An intriguing intra-conference showdown is on tap for Saturday. #18 Virginia is enjoying one of its best seasons in recent memory, with a real shot at winning the ACC. Tonight, the Cavaliers will host 3-3 Washington State. Despite their middling record, the Cougars nearly pulled off an impressive upset last weekend vs. Ole Miss.
Can Wazzu shock the college football world this weekend in Charlottesville? Below is my prediction and pick for College Football Week 8’s game between the Washington State Cougars and the Virginia Cavaliers.
Virginia enters this contest as 17.5-point favorites (-112) over Washington State, with the over/under set at 55.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cavaliers are favored at -1000 on the moneyline.
Washington State vs. Virginia prediction, preview
At 5-1, it’s been a terrific start to the season for UVA. That includes impressive overtime wins over Florida State and Louisville, two legitimate ACC contenders. This week’s non-conference matchup appears to give the Hoos a decisive advantage. Playing in front of what should be a raucous crowd, Virginia should carry over some momentum from the past two weeks.
With that being said, winning games in OT isn’t sustainable. A better showing from the Cavaliers is needed on defense. Virginia has surrendered 65 combined points over its past two games. Fortunately, UVA also has the nation’s eighth-highest scoring offense (43.0 PPG). It all starts with quarterback Chandler Morris, one of the ACC’s top passers. Through six games, the senior has thrown for 1,428 yards, 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He has a pair of top targets in wide receivers Trell Harris (384 rec. yards) and Cameron Ross (329). In addition, the Cavs possess a stellar running back in J’Mari Taylor (465 yds, eight TD).
That’s a ton of firepower for any team to deal with. However, Washington State’s strength is its defense. The Coogs are allowing 374.2 yards per game, the nation’s 63rd-best mark. Last week, they managed to hold a dynamic Ole Miss offense to just 24 points on the road. A similar effort will be needed this week against another high-scoring squad. Defensive end Isaac Terrell should play a big role for Wazzu; he leads the team with 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Offense is a bit of a question mark for the visitors. Still, this unit has improved since Zevi Eckhaus took over at quarterback. Over his last three games under center, the senior has thrown for 686 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. A bigger issue is running back, where no Cougars player is averaging more than 40.7 rushing yards per game. Starter Kirby Vorhees enjoyed his best game of the season last week, rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown. Could we see a similar performance this evening from the sophomore?
Washington State vs. Virginia pick, best bet
Last week’s upset bid, while impressive, was unexpected from Wazzu. As a member of the depleted Pac-12, this isn’t a program that attracts a ton of high-end talent. That makes it difficult to believe they’ve truly turned a corner. Without a consistent pass or run game, you shouldn’t trust the Cougars on offense. In comparison, Virginia’s abundance of weapons makes them a dark horse CFP contender. Don’t be shocked if the Cavaliers jump out to a big lead tonight.
