Tulsa vs Washington Odds: Penix Jr. Already Climbing Heisman Leaderboard
Washington QB improved odds from +1600 to +800 with Week 1 rout
What can’t Michael Penix Jr. do? The senior quarterback stole the show in No. 10 Washington’s Week 1 blowout of Boise State, completing 72.5% of his attempts for 450 yards and five touchdowns.
On Saturday, Tulsa will try stopping Penix Jr. It will be difficult. The Golden Hurricanes are a whopping 34.5-point underdog (-110), on the road no less. Meanwhile, the projected total is 64.5 (-110).
Read on as we break down the college football line spread in our Tulsa vs Washington odds preview.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs Washington Huskies 
Date & Time:
Location: Husky Stadium; Seattle
Streaming: Pac 12 Network
Penix Jr. Star of the Show
Michael Penix Jr.’s stock is up. Way up. The senior passed for 450 yards and five touchdowns in the 10th-ranked Washington Huskies‘ 56-19 rout of Boise State, helping them cover the 14-point spread with ease. In doing so, Penix Jr. saw his Heisman Trophy odds skyrocket from +1600 to +800. Currently, he’s second on the board behind USC quarterback Caleb Williams (+450), the reigning winner.
With Penix Jr., anything is possible. Last season, after transferring from Indiana, he led the Huskies to 11 wins (their most since 2016) and a spot in the Alamo Bowl, where they beat Texas 27-20. With a horde of receivers back, the Huskies, who averaged 39.7 points, should be even more dangerous this fall. And so far, that’s looking accurate.
The Huskies are still a slight underdog to USC in the Pac-12, not to mention a +4000 longshot to win the national championship. They’ve only made one previous trip to College Football Playoff (2017). But week-in, week-out, few teams are as potent.
Penix Jr. and Co. did well in beating Boise State, a perennial bowl contender, and now they can relax a bit before an intriguing matchup against Michigan State on Sept. 16. Penix Jr. may have trouble leapfrogging Williams in the voting, especially if the Huskies don’t climb enough in the NCAA football rankings. But this week on the NCAAF schedule will be a good opportunity for him to bolster his stats and improve his fortunes. Keep that in mind when assessing the Tulsa vs Washington odds.
Williams Shines in Relief
The Golden Hurricane crushed FCS product Arkansas-Pine Bluff 42-7 in their opener. Despite that, they still fell short of covering the spread (-40.5). Freshman Cardell Williams came on for Braylon Braxton, who was intercepted twice before getting hurt, to throw for three touchdowns and run for another. Williams completed all nine of his passes in the first half and finished 13-of-14 for 233 yards through the air.
It was an encouraging start for Kevin Wilson, a former head coach at Indiana, who had spent the past six seasons as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. The Golden Hurricane erupted for 28 points in the second half and racked up 517 yards of offense.
Expectations are pretty low for Tulsa. Coming off a 5-7 campaign, the Golden Hurricane is projected for just 4.0 wins and is a +3400 longshot to win the newly configured American Athletic Conference.
There are plenty of question marks, and that was before Braxton left the opener with an injury (ankle). The offensive line is in flux after allowing 45 sacks in 2022, as is the defense, which lost a bulk of talent to the transfer portal. The early returns are encouraging. Then again, Arkansas-Pine Bluff isn’t much of a challenge. Be sure to check on Braxton’s status as Saturday draws closer.
Handicapping the Game
Penix Jr. is a dynamic playmaker, unlike anyone Tulsa will face in AAC play. The dual-threat is already a top Heisman candidate, and now comes an opportunity to add to his impressive resume.
Washington is a lot for a ranked opponent to handle, let alone a program as mediocre as Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane’s defense is makeshift, with a reliance on a majority of newcomers from the transfer portal. That certainly doesn’t bode well against the Huskies.
With that in mind, look for Washington’s offense to keep humming. The Huskies are a good bet to cover the Tulsa vs Washington odds.
For college football betting news, odds, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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