Washington vs. Michigan State Prediction
Number 8 Washington will make the trip to East Lansing to face unranked Michigan State at 5:00 PM ET on Saturday. Can the Huskies defeat the Spartans for the second season in a row as two-touchdown road favorites this weekend?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
169 Washington Huskies (-16.5) at 170 Michigan State Spartans (+16.5); o/u 56
5:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 16, 2023
Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Washington vs Michigan State Public Betting Information
As of this writing, the public is heavily favoring the Huskies in this game. Our CFB Public Betting page shows that 72% of public bets are on Washington -16. Note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once game time rolls around.
Washington Huskies Game Notes
Washington improved to 2-0 after defeating Tulsa in Seattle, but they failed to cover after missing the 33-point margin by a single point. The Huskies followed up their explosive win over Boise State by taking out the Golden Hurricane, and they’ll now look to add one more quality non-conference win here against Sparty.
Michael Penix Jr. story is amazing, and so has his play on the field with UW. The former Indiana quarterback lit college football up last season, and he’s picked up where he left off with a pair of 400-yard performances against Boise and Tulsa. Penix’s success has set the expectations high in Seattle, and a win here will send the Huskies into conference play with a huge ceiling. Penix is on the shortlist for the Heisman Award, among others, and he’s passed for 859 yards with eight touchdowns to one interception thru two outings.
Michigan State Spartans Game Notes
Michigan State moved to 2-0 after defeating Richmond at home, covering the big 28-point margin. The Spartans didn’t take it easy on my hometown school, shutting the Spiders out for three quarters, and they’ll now look to shake up the college football world with a strong effort here versus the Huskies.
Noah Kim is looking to restore some order at a position that’s produced over the years at Michigan State, and while he’s off to a hot start, he may have to keep up with the aerial attack of Washington here. The Spartans have a good ground game with Nathan Carter in the backfield, but with Huskies set to launch at will, quarterback play is going to be huge. Kim has looked great against CMU and Richmond, passing for 571 yards, with five touchdowns to zero interceptions, but this UW defense is going to present a different test.
Washington vs Michigan State Betting Trends
Washington has hit the Moneyline in their last 3 away games.
Washington has hit the 1H Moneyline in 5 of their last 6 games.
Michigan State has hit the Game Total Over in 5 of their last 7 games at home.
Washington vs Michigan State Betting Prediction
Washington and Colorado returning to prominence feels just like Tennessee becoming a national power again last season, and it brings a nice, nostalgic feel to the college football game. Initially, I liked this spot for Michigan State, even to a point of an upset, but the shake up at the head coaching position this week feels like a lot with a talented team like Washington coming to town. Harlan Barnett may go on to do a fine job for Michigan State, as he’s spent extensive time with the program, dating back to the Mark Dantonio era, and ironically coaching alongside former MSU coach Nick Saban as well, but it’s hard to look away from the momentum the Huskies bring in amongst the circumstances. This one should cut close, so instead of testing the tough road margin, take the Over for this non-conference battle.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 3 PREDICTION: WASHINGTON/MICHIGAN STATE OVER 56