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The Fresno State Bulldogs seek their fourth consecutive bowl victory Saturday when they meet the Washington State Cougars in the 2022 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. A win Saturday would complete a stunning about-face for Fresno State (9-4), which dropped four of its first five games but rebounded with eight straight wins and a Mountain West Conference title. The Bulldogs beat UTEP 31-24 in last year's New Mexico Bowl for the program's third straight bowl win. Washington State (7-5) managed a bowl-eligible season in a strong year for the Pac-12 and the Cougars are looking to snap a two-game bowl skid after they dropped last year's Sun Bowl 24-21 to Central Michigan.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs are 5.5-point favorites and the over/under for total points scored is 53.5 in the latest Washington State vs. Fresno State odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before locking in any Fresno State vs. Washington State picks, make sure you check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.  

Now, the model has locked in on Washington State vs. Fresno State in the LA Bowl 2022 from every angle and released its CFB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for Washington State vs. Fresno State:

  • Washington State vs. Fresno State point spread: Fresno State -5.5
  • Washington State vs. Fresno State over/under: 53.5 points  
  • Washington State vs. Fresno State money line: Fresno State -210, Washington State +175
  • WSU: The Cougars are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games following a straight-up loss 
  • FSU: The Bulldogs are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against Pac-12 opponents 
  • Washington State vs. Fresno State picks: See picks here

Why Fresno State can cover

Motivation is often a major obstacle for numerous bowl teams because of myriad factors that include coaching changes, pending player transfers or unmet expectations on the field. In Fresno State's case, a potential cause for concern could be getting up for this game after the Bulldogs swept their final eight and won a conference championship.

However, coach Jeff Tedford has a deserved reputation as a master motivator for big games, and he promised this week that his team will be ready for the LA Bowl. The veteran coach has a career record of 7-3 bowl games and is 2-0 at Fresno State, his alma mater. He told the media this week that his club has plenty of reasons to be motivated, ranging from having numerous players from Southern California on the roster to the prestige of facing a Pac-12 opponent.

"We've come a long way since the first part of the year when a lot of people didn't believe in us," Tedford said. "But the staff did and the kids did. It's nice to see them happy."

Why Washington State can cover 

In a conference loaded with talent at quarterback, Washington State's Cameron Ward quietly emerged as one of its most consistent performers. That's saying something considering Caleb Williams of USC won the Heisman, and other prolific signal-callers included Bo Nix of Oregon, Michael Penix Jr. of Washington and Utah's Cam Rising.

But Ward, a junior transfer from Incarnate Word who set numerous records in two seasons there, gave the Cougars solid production on a weekly basis and led them to the nation's No. 10-ranked red-zone scoring offense. He has completed 64% of his passes for 3,094 yards and 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He is a rising prospect who is on the radar of NFL draft scouts for the 2023 class.

Ward comes to the LA Bowl 2022 off a strong performance. In the season-ending loss to Washington, Ward threw for 322 yards on 33-of-52 passing with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He added a rushing touchdown.

How to make Washington State vs. Fresno State picks

The model has simulated Washington State vs. Fresno State in the LA Bowl Game 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting 55 total points scored. It's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Washington State vs. Fresno State? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.