FILE - In this Thursday Sept. 30, 2021, file photo Zach Young, of New Haven, Conn., places a bet at one of the new sports wagering kiosks at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. (AP Photo/Susan Haigh, File)
Welcome to a new weekly feature on the Hotline, an early look at the betting lines and point totals for upcoming Pac-12 games.
It will appear in this space each Monday morning throughout the season, with our picks (against the spread) publishing every Wednesday.
Not only was sports wagering deemed legal by the Supreme Court in 2018, it’s playing an increasingly large role in college football as the Pac-12 and other conferences determine how to best monetize the data.
The information below is provided for entertainment purposes only (unless it’s not).
All times Pacific. Over/Under in parenthesis.
*** Note: Games against FCS opponents not included (Washington, Oregon, Utah and UCLA).
Colorado at Air Force
Line: Colorado +17.5 (45.5)
Comment: Deeply telling about the perceived state of the CU program that it would be a underdog against a Mountain West team. Air Force, which beat the Buffaloes three years ago (in overtime), is 6-3 against the spread in its last nine games against the Pac-12.
Washington State at Wisconsin
Line: WSU +18.5 (46.5)
Comment: Of course Wisconsin has an elite tailback: The latest in the lineage is Braelon Allen, who rushed for 1,300 yards last season. The Cougars are 4-1 against the spread in their past five road games.
UNLV at Cal
Line: Cal -13.5 (50.5)
Comment: UNLV opened against Idaho State on Week Zero and has had two weeks to prepare for the Bears. Cal is 6-2 against the spread since the middle of last season.
Arizona State at Oklahoma State
Line: ASU +11.5 (54.5)
Comment: The Cowboys return seven offensive starters, including quarterback Spencer Sanders, from a team that won 12 games last season. ASU is 1-4 against the spread in its last five road games.
USC at Stanford
Line: USC -9.5 (65.5)
Comment: Terrific quarterback duel between USC’s Caleb Williams and Stanford’s Tanner McKee, perhaps the best NFL prospect in the Pac-12. The The Trojans are 3-7 against the spread in their past 10 conference openers — many of them against Stanford on the second week of the season.
Oregon State at Fresno State
Line: Oregon State +1.5 (60.5)
Comment: We anticipate OSU coach Jonathan Smith relying on his ground game to control the clock in what should be a hot, hostile environment. Four of the Beavers’ last five games have gone Under the total.
Mississippi State at Arizona
Line: Arizona +8.5 (61.5)
Comment: The last time MSU coach Mike Leach set foot in Tucson, with Washington State in 2017, there were 95 points scored — and his Cougars won by three touchdowns. This should be much, much closer. But the total? Feels low.
*** Lines taken from BetMGM. Statistics and trends taken from Phil Steele Magazine and oddsshark.com
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Originally published at Jon Wilner