Oregon State vs. Utah odds: Early point spread released on Beavers, Utes

For a stretch of a few weeks, there are going to be Pac-12 games played with championship implications on them. A couple took place in Week 4 and will continue as we head into Week 5. One of them is going to take place in Corvallis, with Oregon State hosting Utah.

According to Fan Duel, Utah will enter the game as a 2.5-point favorite. It’s no surprise as the Utes are going to enter the game as a potential top-10 team. Head coach Kyle Whittingham has once again gotten his team thinking about contending for the College Football Playoff — all without the program’s main star.

Of course, the biggest question surrounding Utah will be the status of starting quarterback Cam Rising. Ever since the season opener against Florida, there have been rumors of him returning to the field. To this point, Whittingham has been able to sneak away with some wins.

Facing Oregon State on the road will be just the second road test, with or without Rising. But having a quarterback as experienced as him would be a great asset.

As for the Beavers, they will be coming off a tough loss against Washington State. When mentioning games that have Pac-12 Championship implications on the line, Saturday’s loss was one of them. The game was in Pullman though and the Beavers will now have a home crowd cheering them on.

Head coach Jonathan Smith will now instantly have an opportunity to respond with Utah coming to town.

Friday will mark fifth consecutive year of Oregon State-Utah matchup

For the fifth consecutive — and most likely last — year, Oregon State and Utah are facing off against one another. The Utes have come out victorious in four of them, including last season’s game in Salt Lake City. If there is any kind of positive recent history for the Beavers, it’s that they won in 2021 in Corvallis.

However, due to conference realignment, we are not likely to see Oregon State-Utah again. One of them will be heading off to the Big 12, joining a few other Pac-12 programs. The other is currently in limbo and does not have a conference affiliation moving into the 2024 season.

Oregon State is potentially on a journey to prove why conferences should want them to join. Making a statement to Utah would certainly be the start. A fun Friday night kickoff should make for an entertaining game.