Staff Picks – Utah State at BYU
Jaden Johnson – @jadenjohnson00
Rivalry games are weird because it seems like they never go quite how you would expect them to go. In 2012, one of USU’s best seasons ever, an Aggie team with a great offense went down to Provo and lost 6-3. Then, in 2014, a lackluster Utah State team which was 2-2 and coming off a loss to Arkansas State rolls into Provo to beat a 4-0, 18th ranked Cougar team. The biggest thing I’m looking at here is whether the USU offense can play well enough in the trenches to open up the run game against one of the nation’s top run defenses. Another big thing to note is that the winner of the turnover battle has won this game six-straight years, and I could see that being an enormous part of the game on Friday. Without BYU’s leading receiver from last year’s game (Jalen Davis), other Aggie defenders will need to step up and make turnovers. I think we’re in for some overtime.
Utah State 27 – BYU 24 (OT)
Jason Walker – @thejwalk67
This game will come down to two things: Jordan Love having a good game and Utah State slowing down the BYU run attack. Squally Canada has been a solid workhorse for the Cougars and his strong performances against Arizona and Wisconsin were huge factors in beating those Power 5 teams (he averaged 6.2 yards per carry against them). Conversely, Canada was a decided non-factor in BYU’s two losses (2.7 yards per carry on just 62 yards). Utah State’s offense will have to get some semblance of a run attack to win but most of the leg work will need to be done by Love. He has two 300-yard games already this year and it was in those two games that one could say the offense was most impressive. If Love has another 300-yard outing — or close to it — with some timely big runs from Darwin Thompson and/or Gerald Bright, combined with stopping BYU’s run game, it’ll be a cake walk. But of course, that’s easier said than done.
Utah State 34 – BYU 26
Wes Mangum – @Dream_Breather_
BYU is a solid team. Rivalry games are pretty much always pick ‘ems, and BYU holds home-field advantage, which evens things out a little bit more. However, there are three areas where USU holds STRONG advantages over BYU – quarterback play, special teams, and defensive secondary. I think that Jordan Love outplays Tanner Mangum – scratch that, I KNOW that Jordan Love will outplay Tanner Mangum. Jordan Nathan or Savon Scarver will come up with a big play on a kick return, and Dominik Eberle will be money as always. I think Utah State takes a lead late into the game, and Gaje Ferguson comes up with an interception to ice it on the road.
The Wagon Wheel is not leaving Logan.
Utah State 30 – BYU 24
Dalton Renshaw @dren_sports
Both teams come into this one having not really hit their stride. The Cougars having beat then 6th-ranked Wisconsin at Camp Randall, and the Aggies putting together back-to-back 60-plus point scoring games and coming out of East Lansing with only a 7-point, hard-fought loss. Both show glaring weaknesses, though. BYU has had a hard time putting any points on the board that haven’t come from either Squally Canada or Lopini Katoa punching it in as if they were running away from their own passing offense, which, let’s be honest, has been quite dreadful thus far (163.0 YPG). And although the Aggies offense has looked pretty solid (475.0 YPG), they’ve had some key drops from their receivers and haven’t ran the ball very well against better opponents (133 yards against Air Force and 25 yards on 25 carries versus Michigan State). However, Jordan Love is coming off another solid game and has had a hot start to the season. I think he will continue to show poise in this one. Utah State came into the game last year one-point favorites and won by 16. BYU comes into this year’s matchup two-and-a-half point favorites as of now, but the line has been back and forth all week, which shows just how much of a toss up this is. Something strange always happens in this rivalry, but as far as I know Taysom Hill isn’t eligible for yet another chance at the starting job. I’m going Utah State in a four quarter fist fight.
Utah State 28 – BYU 20
Daedan Olander
Imagine this for a second: you’re a BYU student. Your team just traveled over 1000 miles to Madison, Wisconsin, to play the 6th ranked team in the nation. You don’t watch. You figure it’s going to be a blowout and not in your favor. Understandable. The game finishes.
Wait, what?
We won?
We won!
The next week’s game is strictly an ego stroker as you play McNeese State (yes, it is an actual university). Another win: 35-3. At this point you’re beginning to get pretty excited, so much so that you actually Google the rules of football.
Another development. We’re ranked. That’s right, #20. You don’t really know what that means, but boy does it look sharp hanging out by the BYU down at the bottom of your TV screen during the next game against Washington. Oh yeah, Washington. This time your team traveled up to the beautiful, lovely, lush, green, Pacific Northwest to Seattle. This one you do watch, armed with your new football acumen.
Oh no.
Even you can tell that this game didn’t go well. What happened? We were doing so well. Your team was seven points away from not showing up.
After this disappointment, you soon forget all about football and this weird Twilight Zone moment in your life. You settle down, get married two weeks later, have a family, and never watch a BYU football game again.
Good thing too, because you LOSE the next week as well to your in-state RIVALS from Logan.
Moral: Good things don’t last long for BYU sports.
Utah State 24 – BYU 21
Daniel Hansen – @thegranddanny
We could write thousands of words on this game, so let’s try and keep this (somewhat) short and sweet. First, BYU’s offense is improved from last season, but it still has major problems. In terms of yards per game and yards per play, this year’s squad is actually worse than last year’s. Winning at Wisconsin was indeed impressive, but it hides the fact that BYU has been outgained by over 300 yards so far this season by their opponents. Squally Canada is a legit running back, but the Cougars still only average 3.8 yards per rush attempt. BYU also ranks 109th in the country in yards per pass attempt, and 123rd in total yards per game. In short, BYU’s offense is still atrocious. If Utah State can score more than 30 points, this game tilts heavily in USU’s favor. And are we sure that BYU can stop the Aggies? The Cougars have allowed opposing QBs to complete over 66 percent of their passes and gain over 11 first downs per game. BYU has yet to show they can shut down a quality passing attack. Plus, the rushing defense is allowing a very pedestrian 4.6 yards per rush on the season. In short, this year’s version of BYU is a tantalizing matchup for a Utah State team averaging 44.3 points per game and 426.3 yards of offense per game. Rivalry games always get weird, but the Aggies should run away with this one.