player stats.

It’s also not like Washington has played DII and NAIA opponents. They’ve beaten three FBS opponents without allowing any team to score more than 19 points.

Meanwhile, the offense behind Penix Jr. has added at least 41 points in every game. The Heisman candidate has only taken one sack and has thrown for at least three touchdowns in every game.

Penix Jr. is in his sixth season of college football. He formally played for the Indiana Hoosiers for four seasons before switching to Washington for his final two.

The Tampa, FL native has thrown for over 10,000 yards in his college career. He’s also added over 70 touchdowns and just 24 interceptions.

However, the most impressive stat is that he’s taken 22 sacks while attempting 1243 throws throughout his career.

Below, we’ll break down the California vs Washington odds for Saturday’s Pac-12 late-night NCAAF matchup.

California vs Washington Odds

On the road, the California Bears will be 20.5-point underdogs against the Washington Huskies on Saturday. The total for this game is at 59.5.

California has only won three of its last seven games. However, two of those wins came in the Bears’ last three games. California started the season with two covers of the NCAA Football odds, including a 58-21 win over North Texas, where the Bears were only five-point favorites.

Meanwhile, California also covered against Auburn, in a 14-10 loss, as 5-point underdogs. Most recently, California missed a cover of -15 by one point in a win over Idaho, 31-17.

On the other hand, Washington has gone 2-0-1 against the spread to start the season. They’ve covered as 14-point favorites against Boise State and earned a -14.5 cover against Michigan State last weekend. The one push came as 33-point favorites against Tulsa, where they won 43-10.

The Under has hit in two of three games for the Huskies and Bears in their first two games.

The Huskies Are Legit!

The Washington Huskies are one of the most dynamic offenses in college football. Washington has earned nearly 615 yards of offense per game, including 493.3 in the air. The pass protection has been incredible, and Penix Jr. has so much talent playing alongside him.

Rome Odunze leads the team with 419 yards receiving. He’s caught 22 balls and added two touchdowns for the Huskies this year.

On the other hand, Washington’s defense has been solid. They’ll have to do a better job tackling. Besides that, the coverage has played well, and the pass rush is efficient. They’ve also held teams to under 120 yards on the ground, which isn’t bad.

Meanwhile, the California defense has gone under the radar. They held Auburn to just 14 points a couple of weeks ago. Teams have only added 280.7 yards per game on California this season. The Bears have allowed 185.7 yards in the air and 95 yards on the ground. The secondary is terrific, and the defensive line has done well with rushing the passer and stopping the run.

The difference is California’s offense. The run game has added 242 yards per game behind Jayden Ott, but the passing game will struggle against Washington. In three games, California’s quarterback, Ben Finley, has only thrown for 326 yards. He’s got just one touchdown and one interception, with a QBR of 64.7.

While I think Washington’s offense will dominate, we still believe California will get more stops against the Huskies than other teams Washington has faced this year. Washington will likely win this game by multiple scores. But we don’t think there will be enough points on the board to push this game over the total. Back the Under 59.5 in this game.

For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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