California vs. Utah Betting Line at Utes -7.5
Carrie Stroup here with your California vs. Utah betting line Sportsbook.ag Line: Utah -7.5, Total: 62
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (5-0) at UTAH UTES (4-0)
The last two unbeaten teams in the Pac-12 will square off on Saturday night when No. 5 Utah entertains No. 23 California.
The Golden Bears (3-2 ATS) are a perfect 5-0 SU, but they have won each of their past three games by six points or less, including eking out a 34-28 home victory over 17-point underdog Washington State last Saturday. The Utes (3-1 ATS) have won by an increasingly greater margin each week with victories by seven versus Michigan, 10 versus Utah State, 21 at Fresno State and an eye-popping 42 as a 10-point underdog at Oregon in their most recent game on Sept. 26. These conference foes haven't met since 2012 when Utah rolled to a 49-27 home win as a slight 2-point favorite.
Cal has loved the road underdog role in the past two years, going 6-0 ATS with 40.2 PPG in this scenario, and also benefit from opposing head coach Kyle Whittingham's 7-23 ATS mark when favored by 3.5 to 10 points with Utah. However, bettors for the Utes can point to Sonny Dykes' 0-6 ATS record and minus-31.7 PPG margin versus top-level teams (win pct above 75%) as the Bears head coach, and also that road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points off two straight conference wins facing an opponent coming off a double-digit road win are just 10-42 ATS in the past 10 seasons.
While Cal has only one new injury in DT Mustafa Jalil (knee), Utah has two players designated as questionable -- WR Tim Patrick (undisclosed) and TE Evan Moeai (leg) -- while DE Hunter Dimick (knee) is probable.
California's fast-paced offense is averaging a lofty 43.4 PPG and 528 total YPG season. Superstar QB Jared Goff has already thrown for 1,630 yards (326 YPG) on 70% completions and 9.2 YPA with 15 TD and only 4 INT. The 6-foot-4 junior has thrown at least 2 TD in all five games with his only negative being eight sacks absorbed in two conference games.
His top receiver has been junior WR Kenny Lawler (399 rec yds), who has exploded for back-to-back 100-yard games since Pac-12 play began and already has eight receiving touchdowns, including three games with at least 2 TD grabs.
The Bears also do a nice job of mixing in the run, gaining 169 YPG on 4.3 YPC. Junior RB Khalfani Muhammad is elusive at 5-foot-9, 170-pounds and leads the team with 350 rushing yards on an impressive 9.0 YPC. Sophomore RB Vic Enwere provides the power with his 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame, scoring 5 TD and showing a nice burst with a season-high 42-yard gain last week.
Defensively, the Bears have limited teams to 23.4 PPG and 387 YPG, but have some shortcomings in the secondary that has surrendered 250 passing YPG on 7.3 YPA. However, the run-stop unit has been solid with allowing just 137 rushing YPG on 3.8 YPC. A big reason the points allowed is so low is because of an opportunistic defense that has forced an astounding 18 turnovers in five games. The Utes haven't turned the ball over much though, with just four giveaways in four contests.
Utah's offense continues to improve throughout the year with averages of 38.7 PPG and 394 total YPG. The team has possessed the football for an impressive average of 34:18 and has produced 22.0 first downs per game. Senior QB Travis Wilson has completed 68% of his passes for a middling 513 yards (171 YPG), 6.8 YPA, 4 TD and 1 INT this year. But Wilson was sensational in his team's last game in Eugene, torching Oregon for 327 total yards (227 pass, 100 rush) and five touchdowns (4 pass, 1 run).
WRs Caleb Repp and Britain Covey caught 2 TD passes each with Repp's pair of scores coming on his only two receptions this year. Covey leads the team with a modest 17 catches for 182 yards (10.7 avg). Leading ground gainer, RB Devontae Booker (443 rush yds, 4.2 YPC, 4 TD), ranks second on the team in both receptions (15) and receiving yards (149), and has been running particularly strong the past three games with at least 98 yards on the ground in all three contests.
The Utah defense has held all four opponents to 24 points or less, allowing only 18.7 PPG and 373 total YPG. The opposition has gained 238 passing YPG (6.7 YPA) and 135 rushing YPG (4.1 YPC), and turnovers have been a huge boost to this unit. The Utes have forced multiple turnovers in all four games, totaling 11 takeaways.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
