LA Bowl Betting Odds: Fresno State vs Washington State

Officially titled the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel, this game is an interesting matchup between Fresno State and Washington State. Fresno State defeated Boise State to win the Mountain West to get here. Washington State lost to the University of Washington in the Apple Cup and had to settle for this game.

Fresno Favored After Opening as Underdogs

LA Bowl Betting Odds

They opened with Washington State -2.5 but Fresno is now favored by 1.5 points. The Bulldogs are getting the majority of the wagers in the game. Seven WSU players entered the transfer portal on Monday, Dec. 5, and defensive coordinator Brian Ward is expected to take the same job at Arizona. The Cougars were just 1-5 straight-up as an underdog this season. The Bulldogs were 7-2 when favored.

The LA Bowl betting odds on the total have remained fairly steady, with the opening and current number at 54.5. It’s no surprise to see a lofty number here. The Bulldogs played nine games with the total at 54 or higher. Washington State had seven games where the total was at least 54. WSU was a strong under team during the season, ending up with a 3-9 ledger after starting the year 1-7. Fresno State was 7-6 after its last two games landed under the total.

Obviously, the LA Bowl betting odds on the moneyline also swapped favorites, with the Cougars originally a small favorite. Fresno State is now -125 with the price on WSU at +105.

Fresno State Bulldogs

The Bulldogs can air it out with the best of them, with Fresno State leading the Mountain West with 269.8 yards per game. Former University of Washington quarterback Jake Haener completed 72.6% of his passes. He threw 18 TD passes and just three interceptions. The Bulldogs have three receivers with more than 45 receptions, so Fresno can spread the ball around.

The Bulldogs are a balanced team, throwing 33.7 times per game and running 33.2 times. It helps when you have a Jordan Mims in the backfield, as he rushed for 1,161 yards and 16 touchdowns. Malik Sherrod added 404 yards on the ground with a 5.6 yards per carry average. Fresno is still a better throwing team gaining twice as many yards through the air.

Defensively, there’s nothing wrong with Fresno State. The Bulldogs allowed 20.5 points per game, which is three fewer points than their opponents averaged. Fresno’s pass defense was especially strong, holding teams to 52.1% completions and 192 yards per game. The Bulldogs are average against the run but that may not hurt them much in this one.

Washington State Cougars

The Cougars have some similar traits as the Bulldogs, primarily in that they’re a better throwing team. Washington State throws the ball 39 times per game and runs 27.8 times. Nakia Watson led the Cougars with 736 rushing yards and eight TD’s. He also had 29 receptions for four scores. WSU averaged 4.1 yards per carry but their foes allowed an average of 4.6 yards per rush.

The Cougars were torched by the University of Washington, allowing 485 passing yards and 705 yards of total offense

The Cougars will likely look to ride the arm of Cameron Ward, who threw for 3,094 yards and 23 touchdowns. Ward can move a bit but was sacked 40 times during the NCAAF season, the result of throwing so often. Washington State’s top four wide receivers each averaged between 11.2 and 11.8 yards per reception, so they’re interchangeable.

It’s the WSU defense that’s the cause for concern here. The Cougars were torched by the University of Washington, allowing 485 passing yards and 705 yards of total offense. Those aren’t the numbers you want to see against a decent passing attack like Fresno State. For the season, the Cougars allowed 266.8 yards per game and surrendered more than 350 yards on three occasions. Washington State was solid defending the run, allowing just 3.8 yards per carry to teams which averaged 4.4 yards. The Cougars allowed more than 150 rushing yards on six occasions, going 1-5 in those games.

The Cougars had seven players enter the transfer portal on Monday, Dec. 5, bringing the total number to 10. With DC Brian Ward likely moving to the Arizona Wildcats, it’s little wonder the LA Bowl betting odds have seen a change in the favorite.

Airing it Out in LA

The LA Bowl betting odds might be a little low on the total considering the tendencies of both teams. Each is solid defending the run and both are stronger passing teams. There could be a lot of passing in the game, which would appear to favor the over, although things are seldom so simple in the handicapping world.

A big question in this game is going to be the attitude and effort of Washington State. The Sagarin college football ratings have WSU 3.61 points better than Fresno State. But with the defections between players and coaches, how will WSU react?

The Bulldogs should get their share of fans to the game and Fresno State is excited to be in this game, making the change in favorites looking like the correct move.

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