We are heading to Bloomington, Indiana, for a Big Ten battle between the Washington Huskies (4-3) and the 13th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (7-0).
It’ll be the first time these two have played since 2003.
Fresh off a bye, the Huskies look to improve on Week 7’s disaster loss to Iowa, 40-16. Washington's transition to the Big Ten has not been smooth so far, and it'll look to bounce back in this game.
Just when things got real in Bloomington, quarterback Kurtis Rourke went down with a thumb injury. He underwent surgery on Monday after making Nebraska look silly on Saturday by winning 56-7.
Where does the betting value lie? Check out my Washington vs Indiana predictions and college football picks for their NCAAF Week 9 matchup.
Washington vs Indiana Picks, Prediction
- Washington vs Indiana Picks: Under 53.5
My Washington vs Indiana best bet is on the under, with the best line currently available at bet365, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Washington vs Indiana Odds, Spread, Lines
| Washington Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 54 -110o / -110u | +180 |
| Indiana Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 54 -110o / -110u | -220 |
- Washington vs Indiana Point Spread: Washington +5.5 (-110) · Indiana -5.5 (-110)
- Washington vs Indiana Total: Over/Under 54
- Washington vs Indiana Moneyline: Washington +180 · Indiana -220
Washington Football vs Indiana Football Preview
Washington Huskies Betting Preview: A Solid Foundation In Place
Despite Seattle's shaky season, I like what Jedd Fisch has done in his first season at the helm.
It would be nearly impossible to top last season and replace all the key departures, but the pieces are there to move forward.
Will Rogers looks exceptional this season, completing over 72% of his passes and throwing for 13 touchdowns. He may not be the most explosive passer, but his accuracy speaks for itself.
He, Gilles Jackson and Denzel Boston have helped this program become the 19th most successful passing attack in the FBS. Additionally, Washington ranks 15th in Passing Play PPA and 27th in Passing Downs PPA.
If you’ve ever read my past previews on Washington, you’ll know how big of a fan I am of running back Jonah Coleman.
The Arizona transfer is putting up incredible numbers, averaging a smidge under seven yards per carry and five visits to the end zone. Additionally, Washington is ranked eighth in Rush Success Rate and 21st in PPA.
Even after what we saw in Iowa City, I still like Washington’s defense a lot. Its pass defense is among the best, ranking 19th in Pass Success Rate allowed and 13th in Passing Downs EPA allowed.
Cornerbacks Thaddeus Dixon and Jordan Shaw have been essential in this secondary, combining for 11 pass breakups.
Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview: Without Rourke, What Now?
While Rourke is listed as doubtful for this game, there's no chance we'll see him suit up. This means we’ll most likely see Tayven Jackson get the start for Indiana.
Jackson hasn’t seen a ton of snaps this season, but when he did throw, he was pretty efficient – completing 12 of 16 passes. I won’t hold my breath, though, as he was horrible last season as a freshman, throwing five interceptions and only two touchdowns.
But perhaps Jackson has changed. Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. have been revelations for Rourke this season and can offer the same stability for Jackson in his redshirt sophomore season.
I’d venture a guess that we also see more of a run attack — the Hoosiers rank in the top 50 nationally in rush rate. Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton have gotten the bulk of the carries and have rushed for seven yards per carry and 5.2 YPC, respectively. They also have rushed for eight touchdowns each.
The problem is that Indiana isn't overly successful at running the ball, ranking 90th in Rush Success Rate.
Defensively, this team is a bit of a mixed bag. The Hoosiers do a lot of things well, but some of them slack in. For example, they’re ranked 76th in Havoc and aren’t typically successful in stopping either the pass or run. But they’re exceptional at limiting Explosiveness and points per opportunity.
I especially liked what I saw out of D’Angelo Ponds and Jalin Walker, two solid defensive backs in pass coverage. Mikail Kamara has also been a monster, causing Havoc on everyone, racking up six sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
Washington vs Indiana Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Washington and Indiana match up statistically:
Washington Offense vs. Indiana Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 8 | 20 | |
| Line Yards | 7 | 18 | |
| Pass Success | 13 | 11 |  |
| Havoc | 35 | 17 | |
| Finishing Drives | 111 | 71 | |
| Quality Drives | 37 | 8 | |
Indiana Offense vs. Washington Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 4 | 82 | |
| Line Yards | 37 | 92 | |
| Pass Success | 1 | 1 | |
| Havoc | 9 | 61 | |
| Finishing Drives | 3 | 67 | |
| Quality Drives | 5 | 48 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 4 | 25 |
| PFF Coverage | 14 | 15 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 133 | 12 |
| Middle 8 | 83 | 14 |
| Seconds per Play | 27.7 (81) | 28.1 (87) |
| Rush Rate | 48% (104) | 57% (39) |
How To Make College Football Picks For My Washington vs Indiana Prediction
I’m expecting this game to go under a total of 53.5.
Rourke’s absence is glaring, and based on Jackson’s history, it’s rather hard to trust him as a starter. That’s not even accounting for Washington’s pass defense. The only time Jackson saw the field was in garbage time, not playing for much. Now he gets thrown into the fire – where he struggled last season.
Washington has a stout defense and truly thinks the throttling in Iowa was merely an outlier. I expect Coleman to collect a lot of carries in this matchup due to Indiana’s secondary. Rogers is certainly reliable, but with Ponds and Walker looming, there may be a reluctance to throw the ball.
Both teams experienced different outcomes last week. Now, they’ll be scratching and clawing for a win this week.
Pick: Under 54 (-110, bet365)
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Washington vs Indiana Start Time, Channel, Streaming, How To Watch
| Location: | Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN |
| Date: | Saturday, Oct. 26 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | Big Ten Network |
Washington vs Indiana will be played at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana, on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 12 p.m. ET. You can stream the game live on Big Ten Network.
