Boise State heads to Western Michigan on Saturday as the betting market gives the Broncos a clear edge in a game with College Football Playoff implications.
DraftKings Sportsbook listed Boise State as a seven-point favorite on the road Monday morning, a slight move from the 7.5-point spread that opened Sunday. The moneyline has Boise State at -290 and Western Michigan at +235, with the over/under sitting at 48.5 points.
Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. Mountain time at Waldo Stadium, and the game will air nationally on ESPN2.
Both teams come in at 2-1 overall and 0-0 in conference play. Boise State has covered the spread in two of its three games, and Western Michigan has done the same.
Western Michigan’s season has already produced plenty of drama. After an 0-3 start last year, the Broncos rallied to win the MAC title, the program’s first since 2016, and finished 10-4 overall.
This fall, they opened with one of the most talked-about games of Week 1, a 13-12 loss at No. 18 Michigan that ended on a controversial walk-off 47-yard Hail Mary after the Wolverines were awarded an extra play because of a stadium clock synchronization error.
The Broncos have since steadied themselves with wins over Monmouth and Rice. They enter the week with the ninth-best odds to make the CFP among Group of Six teams at +2500.
Boise State’s path has been similarly tough early on. The Broncos opened with a competitive road loss to No.
20 Oregon before beating Memphis 38-20 and South Dakota 38-24. Boise State currently leads the Group of Six in DraftKings CFP odds at +230.
Saturday’s matchup is one of several early Pac-12 games on the board. All eight Pac-12 teams are scheduled to play, and as of Monday morning there was no betting line for Incarnate Word at Texas State.
Early lines for the week include San Diego State (+2.5) at Toledo, Arizona at Washington State (+10), Troy at Utah State (-2.5), and Oregon State (-10.5) at UTEP.
Boise State at Western Michigan is set for Saturday, Sept. 26.
In Other News...
Boise State Heads Into Western Michigan With Troubling Lineup Questions
Boise State left its win over South Dakota with the kind of lingering concerns that can follow a solid afternoon on the scoreboard. The Broncos handled the Coyotes 38-24, but the injury list grew long enough to make the next week feel a lot less comfortable, with running back Sire Gaines, offensive guard Roger Carreon and edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan all leaving the game hurt.
Head coach Spencer Danielson said Gaines is still being evaluated, and his availability for the upcoming trip to Western Michigan is uncertain. Boise State is already working without starting safety Derek Ganter Jr., so the Broncos are suddenly dealing with lineup questions on both sides of the ball as they try to keep their early-season momentum intact. [Read more 🡒]