The pick: Why Virginia will beat Washington State

Generally speaking, Washington State players should like where they are at the moment. Their offense is finding a rhythm. Their defense is establishing itself as a force. They might not have been able to take down an SEC power last week, but being in position to do so in crunch time speaks volumes.

It speaks volumes about their coaches, who are identifying the right players to play at skill positions. It speaks volumes about the players themselves, who are developing at the kind of rate that allows them to keep their team in these kinds of games.

None of that should change on Saturday night, when we’re predicting WSU will take a loss to No. 18 Virginia on the road. The Cougars are 17.5-point underdogs, and maybe for good reason: They’re playing an ACC power, more than 2,000 miles away from home, and they don’t have the resources that the Cavaliers have.

So even if WSU does take a setback to Virginia, whose robust rushing attack figures to pose a real challenge to a Cougar defense that ranks near the bottom of the country in tackling, Washington State shouldn’t feel discouraged. Only if something catastrophic unfolds – think North Texas, the sequel – should the Cougars look to pull a 180.

WSU’s schedule lightens up after this, playing two of three games at home, including a road matchup against a winless opponent. Those are games the Cougs should be favored, and they’ll likely win. They can use those to angle themselves toward bowl eligibility, which they remain in good position for, even with a loss to the Hoos.

The pick: Virginia 28, WSU 17