Houston vs. Utah Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 8

A massive game in the Big 12 is set to take place in Week 8 of the college football season when No. 14 Houston takes on No. 10 Utah.

With BYU and Texas Tech both sporting undefeated records, the loser of this game is in danger of falling out of contention for the Big 12 Championship Game, especially for the Cougars, who already have a conference loss on their record.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this marquee matchup.

Houston vs. Utah Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

Houston +6.5 (-108)
Utah -6.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Houston +200
Utah -235

Total

OVER 56.5 (-110)
UNDER 56.5 (-110)

Houston vs. Utah How to Watch

Date: Saturday, October 24
Time: 10:15 pm ET
Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Houston record: 6-1 (3-1 in Big 12)
Utah record: 6-0 (3-0 in Big 12)

Houston vs. Utah Betting Trends

Houston is 3-4 against the spread this season
The OVER is 5-2 in Houston games this season
Utah is 5-1 against the spread this season
The OVER is 4-2 in Utah games this season

Houston vs. Utah Key Player to Watch

Devon Dampier, QB - Utah Utes

Devon Dampier is a big reason why Utah is undefeated at this point in the season. He has completed 68.6% of passes for 1,412 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. He has also added 198 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Utes will go as far as Dampier takes them this season.

Houston vs. Utah Prediction and Best Bet

The unit that sticks out to me in this game is the Houston defense, which has struggled at times this season. The Cougars rank 81st in defensive success rate and 111th in opponent EPA per play. They're going to struggle against a Utah offense that has been fantastic this season, including ranking 14th in adjusted EPA per play.

Utah is one of the most well-balanced teams in the Big 12. They don't do anything at an elite level, but they do everything extremely well, a rarity at the college level. They won't be able to beat the best teams in college football, but they're well-suited to beat teams like Houston, which has a weakness the Utes can exploit.

I'll back Utah as a home favorite in this marquee showdown.

Pick: Utah -6.5 (-110) via BetMGM

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