Week 2 College Football Betting Preview: Idaho Vandals vs. Wyoming Cowboys

Idaho-Wyoming
Sept 7, 2013 at 4 PM EST
Line: WY -28
M/L: WY -6000, IDH +2750
O/U: 65.5

Odds courtesy of 5dimes

Idaho dropped their week one matchup to North Texas 40-6 and gave up 349 passing yards to Derek Thompson. Idaho had 11 penalties for 95 yards and it was a bleak note to start the season for Paul Petrino. The team won just one game last season and is working on establishing a better ground game because the team averaged just 90.5 yards per game rushing last season. 134 yards in week one was, indeed, an improvement in that area.

Jerrel Brown rushed for 70 yards and the 6’0″ 220 lb junior had a 47 yard run in the game. The team did lose its top six tacklers from last season, but it wasn’t a good defense last year, anyway (197 yards rushing, 275 yards passing per game). The Vandals have a lot of areas to improve in general, and that is a big reason why college football oddsmakers find the Vandals to be 28 point underdogs in week two against Wyoming.

Wyoming went just 4-8 last seasons, and fifth year coach Dave Christensen is looking to get the program back on track after having finished 8-5 in 2011. The defense last year was pitiful, but Idaho won’t be much of a test even for the Cowboys’ “D.” Junior QB Brett Smith is talented and began the 2013 season on a big note with 383 yards and four TDs. Smith had 3,085 total yards last year, despite missing two games with an injury.

The Cowboys receiving corp is very good, and all indications are that the team has three options running the ball which can wreak devastation: Brandon Miller, Smith and Shaun Wick. Wick led the team in rush yardage in week one with 101 yards and an average of 8.4 yards per carry. Expect the Cowboys to just run this one down the throat of Idaho, who simply doesn’t have the tacklers or strength to prevent a lot of big plays.

IDAHO

0-4-1 ATS in last 5 on turf, 1-9 ATS in last 10 non conf, 1-8 ATS in last 9 after allowing 280+ total yards

WYO

5-0 ATS vs teams with losing records, UNDER 6-1 in last 7 after accumulating 280+ yards previous game, OVER 5-1 in last 6 after allowing 450+ total yards previous game.