Arizona State vs. Wyoming: Prediction, Preview, Betting Odds
Week 1 of the college football season is here. Arizona State plays Wyoming, and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup.
GAME INFO
Saturday, August 31; 9:30 p.m. (CT); Mountain America Stadium; Tempe, AZ
TV: FS1
Records: Arizona State (0-0), Wyoming (0-0)
Last Week: N/A
Series History: Arizona State leads, 9-6
Last Meeting: Arizona State 45, Wyoming 0 (1977)
Fun Fact: Arizona State and Wyoming have played 15 times, including in consecutive years from 1965 to 1977, when the two programs were members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
KEY PLAYERS
Wyoming Cowboys
OFFENSIVE PLAYER
TE John Michael Gyllenborg: If you look at Wyoming’s football team in a lineup, tight end John Michael Gyllenborg sticks out immediately. Gyllenborg runs a sub-4.7 40-yard-dash at 6-foot-5, 247 pounds, and also exhibits a vertical over 36 inches. Last season, he hauled in 23 passes for 360 yards with three touchdowns, including an 89-yard catch and run against Hawaii. His name will almost assuredly become a commodity when April rolls around, but don’t overlook the impact he could have in a game like this.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER
DL Jordan Bertagnole: Bertagnole returns after starting all 13 games for Wyoming in 2023 and earned second-team All-Mountain West honors. He ranked fifth on the team with 60 tackles, but led the team with 5.5 tackles for loss and also added two sacks. In 2024, Bertagnole has been named to the Preseason First-Team All-MWC team and has even higher expectations for production in his senior season.
Arizona State Sun Devils
OFFENSIVE PLAYER
RB Cam Skattebo: Arizona State’s offense will have one of the most versatile weapons in all of college football with the return of Cam Skattebo at running back. In 2023, Skattebo was a finalist Paul Hornung Award after recording over 50 snaps at quarterback, over 350 at running back, two at tight end, over 100 as either a slot receiver or wide wide receiver, three on kick return, and over five on punt coverage, according to his bio. While the ceiling of the offense will likely be determined by Sam Leavitt at quarterback, the floor will be elevated as long as Skattebo is on the field.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER
DB Shamari Simmons: One of the key returning starters for ASU in 2024 is defensive back Shamari Simmons, who led the Sun Devils with 73 tackles last season. In addition to that, Simmons added a sack, six pass breakups, an interception and two fumble recoveries. The Arizona State defense is going to look much different with double-digit transfers coming in to help bolster that side of the ball, but Simmons and the secondary should be pretty solid with critical returnees.
KEY STORYLINES
Wyoming Cowboys
What does Wyoming look like in the post-Craig Bohl era? After spending a decade with the Cowboys, Bohl hung up the whistle this past offseason and now Jay Sawvel takes over. Wyoming was a tough out more often than not over the last ten years, but sometimes, a long-tenured coach leaving abruptly can cause a culture to fall apart. Can Wyoming avoid taking a step back and upset a Big 12 team for the second season in a row?
Arizona State Sun Devils
Can Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils get off to a necessary quick start? Afte going 3-9 a season ago, Arizona State will switch gears and join a Big 12 conference that appears as wide open as ever. There are plenty of folks who believe that Dillingham is the right man for the job in Tempe, but this game will be crucial for ASU’s 2024 season. There won’t be many times when ASU enters a game as the betting favorite this year, but this is one of those times. They need to take advantage of this situation and secure a victory to get the season started off at 1-0.
Arizona State vs. Wyoming Betting Lines
Line: Arizona State (-6.5) | O/U: 48.5 | Moneyline: Wyoming +200 | ESPN Matchup Predictor: Arizona State (72.4%)
Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State have a tricky test on their hands this week with Wyoming coming to town. However, Craig Bohl is gone, and Jay Sawvel is taking over. The Sun Devils have everything to prove in their first season in the Big 12, and the Cowboys will be a good measuring stick. I’ll take ASU straight up, but Wyoming keeps it close.
Picks – SU: Arizona State | ATS: Wyoming (+6.5) | O/U: Under 48.5
PREDICTION: Arizona State 27, Wyoming 21
