The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Washington Huskies in Seattle, Washington, on Friday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET on FS1.
Washington is favored by 10.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -425. Rutgers, meanwhile, is a +325 underdog on the moneyline. The over/under sits at 59.5 points.
Here’s my Rutgers vs. Washington prediction and college football picks for Friday, October 10.
Rutgers vs Washington Prediction
- Rutgers vs. Washington Pick: Washington 2H -5.5
My Washington vs. Rutgers best bet is on the Huskies to cover the second-half spread at home. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Rutgers vs Washington Odds
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10.5 -110 | 59.5 -110o / -110u | +325 |
| Washington Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10.5 -110 | 59.5 -110o / -110u | -425 |
- Rutgers vs Washington Spread: Washington -10.5, Rutgers +10.5
- Rutgers vs Washington Over/Under: 59.5 Points
- Rutgers vs Washington Moneyline: Rutgers +325, Washington -425
Rutgers vs Washington College Football Betting Preview
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview: Defensively Deficient
Something fundamentally changed about Rutgers following last year's bye week leading into November 2024.
Since then, the Scarlet Knights have averaged 33.9 points per game against FBS foes, but a porous defense has led to just a 5-4 record in those games.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis improved as a high-volume passer with late-game heroics against Illinois (2024) and Ohio (2025).
His trio of top receivers has been productive this season with Ian Strong, DT Sheffield and KJ Duff combining for over 1,200 yards and multiple touchdowns each.
But gone are the days of the grind-it-out Rutgers defense.
New coordinator Robb Smith has seen diminishing returns, ranking 118th in points per drive allowed and 115th in available yards allowed.
The defense doesn't create enough turnovers or sacks to make up for chunk yards gained by opposing offenses ranging from Ohio to Iowa and everywhere in between.
It should be mentioned that Rutgers defense is suffering from a few absences. Linebacker Moses Walker is out for the season due to an injury sustained in late September, and tackle Doug Blue-Eli was lost before the year started.
The Scarlet Knights' depth is being tested, and it's clear the talent isn't there. However, that's a compounding problem to the fact that Rutgers was defensively deficient to begin with.
Rutgers faces a tough stretch off the bye week. This week, it travels to Washington, then turns around and hosts Oregon. The next two weeks feature back-to-back road games at Illinois and Purdue.
Washington Huskies Betting Preview: 2nd-Half Success
Washington returns home at 4-1 after erasing a 20-point deficit at Maryland with 21 points scored in the fourth quarter. The arduous stretch continues, though, with two ranked foes (at Michigan, vs. Illinois) on deck after this week.
The win over Maryland came down to quarterback Demond Williams, who produced over 320 scrimmage yards.
Stud running back Jonah Coleman was held to a season-low 57 yards on the ground, but his 47 receiving yards (on eight receptions!) marks his fourth 100-yard outing from scrimmage this season. The lone game Coleman didn't gain 100 yards came against Ohio State, where he came up four yards short against the country's top defense.
Washington can rely on a sturdy offensive line to move the ball. However, starting left tackle Carver Willis missed the Maryland game due to injury, and his status for this game is unknown.
Without Willis, Williams took three sacks. However, his athleticism can, at times, neutralize the real impacts of missing a key pass blocker, and Rutgers' defensive front isn't the unit to expose the potential absence.
Defensively, there are some concerns.
Star cornerback Tacario Davis, UW's best defensive player, hasn't played since Week 2. EDGE Zach Durfee missed the Maryland game, too.
Late-down woes have made games a bit more interesting for Washington. The Huskies rank 111th in the FBS in late-down Success Rate and in the bottom 10 in late-down EPA per Play.
Late-game swings have been the name of the game for UW.
In Week 1, the Huskies were knotted at 14 with Colorado State (ranked 112th in FBS), covered its track against Washington State with 28 fourth-quarter points, and won thanks to the 21 points in the fourth this past week. Even its loss to Ohio State was tied 10-10 going into the fourth quarter.
Those browsing final scores may not fully realize the struggles Washington has had so far this year.
Rutgers vs Washington Pick, Betting Analysis
Washington opened as a -10 home favorite over Rutgers.
Two trends make Rutgers an interesting consideration:
- Rutgers is 8-0-1 against the spread coming off its last nine bye weeks (all under Greg Schiano)
- Rutgers is 36-22-3 ATS as a road 'dog under Schiano
Add in the bye week for the Scarlet Knights and the fact that Washington travels back across the country, and you're looking at a compelling argument to back Rutgers.
A look-ahead factor is unlikely for the Huskies, who survived a scare last week at Maryland, but this is Washington's third straight opponent with a rest advantage (and it gets one more in two weeks).
I'd rather back Washington's ability to finish games strong with a lethal offense against a bad defense. Rather than bank on a hot start for a team that has yet to get off to a hot start against an FBS team, I'm looking to back Washington in the second half.
Williams has a deep cast of weapons at his disposal.
That depth goes far beyond what Rutgers fields and isn't limited to NFL prospect Denzel Boston and electric slotman Omari Evans; Coleman is a threat in the receiving game, and Dezmen Roebuck is an emerging freshman talent.
There's a chance for precipitation Friday night, but early-week forecasts suggest the chance tapers off into the night. East Coast teams tend not to play well late into the night, while West Coast teams do the opposite early in the day. This is an example of the former.
Give me the Huskies to pull away late.
Pick: Washington 2H -5.5 (-110)
