Oregon State vs Utah Prediction, Preview, Stream, Odds & Picks
No Gimme for Utes
In the past, No. 12 Utah would have no worries with Oregon State coming to town. However, Oregon State (3-1) is no longer a pushover. After a close loss (17-14) to No. 6 USC, the Beavers are hunting for a signature win. Utah (3-1) is an excellent opportunity for Oregon State to crack the AP Poll’s Top 25. The Utes can’t go into this one asleep. The Beavers are feisty.
Let’s check the latest NCAAF odds, stats, injury reports, and NCAAF lines for Oregon State vs Utah. We’ve plenty of Vegas NCAAF odds for you to consider.
Oregon State Beavers
It’s easy to overlook Oregon State Beavers. The program hasn’t appeared in the Top 25 since 2013 and experienced one winning season in the last eight years. However, the Beavers are no longer the Pac-12’s punching bag. A top-25 road win would vault Oregon State into a rare poll appearance.
The Beavers began the season with wins over Boise State (34-17) and Fresno State (35-32). Initially, these looked like great wins, but both those opponents have been worse than expected. After nearly pulling off an enormous upset over USC, Oregon State appears for real. The Beavers’ defense was amazing as it held Heisman candidate Caleb Williams to 180 passing yards and superstar wide receiver Jordan Addison to three receptions. Losing the turnover battle 4-0 lost Oregon State the game. If the Beavers take care of the ball, upsetting Utah is certainly possible.
Oregon State needs to make this a defensive battle. The offense has struggled to get the run game going and quarterback Chance Nolan has been wildly inconsistent.
Utah Utes
While Oregon State is enjoying a program turnaround, Utah Utes have been strong under coach Kyle Whittingham for many years. Last year was one of the program’s best seasons as it won the Pac-12 title for the first time. The Utes were hyped up as a College Football Playoff contender entering the 2022 season. Since Week 1’s loss to Florida (29-26), Utah beat up on weak opponents. A convincing win over Oregon State could put the Pac-12 on notice.
Through four games, the defense has led the charge. It ranks 18th in allowed points per game (16.3) and 16th in allowed yards per game (297.3). In the 34-13 win over Arizona State in Week 4, the Utes recorded five sacks and forced three turnovers. Utah has one of the nation’s top cornerbacks in Clark Phillips III. Defensive tackle Junior Tafuna is another impact player to watch.
Quarterback Cam Rising has played well. Last game, he had 260 passing yards with a 156.7 passer rating. Tight end Dalton Kincaid has been Rising’s top target with 240 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Running back Tavion Thomas is off to a slow start, but he did impress against Florida with 115 rushing yards.
Tavion Thomas is special pic.twitter.com/nm6dGq9Toh
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) November 21, 2021
Utah has a balanced offensive attack but lacks explosive plays.
Oregon State vs Utah Injury Report
For Oregon State, running back Trey Lowe and tight end Luke Musgrave are out with undisclosed injuries.
Utah starting tight end Brant Kuithe suffered a season-ending leg injury against Arizona State.
Oregon State vs Utah Head-to-Head
After losing five consecutive meetings, Oregon State upset Utah last season 42-34. However, the Beavers have not won in Salt Lake City since 2013.
Oregon State vs Utah Game Information
- Game: Oregon State vs Utah
- Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Day/Time: Saturday, Oct. 1st, 2 p.m. ET
- Oregon State vs Utah Live Stream: ESPN
Oregon State vs Utah Betting Lines
Oregon State vs Utah Prediction
Utah has flown under the radar since its season-opening loss. Despite the setback, the Utes are favorites (+160) to win the Pac-12 conference. Oregon State played well last week, but its defense has not displayed consistency. Plus, playing on the road is a different animal. Utah will ride the run game against Oregon State’s poor run defense, which is 89th in allowed rushing yards per attempt (4.6).
