Arizona State vs BYU Odds, Spread and Prediction

• No. 19 Arizona State will visit No. 23 BYU in a nonconference game at 10:15 pm ET Saturday on ESPN
• BYU has beaten Pac-12 opponents Arizona and arch-rival Utah already this season; Arizona State has not been ranked higher since finishing the 2016 season at No. 12 
• Scroll below for the game odds and a breakdown on the late-night matchup

No. 19 Arizona State (2-0) will visit No. 23 BYU at 10:15 pm ET Saturday in a nonconference game from Provo, Utah, on ESPN.

The Sun Devils have not been ranked this high in the AP Top 25 since they finished the 2016 season at No. 12 after beating Duke in the Sun Bowl.

BYU (2-0) will play its third straight Pac-12 opponent after beating Arizona in Las Vegas, Nev., and arch-rival and then-No. 21 Utah in the first two.  BYU has won 11 straight home games.

Arizona State vs BYU Odds

Odds as of Sept. 15th

Over 80% of the money is on BYU to cover as a home underdog coming off their Holy War win. Arizona State and BYU, once Western Athletic Conference rivals, have not played since the Cougars beat the No. 14 Sun Devils 26-6 in Provo in 1998.

ASU on the Defensive

Arizona State has relied on a defense that returned all 11 starters in relatively easy victories over Southern Utah and UNLV this season.

The Sun Devils have given up only 24 points and an average of 189.5 yards total offense per game, with seven sacks and three pass interceptions. They entered the weekend ranked No. 5 in the FBS in total defense.

ASU limited UNLV to 19 yards total offense in the second half, eight in the third quarter, in its 37-10 victory Saturday. The Sun Devils had four of its five sacks in the second half. Linebacker Darien Butler is the only FBS player with two interceptions and two sacks.

ASU has 38 takeaways in its last 13 games, an FBS high over than span, and has four in two games this season.

Quarterbacks In the Spotlight

Arizona State sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels, a starter since the first game of his freshman season in 2019, has 472 yards in total offense in the first two games.

Daniels had a career-high 125 yards rushing against UNLV, and his 22-yard option run helped set up Rachaad White’s touchdown run for a 21-10 lead late in the third quarter. Daniels was 17 yards short of Mark Malone’s school record for quarterback rushing yards in a game. He completed 6 of 7 passes for 88 yards in the fourth quarter, leading to 17 points.

BYU has turned to fourth-year sophomore quarterback Jaren Hall as the replacement for Zach Wilson, who was the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the New York Jets after throwing for 7,652 yards and 56 touchdowns in three seasons. Wilson passed for 3,692 yards last season, with 33 touchdowns against three interceptions.

Hall accounted for all three touchdowns in the 26-17 upset victory over Utah. completing 18 of 30 passes for 149 and three scores. He also rushed for 92 yards on eight carries.

ASU reserve running back Chip Trayanum is expected to return after missing the UNLV game. He had six carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns in the 41-14 victory over Southern Utah.

By the Numbers

Arizona State has failed to cover in its two victories this season, and it trailed 34.5-point underdog UNLV 10-7 late in the first half before scoring the  final 30 points. The Sun Devils have been under the total in the first two, both times at 56. Utah is 1-1 ATS and also has been under the total in both.

Obviously different seasons and different circumstances, but BYU beat Arizona 24-16 in neutral Las Vegas to open the 2021 season two weeks ago. Arizona State boat-raced Arizona 70-7 on Dec. 11, 2020, the most lopsided victory in the rivalry.

Arizona State is arguably the best team BYU will face this season – Boise State and USC come later – and the Cougars could see this game as a way to remain on the national stage after spending most of Wilson’s senior year in the AP Top 25. They finished No. 16 a year ago.

• The pick: Arizona State -3.5 (-118)