OPINION: Breaking down the WAC

This week we’ve got a couple newcomer vs. incumbent matchups. These picks shouldn’t really be a surprise to anyone, but we think you’ll like what we have to say about our weekly bonus picks.

Utah State at UTSA

While UTSA is 5-1, this is by no means an indicator of how close Saturday’s game will be. Beating up on a bunch of FCS teams and New Mexico State does not constitute a successful football season, even if your head coach is named Larry Coker.

That being said, UTSA has come a long way seeing as how this is only its second football season ever.
   
We’ll pick the Aggies in a probable blowout.
   
And really, the only team the Roadrunners should be able beat is the South Dakota Coyotes – see what we did there?

Texas State at San Jose State

We all remember the beat down the Aggies put on the Spartans, but that loss doesn’t give San Jose State the credit it deserves for how good its football team is.
   
The Bobcats are sitting at 3-3, but really, just because they put a 38-7 beatdown on an Akey-less Idaho squad Saturday does not make them a hot team right now.
   
We’re picking San Jose State.
   
Let’s just hope Texas State’s practice did not include studying Hollywood films, because the Bobcats would skin themselves if they ever saw thousands of Persians turned away by Spartan might in the movie “300.”

Louisiana Tech at New Mexico State

This may be the highest number of points the Aggies will put up on a non-FCS team this season, but don’t think for a second that will help them win.
   
If Utah State, Ohio and UTEP can put up 41 points or more on NMSU, just imagine of what the high-octane Bulldog scoring machine will do.
   
We just hope DeWayne Walker’s coaching job is more secure Sunday than Robb Akey’s was after La. Tech put up 70 on his Vandals last week.

Brigham Young at Georgia Tech

As we’ve said in previous editorials, we wouldn’t be true Aggies if we picked the Cougars to win a football game.
   
Georgia Tech runs that crazy all-run option stuff, but BYU is well versed in defending that from their days playing, well, everyone in the WAC and Mountain West.
   
The Yellowjackets are 3-4 and the Cougars are 4-4, so really this is a game of mediocrity to put it nicely.
   
We’ll still take Georgia Tech.

Cal at Utah

It’s too bad Utah is struggling in the year it was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 South. When was the last time the Utes were 2-5?
   
While there is at least one stubborn jerk in the Statesman office who still bitterly hates Utah, most of this staff has a healthy respect for our brothers on the hill. We would love to pick the best red team in Utah, but our staff vote is split.
   
The only real way to pick this game is a mascot battle. Quite frankly, a bear would completely obliterate a Ute, even if it wasn’t golden.
   
Sorry to all you closet Ute fans in Cache Valley.

Don’t like our picks? Let us know about it online at www.usustatesman.com.