BYU vs Arizona State Prediction: The Cougars Sandwich Game Problem

BYU is just coming off a 39-31 loss to a UCF that got destroyed by Baylor on Friday night, and it has the rivalry showdown at Utah next week. It can’t afford not to take a desperate Arizona State very, very seriously.

The 2024 Big 12 champs are struggling. At 4-3 with two conference losses, there’s still time for the Sun Devils to make a charge, win out, and be in the hunt for the Big 12 Championship, but they have to show that they can rock on the road.

And it has to play like the sandwich game opponent that can take down a team as good as BYU.

BYU vs Arizona State: Quick Hits

• BYU goes to Utah next week and then hosts Baylor.
• Arizona State only leaves Arizona once the rest of the way after this, hosting Colorado next, and then it goes to UCF.
• The Sun Devils won the last meeting 28-23 in 2024. BYU won the first matchup 13-0 to end the 1935 season.

How To Watch BYU vs Arizona State

Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
Game Time: 3:30 PM ET
TV: FOX
Location: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
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Why Arizona State Will Win

There’s no way around it. Arizona State can’t pull this off without cranking up the offense and making it a shootout. That starts with getting the running game going to take the pressure off a struggling quarterback situation.

Cutter Boley has been okay, well-traveled veteran Mikey Keene has been the main man lately – and he’s been … okay, too. But when everything is working on the ground, ASU starts winning, going 4-0 when running for more than 115 yards, and 0-3 when it doesn’t.

There’s a problem with that.

Why BYU Will Win

BYU has allowed more than 115 rushing yards only once. That came in the double-overtime loss to UCF last week, but other than that, no one has averaged more than four yards per carry, and no one has been able to blast through the Cougar defensive front.

Arizona State’s offensive line hasn’t been able to generate a consistent push for the ground game, only getting things going in the wins, and it’s having a nightmare of a time keeping teams out of the backfield. As long as BYU owns the lines, it should be okay.

BYU vs Arizona State Prediction, Betting Lines

It’s a bit hyperbolic to call Arizona State a hot mess, considering its four wins, but it’s certainly not the tightest team going.

The lines are struggling, the punting game is terrible, and there’s a problem taking the ball away to make up for the issues on offense. However, this group keeps on pushing, and BYU can’t take any part of this for granted in any way.

Arizona State will get its licks in, but BYU will right the ship and look back to normal. And then it’ll be all Utes, all the time for the next week.

BYU 37, Arizona State 20
Latest Consensus Line: BYU -16.5, o/u: 48.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 2
Must See Rating (out of 5): 3

Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.