This season could prove to be a completely different story with both teams going in different directions.
After losing three of their first four, Fresno State is coming off three straight victories by an average margin of victory of 25.3 points per game. On the flip side, Utah State has won just two of their first seven games including three tough losses against No. 19 Utah, Texas A&M and No. 20 BYU, all of which were on the road.
Fresno State will have the nation’s fifth best rushing attack on display, led by the nation’s leading rusher in junior running back Ryan Mathews, against an Aggie defense that allows almost 200 rushing yards per game (197.4).
Todd’s Keys to the Game:
Ryan Mathews, early and often. With Utah State giving up almost 200 yards rushing per game, Mathews could have another big game and could possibly rack up close to 200 yards if he carries the ball 25-30 times.
Ryan Colburn needs to believe in his ability. Against New Mexico State, Colburn was forcing passes and was lucky he didn’t have a few more passes intercepted. Let Mathews and the running game set him up to throw passes down the field and keep the Utah State defense honest. Many fans have questioned his ability to lead the offense but head coach Pat Hill continues to show his support for his quarterback. This might be the time to silence the critics.
Defense needs to continue their dominance. During their three-game losing streak, the Bulldog defense was giving up 37.6 points per game. However, in their last three straight wins, they’ve allowed only 13.6 points per game.
Keep the penalties to a minimum. The Bulldogs are the least penalized team in the conference, only being whistled for 31 so far this season for 266 total penalty yards. Don’t give Utah State easy yardage and don’t hand them first downs.
Don’t let Utah State hang around. This Bulldog team can score points, currently averaging 36.1 points per game. They need to jump out early and put this game out of reach. Utah State can put up points as well, averaging 27 points per game (5th in the WAC) so they’re not the New Mexico State team Fresno blew out last weekend.
Game Prediction: Fresno State 38 Utah State 21
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