Football quick hits
Setting the Stage: The Utah State Aggies travel to southern California to meet a San Diego State team that has proven through three games that they are a force to be reckoned with on offense, especially behind the backfield of quarterback Ryan Lindley and freshman running back Ronnie Hillman. At 2-1, coach Brady Hoke’s team has matched their best start in 29 years after getting nipped at fourth quarter ‘s end to No. 24 Missouri, 27-24. The Aggies will be looking to rebound from a 41-24 home loss to Fresno State in a game that might – had the Aggies maintained their first-half momentum – have begun to prove that USU has arrived as a force to be reckoned with.
When SDSU has the ball: Despite having faced Oklahoma and a Fresno State running game that, behind the strong play of A.J. Ellis, punished them last week, the Aggie defenses’ stiffest test of the season may be on Saturday. Watch for freshman RB and early Mountain West Newcomer of the Year candidate Hillman to continue his strong season. Hillman has already racked up 443 total rushing yards through three games, to propel his team to 17th in the nation in rushing yards. He’s averaging 7.4 yards per carry, gained 228 yards against Missouri, and holds claim to the longest run in the NCAA so far this season at 93 yards – a scamper that actually gave the Aztecs a fourth-quarter lead against the nationally-ranked Tigers. The San Diego state passing game is potent as well. Lindley has thrown for 812 yards to lead a squad that ranks 22nd in the nation in scoring and 23rd in passing yards and has big targets in wide receivers DeMarc Sampson and Vincent Brown.
When USU has the ball: Quarterback Diondre Borel may be able to cause trouble with his arm even more than with his legs against the Aztecs. On defense, SDSU hasn’t proven to be able to harass the quarterback to a great extent, even before their test against Missouri. Tiger quarterback Blaine Gabbert was able to shred the Aztec defense with 351 passing yards and a touchdown, and the previous week, New Mexico State’s Matt Christian had a solid outing in a 41-21 loss, throwing for 223 yards and tossing two scores with no picks. However, SDSU has been able to lock up a bit better on the ground, having not yet allowed more than 90 yards per game. That should be a challenging task for the Aggie rushing duo of Derrvin Speight and Kerwynn Williams, who may have to pick up the pace if starter Michael Smith remains sidelined with turf-toe. Aggie receivers Dontel Watkins, Xavier Martin and the rest of the crew ought to have their hands ready to propel a group that is 40th in the country in passing yards.
X-Factor: If the first quarter of a season is a reliable indicator of trends, Hillman will likely get his yards, but Lindley has been more unpredictable, passing under 50 percent and tossing as many interceptions as touchdowns in the Aztecs’ two games against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools. If USU’s defensive backs, while banged up, can hold Lindley at bay, USU’s defense can hone in on the Aztecs’ tremendous rushing threat, and possibly stonewall San Diego State’s offense altogether.
Crunching Numbers: This is the first Aztec-Aggie contest since 1977. In previous meetings, San Diego State is 9-1 all-time against Utah State, but Aggie head coach Gary Andersen is 7-3 against the Aztecs as defensive coordinator at Utah. The Aggies are seeking their first 2-2 start in five seasons … USU has lost its last nine games in California, dating back to 1992. They have also lost their last 11 games against Mountain West Conference foes, but are 146-208-14 all-time … Borel is one pass completion away from the 400th of his USU career, which would make him the seventh Aggie QB to reach such a mark. Borel also is seven pass attempts from 700 for his career, and would become the seventh Aggie signal-caller to have 700 attempts.
Statesman Prediction: This is a game that Utah State desperately needs to win if they expect to meet their goal of qualifying for a bowl game, especially considering that they still have remaining dates with Brigham Young, Nevada (3-0) and third-ranked Boise State. Hillman must be the Aztecs’ only reliable source of moving the ball, or the Aggies are in trouble, as they saw last week when the Fresno State passing attack began to complement the traditionally-potent Bulldog running game in the second half. Additionally, the Aggies must clean up last weeks’ miscues on special teams if they want to make it a ballgame. With additional injuries, there’s just too many factors weighing against USU. Aztecs, 38-24.