The Washington State Cougars take on the Washington Huskies in Seattle, Washington. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.
Washington is favored by 23.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -2800. The total is set at 50.5 points.
Here’s my Washington State vs. Washington predictions and college football picks for Sunday, September 6, 2026.
Washington State vs Washington Prediction
- Washington State vs. Washington Pick: Washington State Team Total Under 13.5 Points
My Washington vs. Washington State best bet is on the Cougars team total under 13.5 points. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Washington State vs Washington Odds
| Washington St Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+23.5 -110 | 50.5 -118o / -104u | +1160 |
| Washington Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-23.5 -110 | 50.5 -118o / -104u | -2800 |
- Washington State vs Washington point spread: Washington -23.5 (-110), Washington State +23.5 (-110)
- Washington State vs Washington over/under: 50.5 (-118 / -104)
- Washington State vs Washington moneyline: Washington State +1160, Washington -2800
Washington State vs Washington Preview
Washington State Cougars Betting Preview: Little Room for Error
After losing a majority of their quality starters on offense, Washington State struggled to play at a competitive level, finishing the season ranked 79th in Success Rate.
Zevi Eckhaus’s inability to take care of the ball made it difficult for the Cougars to keep their drives alive, completing just 62.9% of his passes while throwing 12 interceptions throughout the year.
Replacing Eckhaus is Caden Pinnick, a transfer from UC Davis who put together an impressive freshman campaign, throwing for 3,206 yards and 32 touchdowns while adding another three scores with his legs.
His dual-threat ability will be on full display this season, needing to scramble away from an offensive line that graded out below league average in Pass Block Grade.
Pinnick will also receive minimal support from his backfield, bringing back Kirby Vorhees, who led the Cougars to poor marks in Rush Play EPA and Explosiveness.
With Vorhees struggling to break through the trenches, opposing linebackers will be able to shade their coverage to the outside, keeping an opposing defender near the vicinity of their pass catchers for the full duration of their routes.
On the other side of the field, negative regression looms large over the Cougars defense, losing a unit that propelled them into the top 25 in Def Pass Success Rate and Finishing Drives.
With Washington State incapable of getting their opponents off the field, their offense will be forced to participate in high-scoring track meets, lacking the talent needed to keep it close.
Washington Huskies Betting Preview: Control From the Start
It has been a turbulent offseason for the Huskies, kicking off their break with their starting quarterback, Demond Williams Jr., asking to be released from his contract so he could transfer somewhere else.
Williams has since announced he is fully committed to playing for the Huskies in 2026, giving them their versatile quarterback who led their offense to a 10th-place finish in Success Rate.
Unfortunately for Williams, he will need to build a rapport with new faces at the skill positions after losing Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston to the NFL Draft.
Even if Williams gets off to a slow start while integrating with his new weapons, he is more than capable of extending plays with his legs, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
Rounding out the Huskies is a strong secondary, a group that is expected to replicate last year’s above-league-average marks in Defensive Pass Play EPA and Hard Stops.
While question marks loom over their defensive line, the production the Huskies receive from their back end will help mask them, reducing the amount of variance in their contests.
With Washington State’s offensive line struggling to hold its ground in the trenches, the Huskies' front four will be able to generate pressure at a higher rate, forcing Pinnick to get the ball out of his hands shortly after the snap.
This will make it easier for the Huskies to create disruptions and stall out the Cougars' drives early in their possessions, keeping them off the scoreboard.
Washington State vs Washington Pick, Betting Analysis
With Washington’s defensive line giving their secondary the production they need to be a well-rounded unit, the Cougars will struggle to stay ahead of the sticks, resulting in early outs.
By collapsing the pocket with just their front four, the Huskies' second level will be able to spy Pinnick and neutralize his legs before he can take off and run.
When forced to punt, the Cougars will not be able to get the ball back in their hands in quick order, fielding a defense that's expected to take a major step back in Success Rate allowed.
By allowing Williams to pick apart their secondary, the Huskies will take control of the time of possession while chipping away at the Cougars' total number of possessions on offense.
Place a wager on the Cougars to stay under their team total of 13.5, with intentions of adding more should a sportsbook cross through the key number of 14.
Not only does Washington State lack the Explosiveness that is needed to stretch out the Huskies' secondary, but their offensive line will force Pinnick to throw on the run at a high rate, plummeting the quality of his throws.
Washington’s spread is also worth a sprinkle, using their defense to set their own offense up with generous field position, increasing their chances of turning their scoring opportunities into points on the board.
With the Cougars struggling to keep pace, the Huskies will be able to pull away and cover the lofty spread.
Pick: Washington State Team Total Under 13.5 Points
Washington State vs Washington Betting Trends
