Okay…call me crazy, even a little naive, but I have a sneaky suspicion about Washington State this weekend.  I know the Cougs are ranked 103rd in total defense and 85th in rushing defense.  And I know they are going up against Ka’Deem Carey, one of the best running backs in the country, making the Wildcats 12th in the country in rushing yards.

But if you’ve been reading my articles this season, you should know by now, I NEVER bet with the public and I always lean towards the teams that look horrible and nobody wants.  And believe me, coming from a guy who went to school at Washington State, there are times I want to put a bag over my head and disown them all together.

Coming off a bye two weeks ago, the Cougs could not have looked less prepared or focused playing Arizona State on national television.  A lot of people (including myself) are starting to wonder how good the so called “offensive genius” Mike Leach really is and if it was ever worth the multimillion dollar contract.  One thing is for sure…Leach is hearing the buzz around campus.  I believe this could be a telling test of Leach’s ability to lead and motivate his team, especially having another bye, coming off another rout loss, for the second time this season.

The Wildcats are coming off a hard fought battle with UCLA and may be a little off focus.  If the Cougs have any hope of getting 6 wins and becoming bowl eligible, they are going to need this win, especially with Utah and UW left to play.

Now…by no means am I saying they are going to win the game, but I do think, they will play very hard and execute a game plan to stop the fast paced offense of the Wildcats.  The line opened at 13.5 and has since move to 11.5 with 15% of the public supporting Washington State.  It’s in my humble opinion that the Cougs keep this game close, giving them an opportunity to win before they “Coug it”.

This could be an emotional bet for me, but I like the Cougars chances in covering.  No team can be that bad…right?

Consider: Washington State +11.5

Forty Six & 2

Greg Smith is a sports handicapper at Only Best Bets and writer for The Saturday Edge. You can follow Greg on Twitter throughout the college football season @onlybestbets.