Utah State was unable to get its defense off the field in a tough loss against Hawaii. Penalties and 3rd-downs continued to be a problem for the Aggies, and this has been a consistent trend. Bryson Barnes did not have his best game at all, completing just 14 of his 26 passes and passing for 175 yards. The only touchdown for Barnes came on a 32-yard pass to Broc Lane. Hawaii had 546 yards to Utah State’s 435, and the Warriors also controlled the clock. Micah Alejado had 413 passing yards and three
touchdowns, and Jackson Harris had 117 yards on seven receptions. After scoring 20 points in the first half, Utah State scored just 6 points in the second half and did not score in the 4th quarter. Hawaii scored 20 points in the second half after leading 24-20 at halftime. This was Hawaii’s first win over Utah State since 2010, and it wasn’t what the Aggies were looking for after the Bye Week. The good news? College football is a long season, and the Aggies are going to have an opportunity to regroup this week.
San Jose State (2-4) (1-1) is up next for Utah State, and the Spartans are coming into Logan after falling on the road to Wyoming. This is San Jose State’s second straight road game as they head to Logan. Quarterback Walker Eget leads the way for San Jose State offensively, as he has thrown for 1,816 yards and 13 touchdowns to three interceptions. Running back Jabari Bates has rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Someone Utah State will need to keep an eye on is receiver Danny Scudero, who has 845 yards and eight touchdowns on 50 catches. Against Wyoming, Scudero set a San Jose State record for touchdowns in a game with four touchdowns as he also had 180 yards on 10 catches. This will be the first time San Jose State has come to Logan since the 2022 season.
Game Information
Date: Saturday, October 17th
Time: 7:00 PM MTN
TV: CBS Sports Network
Line (DraftKings Sportsbook): Utah State (-4)
Series History: Utah State trails in the overall series 20-21, and there has been one tie in the series. So, this is a big one for the Aggies, not only to get back on track in Mountain West play, but also to tie the overall series with San Jose State. Currently, Utah State is on a one-game losing streak to the Spartans as they lost the 2023 matchup in San Jose, 42-21. From 2009-2022, Utah State won 10 straight games. From 1986-1995, Utah State went on an eight-game losing streak to the Spartans. In the last 10 matchups, San Jose State is 9-1. On the road in this rivalry, Utah State is 8-12-1. At home in this series, the Aggies are 12-8. The largest margin of victory for the Aggies in this series was 61-10 in 2017, while the smallest margin of victory was 34-33 in 2011. The largest loss in the series for the Aggies was 45-10 in 1976. Utah State’s smallest margin of loss against San Jose State came in the 1992 and 1995 seasons, where Utah State lost by two points both times.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Disrupt the connection between Walker Eget and Danny Scudero
The Eget-Scudero connection was strong against Wyoming, as previously mentioned. The last thing that Utah State needs is to help the Spartans continue to build on this connection. The Aggies did not defend the pass well against Hawaii. The Aggies also didn’t defend the pass well against Vanderbilt or Texas A&M. Utah State must defend the pass well in this game. Don’t let this be the game where Eget throws four touchdowns. Or where Scudero gains 1,000 total yards on the season. Disrupt the connection early, and Utah State has a much better chance of winning this game.
2. Limit penalties and convert 3rd Downs
If Utah State continues a consistent trend of high penalties and low 3rd-Down conversion rates, this could turn into a long day for the Aggies. Utah State needs to reverse trends to low penalties and high 3rd-Down conversion rates. Utah State needs to avoid penalties, especially on defense. Penalties also correlate offensively; the Aggies cannot afford to convert just two 3rd-downs against the Spartans. That’s a quick way for Utah State to not be effective on offense or on defense, which leads right into the next key to the game.
3. Efficient offense and efficient defense
Utah State needs to be efficient on offense, defense, and special teams. The Aggies cannot afford to put a tired defense on the field, especially if they just spent time on the field. If this happens, then Walker Eget might have himself a game. Utah State needs to take advantage of field position and fill lanes on punt and kickoff returns. The Aggies need to avoid 3rd and long and get into manageable situations. Utah State needs to execute on offense and focus on their strength, create explosive plays. The Utah State needs to be effective on defense. They need to execute defensive coverages. If Utah State can take away the passing game for San Jose State, they will be in a much better position to win this game.
Overall Thoughts
This week does seem like it will go better for Utah State. The Aggies are not heading to the islands to play a Hawaii team that has proven to be pretty good this year. Utah State is going to be at home facing a San Jose State team that has struggled this season, especially defensively. Utah State, if they want to compete for a Mountain West title, knows that they have their backs against the wall. Typically, when a team plays knowing that they have their back against the wall, they can perform if they are locked in and execute. This is a situation that Utah State finds itself in right now, and Bronco Mendenhall is a coach who can get results and get a game plan ready to have success. Utah State needs to start fast, and this was one of the keys to the game against Hawaii. Utah State never truly started fast against Hawaii, but it will have an opportunity to do so against the Spartans. San Jose State isn’t Hawaii, and that will show in the second half as Utah State begins to take control.
Score Prediction: USU: 38; SJSU: 17
