Saturday, Sept. 21
4:00 p.m. Eastern, 1:00 p.m. Pacific
Fox
The lines for this game between Utah and Oklahoma State have bounced all over the place, for one very obvious reason: The playing status for Utah quarterback Cam Rising has been the source of a lot of speculation all week long. Keep in mind that Utah had hoped Rising could play last season, and there was a weekly buildup surrounding whether he might be available to play or not. One week after another, there was a whirl of speculation around Rising’s playing status, but he never did play last season. That memory – for anyone who followed Utah or who bet on Utah games (or merely considered betting on Utah games) in 2023 – figures very prominently in the week-long discussion connected to this game versus Oklahoma State. It all leads to this basic point: With so much uncertainty not only surrounding Rising’s playing status, but also how well he will play if he is indeed inserted into the game as the Utes’ starting quarterback, it makes a lot of sense to not make a pregame wager here, and to watch the first few possessions and make a live in-game bet if you get a clear idea of how good Utah looks (or doesn’t look). That’s the first and most important thing any bettor needs to take into consideration for this game.
Utah Utes-Oklahoma State Odds
Spread: Utah +2.5 (-110), Oklahoma State -2.5 (-110)
Total: 52.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Underdog moneyline: Utah +115
OK State Advantages
Earlier this season, Oklahoma State got dominated statistically at home by Arkansas, but the Cowboys won because Arkansas made a ton of horrible situational mistakes. We have to wonder if Oklahoma State is getting a little too much respect here just because it won over Arkansas, when that result was more about the losing team giving the game away than the winning team being excellent. Oklahoma State will need to play a lot better against Utah than it did versus Arkansas in order to win this game. If you are unsure of how well Utah and Cam Rising will fare in this game, you have to also ask yourself how well Oklahoma State will play in this game. These are two profoundly mysterious teams.
Hear the breakdown of numerous underdog games in week four with T.J. and Gary on the “3 Dog Thursday Podcast” by clicking play,
When bettors sit down to consider a play, it is generally advisable to make a play where there’s a strong lean and a clear sense of where the two teams stand, and how the game is expected to unfold. Bets should be made on very strong and decisive insights into a game. On the other hand, there are plenty of games where the overall situation is volatile and the questions surrounding a roster are far greater than the certainties. This game feels like a game dominated by questions instead of known quantities. For that reason, it’s a game bettors should probably pass on.