Utah State (4-4) (2-2) is coming off a bye week and is preparing to face off against Nevada (1-7) (0-4) as they look to stay in the hunt for bowl eligibility. On the season, Bryson Barnes leads the Aggies
in passing with 1,808 yards and 14 touchdowns to three interceptions, completing 134 of his 209 passes (64%). Miles Davis has rushed for 576 yards and four touchdowns on 85 carries. Braden Pegan leads the team in receiving with 654 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 39 receptions. Linebacker John Miller leads the Aggies with 5.5 sacks and also leads the team with 72 tackles. In Nevada’s last game against Boise State, quarterback Carter Jones threw for 144 yards and three interceptions. Running back Herschel Turner rushed for 77 yards on seven carries. Receiver Marshaun Brown led the team in receiving yards with 35 yards on four receptions. Nevada struggled mightily on offense, managing to get 15 first downs as the Wolfpack were 4-12 on 3rd Down Conversions (33%). Nevada turned the ball over five times in total, and the Wolfpack also had 8 penalties for 72 yards while only controlling the clock for 25:41 minutes. Nevada averaged 4.7 yards per pass and 4.5 yards per rush. While Utah State will not be facing the challenge that they had against San Jose State and New Mexico. Against the Lobos, Utah State allowed 407 total yards and allowed 224 rushing yards. Utah State was only able to get 142 rushing yards. Utah State will be able to have an opportunity to get back on track against the Wolfpack; this is their chance.
Game Information
Date: Saturday, November 8th
TV: CBS Sports Network
Time: 5:30 PM MTN
Line (Provided by DraftKings Sportsbook): Utah State (-9.5)
Series History: Utah State has struggled in the series against Nevada as they are now sitting at 8-19. The Aggies won the last game in 2023, 41-24, but lost in Reno in 2020, 34-9. In 2019, Utah State won in Logan, 36-10, but lost in 2016 in Reno, 38-37. The last time Utah State won in Reno was 1999. Between 2005 – 2010, Utah State lost six straight games to the Wolfpack, and only three of those games were close. The longest winning streak for the Aggies in the series was between 2011 and 2015, where Utah State won 21-17 and 31-27. The largest margin of victory for Utah State came in a 36-10 game in 2019, while the largest loss for the Aggies came in 2006 when Utah State lost 42-0 in Reno.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Don’t let Nevada run the ball
This is going to be a very big key to the game. The Aggies give up nearly 186 rushing yards per game, which is a very high average. Against San Jose State, the Spartans averaged 7.3 yards per carry. Utah State has struggled with tackling and setting the edge over the last few years, and this year has been similar. The good news for Utah State? Nevada has not run the ball well this year. Against New Mexico, the Aggies managed to get 55 yards on 28 carries with an average of 2 yards per carry. The Wolfpack was also outrushed by San Diego State, 204-60 yards. Utah State will have a big opportunity to shut down the Nevada run game, and this would make the Wolfpack one-dimensional.
2. Get the run game going
If Utah State becomes one-dimensional in this game because they cannot get the run game going, that could prove to be an issue. There has been a particular concern about the offensive line, though there have been some bright moments in the season, such as the long touchdown run against New Mexico by Miles Davis. The offensive line for the Aggies has committed several penalties this year, which can be attributed to a new group of offensive linemen and a new offensive scheme under a new coordinator. If the offensive line was not struggling as much as they have been, they would likely get a little bit better in the running game. If the Aggies can run the ball, then they will also be able to pass the ball against an inconsistent Nevada pass defense.
3. Address adversity, find solutions to the challenges
In the game against New Mexico, the Aggies had just 15 first downs and only converted four third downs. The Aggies had 164 yards passing and were significantly outgained in rushing yards against the Lobos. New Mexico also significantly controlled the clock with 38:16 compared to Utah State’s 21:44. These are areas that need to be addressed, but there are solutions. Utah State can practice fundamentals on defense and work on wrapping up tackles and setting the edges. The Aggies can work on continuity on the offensive line and create holes for both Miles Davis and Bryson Barnes to run through.
Final Thoughts and Prediction
This is a Nevada team that has struggled to win for several years now. Utah State, sitting at 4-4, is going to have a big opportunity to take a step towards bowl eligibility. At times, the Wolfpack defense has looked okay, but Nevada’s offense has really struggled. Utah State, in its wins, has been able to score a significant amount of points. However, when Utah State is inconsistent, they have been dominated by the opposing team. New Mexico was dominant against Utah State, especially in the run game. While the Aggies have played better under Bronco Mendenhall than in the past few seasons, there are still a lot of questions on this team that need to be addressed. Utah State is not going to find all of the answers against a Nevada team that just isn’t very good, but the Aggies should be able to take a step in the right direction and find some solutions that do work.
Prediction: Utah State: 38; Nevada: 14
