The pick: Why Washington State will beat Colorado State

PULLMAN – The Washington State Cougars have momentum at their backs coming off their big road win over a ranked Wisconsin team. The Colorado State Rams are hoping to spoil the fun.

Can CSU catch the Cougars napping one week after their emotional, physically demanding victory in Madison? Could this be a trap game for WSU? Seems unlikely.

The Cougars (2-0) are heavy favorites at home and should have plenty of advantages over the struggling Rams.

WSU’s defense has had an exceptional start to the year, spearheaded by a disruptive defensive front. CSU’s offensive line is vulnerable after both of its starting tackles sustained injuries last week.

The Rams have surrendered 16 sacks this season – more than any team in the FBS. Meanwhile, the Cougars feature superior depth at their edge-rushing positions.

“We see that as a weakness and we need to make sure we go out there with our best stuff and really attack this team,” WSU edge Brennan Jackson said.

WSU’s Air Raid offense hasn’t been great early this season, but it’s been much more efficient than the Rams’ Air Raid, which stumbled in blowout losses to Michigan and Middle Tennessee State.

The teams’ offensive strategies and defensive ideologies are similar. The Cougars and Rams share several coaching connections. So, outscheming the opponent might be difficult this weekend. In this case, expect talent to win out.

CSU will have trouble sustaining drives against the Cougars’ veteran D-line and blitzing linebackers. That will allow WSU’s offense to settle into a rhythm after two hit-and-miss weeks. The Cougars find cracks in the Rams’ inconsistent secondary and pull away comfortably by the fourth quarter.

The pick: Washington State 38, Colorado State 10