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The Arizona State Sun Devils take on the BYU Cougars in Provo, Utah. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. EDT on FOX.
BYU is favored by -16.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -750. The total is set at 48.5 points.
Here’s my Arizona State vs. BYU prediction and college football pick for Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Arizona State vs BYU Prediction
- Arizona State vs. BYU Pick: Under 48.5
My BYU vs. Arizona State best bet is on the points total under. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Arizona State vs BYU Odds
| Arizona St Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+16.5 -109 | 48.5 -109o / -112u | +550 |
| BYU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-16.5 -111 | 48.5 -109o / -112u | -750 |
- Arizona State vs BYU point spread: BYU -16.5 (-111 ), Arizona State +16.5 (-109)
- Arizona State vs BYU over/under: 48.5 (-109o / -112u)
- Arizona State vs BYU moneyline: Arizona State +550, BYU -750
Arizona State vs BYU College Football Preview
Arizona State Sun Devils Betting Preview: Question Marks Over the Offense
Even with a carousel at quarterback, Arizona State still secured a win over Kansas State, keeping them in contention for a bowl. Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, question marks will continue to loom over the offense heading into Saturday, with Mickey Keene listed as questionable on the injury report.
While Dillingham has made it clear Keene will be the starter if healthy, Jake Fette will take over if the Arizona State quarterback is unable to suit up. Whether it is Keene or Fette, both signal callers have struggled to elevate the Sun Devils, leading an offense that ranks 74th in Success Rate, 75th in Points per Opportunity, and 121st in Havoc Allowed.
Fortunately for Arizona State, Cardae Mack has kept the Sun Devils ahead of the sticks, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. An impressive feat when factoring in the lack of production he receives from his quarterbacks, allowing opposing defenses to stack the box at a high rate with no fear of getting burnt through the air.
On the other side of the ball, Arizona State has been far more consistent on defense, entering Week 9 ranked above league average in Success Rate, Explosiveness, Finishing Drives, and Havoc. With the offense struggling to find its footing, the defense will need to continue playing at a competitive level to reduce the amount of variance they must overcome.
BYU Cougars Betting Preview: Still In Control of Their Destiny
In the ultimate let-down spot, BYU was unable to overcome the bounce house, losing to UCF 38-31 in double overtime. Even with their loss, the Cougars are still in control of their own destiny regarding the Big 12 championship, needing to win out to leap back over Utah, Arizona, and Texas Tech in the conference standings.
When firing on all cylinders, BYU has been dynamic on offense, ranking in the top-20 in Success Rate, Finishing Drives, and Havoc Allowed. Bear Bachmeier’s dual-threat ability makes it difficult for opposing linebackers to hold their own in coverage, forcing them to spy on the outside and freeing up more room on the backend for the Cougars' pass catchers to exploit.
LJ Martin is also trending towards playing after sitting out the past few weeks with an injury, giving BYU a massive boost in production. When healthy, Martin was able to consistently cut the distance to gain in half, averaging nearly eight yards per carry. Even if Martin is on a restricted snap count, his presence in the backfield will pull defensive attention to the middle, creating more space on the outside for Bachemier to take off and run.
With Utah on deck, BYU may resort to a more conservative playbook, putting more pressure on the defense to keep the Cougars competitive. While BYU is certainly capable of neutralizing Arizona State, the Cougars have been trending in the wrong direction on passing downs, plummeting to 95th in Pass Down Success Rate.
Arizona State vs BYU Pick, Betting Analysis
While the Cougars' regression on defense is certainly alarming, Keene does not possess the arm talent that is needed to pick apart their coverage. Fette has fared even worse in his efforts to stretch the field in his brief appearance under center, completing just 50% of his passes while averaging 7.3 yards per attempt.
With BYU’s secondary holding their own in single coverage, the Cougars will be able to shade their linebackers to the middle and neutralize Mack’s legs before he can break free from the trenches. With more bodies spread across the line to gain, Mack will be forced to fight off contact in the backfield, resulting in minimal gains on each carry.
When on offense, BYU will be reliant on Bachmeier’s legs to keep the offense marching down the field, countering a secondary that has quietly excelled in coverage, as evidenced by Arizona State’s top-30 mark in Def Pass EPA Allowed per play. While Bachmeier should have no issue with staying ahead of the sticks, each rush attempt will keep the clock running, chipping away at the total number of scoring opportunities.
With a massive matchup against Utah looming, BYU’s conservative approach in a situational spot will turn this Big 12 tilt into a defensive slugfest, keeping the score under the 48.5 total. If the spread climbs to +17, diversify your risk by placing a half-unit on the Sun Devils to cover the number as well.
Pick: Under 48.5
