It's Halloween night in Fresno, with rain in the forecast and an 8 PM kickoff. Oregon State brings a five-game win streak into Valley Children's Stadium and can claim a share of first place in the Pac-12 with a win. Fresno State is trying to avoid its third straight loss. I'm laying the points with the Beavers. Fresno hasn't shown it can stop a passing attack like this one. Braden Atkinson has thrown for 300-plus yards in seven straight games, with 24 touchdowns and two interceptions. Jesse Legree has topped 100 receiving yards in every game. Fresno's defense is going the wrong way: one sack in its last two games, no takeaways against Boise State, and 5.7 yards per carry allowed over that span. The only time the Bulldogs faced an offense like this, USC completed 29 of 31 passes for 412 yards in a 39-0 rout. Safety Ethan Tierney (two interceptions) is questionable, and defensive end Jahzon Jacks has reportedly landed on the injury report. Fresno can't keep up in a touchdown race. Oregon State has scored touchdowns on 25 of 30 red-zone trips. Fresno is 16 of 27, including 2 of 7 at Washington State. Jayden Mandal averages 199 passing yards a game and took six sacks at San Diego State. Manaki Watanabe's leg is a weapon, but field goals won't keep pace with a team scoring 51 a game during its streak. The common opponents back it up. Oregon State crushed San Diego State 66-14, while Fresno lost there 26-23. Washington State is a wash. Nothing in the schedule tilts it. Both teams had 13 days off, and the trip stays in the same time zone. Oregon State's injured defensive backs and linebacker were already out for much of the streak, and cornerback TJ Crandall is expected back. The spread helps too. Every Oregon State win this year came by 18 or more, and a seven-point win covers. Boise State, tied with Oregon State atop the league, won in Fresno by exactly seven. The risk is the rain. A wet ball and a shorter game help the underdog, and Fresno has held the ball more than 31 minutes in two of its last three games. But the wind will be light, and Atkinson threw for 347 in a rain shower against Washington State. Neither starting quarterback is officially confirmed. If Atkinson isn't under center, I'm off this.
It's Halloween night in Fresno, with rain in the forecast and an 8 PM kickoff. Oregon State brings a five-game win streak into Valley Children's Stadium and can claim a share of first place in the Pac-12 with a win. Fresno State is trying to avoid its third straight loss. I'm laying the points with the Beavers.
Fresno hasn't shown it can stop a passing attack like this one. Braden Atkinson has thrown for 300-plus yards in seven straight games, with 24 touchdowns and two interceptions. Jesse Legree has topped 100 receiving yards in every game. Fresno's defense is going the wrong way: one sack in its last two games, no takeaways against Boise State, and 5.7 yards per carry allowed over that span. The only time the Bulldogs faced an offense like this, USC completed 29 of 31 passes for 412 yards in a 39-0 rout. Safety Ethan Tierney (two interceptions) is questionable, and defensive end Jahzon Jacks has reportedly landed on the injury report.
Fresno can't keep up in a touchdown race. Oregon State has scored touchdowns on 25 of 30 red-zone trips. Fresno is 16 of 27, including 2 of 7 at Washington State. Jayden Mandal averages 199 passing yards a game and took six sacks at San Diego State. Manaki Watanabe's leg is a weapon, but field goals won't keep pace with a team scoring 51 a game during its streak.
The common opponents back it up. Oregon State crushed San Diego State 66-14, while Fresno lost there 26-23. Washington State is a wash.
Nothing in the schedule tilts it. Both teams had 13 days off, and the trip stays in the same time zone. Oregon State's injured defensive backs and linebacker were already out for much of the streak, and cornerback TJ Crandall is expected back.
The spread helps too. Every Oregon State win this year came by 18 or more, and a seven-point win covers. Boise State, tied with Oregon State atop the league, won in Fresno by exactly seven.
The risk is the rain. A wet ball and a shorter game help the underdog, and Fresno has held the ball more than 31 minutes in two of its last three games. But the wind will be light, and Atkinson threw for 347 in a rain shower against Washington State. Neither starting quarterback is officially confirmed. If Atkinson isn't under center, I'm off this.
Oregon State -6.5