The ninth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers will look to hold down the fort at home and avoid the huge upset when they host the Utah State Aggies in a week 1 affair that gets underway on Friday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Badgers will host the Aggies at Camp Randall Stadium, in Madison with this matchup airing live on ESPN. Wisconsin will head into the matchup as the betting favorite against Utah State. Let’s see how well they’re favored in the NCAAF Week 1 odds.
Now, with quarterback Alex Hornibrook a year older and wiser, Wisconsin looks like they could very well challenge for the Big Ten title again in 2017 and a berth in the four-team College Football Playoff.
“I’ve never really felt big pressure hanging over me,” Hornibrook said. “There’s probably more expectations, but that’s not always a bad thing.” Now, after attending the Peyton and Eli Manning passing camp this summer, Hornibrook feels like he’s going to be at his very best in 2017.
A Closer Look at the Utah State Aggies at Wisconsin Badgers NCAAF Week 1 Odds
When: Friday, September 1, 8:00 PM on ESPN Where: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison TV: Pac-12 Network Live Stream: WatchESPN NCAAF Week 1 Odds: Wisconsin -28 / Total: 48.5 Weather Forecast- Clear: 13°C/56°F
- Humidity 77%
- Precipitation % 5%
- Cloud Cover 0%
- Wind 4 mph ESE
- Stadium Type Open
Why Bet the Utah State Aggies at +28?
The Utah State Aggies look for a bounce back season after finishing 3-9 and losing their final five games last season under now, fifth-year head coach Matt Wells. The Aggies return Kent Myers, who threw for 2,394 yards with 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions last season while rushing for an additional 449 yards and six scores. “When I first got here, I wasn’t expecting to play with three guys in front of me. When I first came in, it was kind of, ‘I’ve got nothing to lose,’ ” Myers said. “It wasn’t like they could play somebody else, so it was ‘Do what you can do.’ Now you’re the man. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I want to be perfect — be the best quarterback in the Mountain West. That’s what I asked for signing up for this position.” Myers will have returning starter Ron’quaion Tarver at wide receiver along with experienced receiver Jaren Colston-Green as targets. The tight end spot is also one of strength with Dax Raymond back from injury. Senior Tonny Lindsey Jr. is back at running back after rushing for 763 yards in 2016. He will join senior LaJuan Hunt, a four-year player with starting experience during his career.Montana St. at Washington St. College Football Odds & Pick for Week 1
Utah State Aggies Defense Analysis
Defensively, Utah State ranked a discouraging 73rd in the country last year, allowing 29.3 points per game. Linebacker Dallin Leavitt returns after recording 57 tackles, but Wells has question marks at all three levels that he needs to answer in a hurry this season. “We’re rebuilding the offensive line right now,” Wells said about question marks still in the process of being answered. “Who exactly our D-line guys are, we know the names, but how are the rotations going to go? Who’s going to step up and continue to establish themselves?”Why bet the Wisconsin Badgers at -28?
After going 19-19 in three seasons at Pittsburgh, head coach Paul Chryst has been nothing short of outstanding in leading Wisconsin to a 10-3 mark in his first season two years ago before coming back to go 11-3 last season. While Wisconsin didn’t have the most explosive offense around in putting up 28.4 points per contest, the Badgers were absolutely phenomenal defensively as they held their opponents to just 15.6 points per game to rank fourth nationally.
Now, with quarterback Alex Hornibrook a year older and wiser, Wisconsin looks like they could very well challenge for the Big Ten title again in 2017 and a berth in the four-team College Football Playoff.
“I’ve never really felt big pressure hanging over me,” Hornibrook said. “There’s probably more expectations, but that’s not always a bad thing.” Now, after attending the Peyton and Eli Manning passing camp this summer, Hornibrook feels like he’s going to be at his very best in 2017.
Wisconsin Badgers Defense Analysis
Defensively, the Badgers were outstanding in limiting the opposition to just 15.6 points per game to rank fourth in the country in points allowed. While Wisconsin will have to replace linebacker T.J. Watt, there is still an absundance of talent for Chryst to work with, starting with linebackers T.J. Edwards and Garret Dooley had 3.5 sacks and safety D’Cota Dixon. “One thing from Peyton that I wanted to learn more about was the way he watched film,” Hornibrook said. “Obviously, that was one thing that’s helped him out in his preparation. That’s what he’s known for. So I could kind of dive into his mind and see what some of the things that he did were.” Hornibrook will look early and often to gifted tight end Troy Fumagalli and No.1 wideout Jazz Peavy, but the Badgers lost their top two running backs from last season.NCAAF Week 1 Odds Trends
- Utah State is 0-5 ATS in the last 5 games
- Utah State is 0-5 SU in the last 5 games
- The total went OVER in 5 of Utah State’s last 7 games
- Wisconsin is 11-3-2 ATS in the last 16 games
- Wisconsin is 7-1 SU in the last 8 games
- The total went OVER in 4 of Wisconsin’s last 5 games
