Welcome the Hotline’s weekly picks against the point spread, published Thursdays throughout the regular season with a focus on the top games nationally and the most intriguing matchups across the West. Last week, we were 9-5. Lines are courtesy of vegasinsider.com. Picks are for entertainment purposes only … unless they aren’t.
The penultimate weekend of the regular season brings a slew of Senior Day appearances, but that description isn’t limited to players appearing at home for the final time.
The Hotline wonders about two coaches and a stadium that have helped define college football across the region.
— Colorado coach Deion Sanders
The third-year coach has been a towering presence since arriving in Boulder prior to the 2023 season. But he has experienced serious health issues, his sons have moved on, his team is struggling, his athletic director (Rick George) is stepping down and the general trajectory of his program is downward. The Buffaloes, who won’t be bowling this season, host Arizona State on Saturday and finish at Kansas State. Could Sanders be making his final appearance on the Folsom Field sideline? We would not be surprised.
— Utah coach Kyle Whittingham
Whittingham’s retirement celebration was originally planned, at least in theory, for December 2024. Utah’s brutal first tour through the Big 12 caused a delay, but for how long? We suspect this season has gone well enough that Whittingham feels comfortable stepping down — that his standard for success has been met. And if that’s the case, a future Hall of Fame coach who has led the Utes for two decades will be making his final appearance in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
— UCLA in the Rose Bowl
The Bruins purportedly want to leave their longtime home and move to SoFi Stadium. It’s such a colossally bad idea that we suspect UCLA is using the threat of moving to force the Rose Bowl and City of Pasadena to renegotiate the lease. But given the circumstances, and with the Bruins finishing their season in the Coliseum next weekend, the Hotline feels compelled to type the following sentence: UCLA’s date with Washington on Saturday night could be the final regular-season game played in the Rose Bowl. Unreal.
To the picks …
Season record: 63-66-1 (49%)Five-star special: 6-6
(All times Pacific)
Missouri (+7.5) at OklahomaKickoff: 9 a.m. on ABCComment: Look for the Sooners to take a swing through Letdown City after their breakthrough victory at Alabama and subsequent jump into the top 10 of the playoff rankings. Should be close until the final minutes. Pick: Missouri
Washington State (+13.5) at James MadisonKickoff: 10 a.m. on ESPN+Comment: Prior trips to Mississippi and Virginia prepared the Cougars well for this demanding assignment, but James Madison won’t take the Cougars as lightly as either of their Power Four foes did. WSU needs one win to secure a bowl berth; it will have to come next week in the finale against Oregon State. Pick: James Madison
Baylor (+6.5) at ArizonaKickoff: 10 a.m. on TNTComment: One team is staggering to the finish, the other is soaring. We expect the Wildcats to dominate in their final home game against a visitor that just lost badly to the same opponent (Cincinnati) the Wildcats beat last weekend. Baylor coach Dave Aranda’s uncertain future merely adds to the dark skies over Waco. The Over (62.5) is also enticing. Pick: Arizona
USC (+9.5) at OregonKickoff: 12:30 p.m. on CBSComment: Until the Trojans prove themselves capable of keeping pace on the road with an elite opponent — Nebraska doesn’t count as elite — we remain somewhat skeptical. And yet, another possibility exists: That Oregon isn’t as good as the hype. After all, the Ducks lost decisively at home to the only first-rate opponent they have faced (Indiana). Pick: USC
Kansas State (+17.5) at UtahKickoff: 1 p.m. on ESPN2Comment: The CFP selection committee’s metrics love the Utes, in part because they obliterate second- and third-tier opponents without fail. (None of their eight wins have been remotely close.) Does Kansas State qualify as a second-tier opponent? Absolutely. Is another wipeout coming? Absolutely. Pick: Utah
Cal (-3) at StanfordKickoff: 4:30 p.m. on ACC NetworkComment: One of the few rivalry games on what used to be rivalry weekend features a bowl-eligible visitor that often plays down to the level of its competition and a bowl-ineligible host that performs respectably at home. Add the anything-goes nature of this series over its 128-game history, and we expect a bit of mayhem. Pick: Stanford
BYU (-2.5) at CincinnatiKickoff: 5 p.m. on FoxComment: The most consequential game in the Big 12 this week features the Cougars on the brink of a berth in the conference championship. Their established formula for success (physical lines, limited mistakes and a stout running game) should work well against the Bearcats, who are headed in reverse at just the wrong time. Pick: BYU
Arizona State (-7) at ColoradoKickoff: 5 p.m. on ESPN2Comment: ASU’s five conference victories have come by an average of 3.4 points, with the Sun Devils scoring no fewer than 24 and no more than 27 in each. We expect something similar here with CU, despite its recent struggles, playing well following a bye. Pick: Colorado
Washington (-10.5) at UCLAKickoff: 7:30 p.m. on NBCComment: The Huskies have been awful on the road, but the Bruins have not been awful at home — at least not since the coaching change. Add the emotional component of Senior Day, and this should be close throughout. In fact, there’s a better chance the Huskies lose the game than cover the spread. Pick: UCLA
Utah State (+3) at Fresno StateKickoff: 7:30 p.m. on CBS Sports NetworkComment: A huge opportunity for the Aggies, who need one win to secure a bowl berth and play Boise State next week. But they are catching the Bulldogs at precisely the wrong time: in the middle of their drive for a berth in the Mountain West title game. Pick: Fresno State
Straight-up winners: Oklahoma, James Madison, Arizona, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, BYU, Arizona State, UCLA and Fresno State
Five-star special: UCLA. Clearly, the oddsmakers were on vacation when Washington lost at Wisconsin.
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