College Football Predictions – Utah Utes will dominate Cyclones

Injury recovery works out nice when that bye week shows up for the team and my College Football Predictions.

These Utes should have no problem moving up the College Football Power Poll this week after disposing of this mini Cyclone.

#10 Utah Utes (4-0) at Iowa State Cyclones (3-2)

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Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7:00 p.m. ET on FCS
Jack Trice Stadium (formerly Field) (55,000) – Ames, Iowa

NCAAF Betting Lines:

#10 Utah Utes (3-0-1 ATS) -6 (ML -240)
Iowa State Cyclones (3-2 ATS) +6 (+200)
Over/Under Game Total – 54 ½

Utah is 4-0 this year including an opening win against Pittsburgh 27-24. They destroyed San Jose State 56-3 last game 2 weeks ago and start their conference schedule next week. Utah is averaging 44.3 points a game good enough for 6th in the nation thus far.

Utah has a seventh ranked defense overall, so the Cyclones better bring their A game. The Utes are looking for a high scoring game by their quarterback Wynn and let the defense show why they’re ranked in the top 10.

Jordan Wynn came back from an injured thumb with no problem two weeks ago completing 78% of his passes with 2 touchdowns in less than three quarters against San Jose State. He has some solace in the fact that offensive line of his has only given up one sack all year.

Utah hasn’t had a game with a Big 12 opponent since 2004 which may be the only intangible in Iowa State’s favor.

Iowa State Coach Paul Rhoads thinks of this as a marquee game because of the competition level. He may as well build the team up that’s going to enjoy their return to the Big 12 competition.

The good news for the Cyclones is that they lead this series against the Utes 4-0. The bad news is that the last meeting was in 1976. The guys that played on those teams already have sons that could be retiring from the NFL if they’re still playing.

The Cyclones’ quarterback Austen Arnaud returned to play last week from a slight shoulder injury a week earlier. He seems to have no problem going 20 for 28 and 190 yards with 4 touchdowns in Iowa State’s 52-38 win over Texas Tech.

Paul Rhoads was pleased after last week’s completion of what he calls playing a complete game. They even had a season high 251 yards rushing last week. He’s pumped and ready for his team to deliver this week against the Utes, but this is a different beast than Texas Tech is.

The Cyclones overall offense is ranked towards the bottom at 89, and the defense almost as low at a lowly 80th in the nation. This is going to be a tough game to win for the Cyclones.

The College Football Predictions on this game all favor the Utah Utes. Iowa State played a career game last week that doesn’t match up to Utah’s average game.

The only question I believe is how small the number of points Iowa State scores is. I can’t make one of my College Football Predictions on the Over 54½ because of the Cyclones lack of scoring ability, but I have a STRONG play on taking the Utah Utes -6 with an ease about this blowout.