Utah State (3-2) (1-0) heads into its next Mountain West conference game on the road at Hawaii after coming out of its Bye Week following a 55-35 loss to Vanderbilt. Hawaii is also coming out of a Bye Week after they took down Air Force on the road, 44-35. The Rainbow Warriors are led by quarterback Michael Alejado, who has passed for 1,043 yards and six touchdowns this season to four interceptions. Landon Sims has rushed for 241 yards and a touchdown on 59 carries. The leading receiver for the Rainbow Warriors is Pofele
Ashlock, who has caught 38 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns this season. Hawaii started the season with a win against Stanford and has two losses to Arizona (40-6) and Fresno State (23-21). Utah State, other than facing two SEC teams this season, has had a lot of success and will look to continue to build on their success as they head to the islands.
Game Information
Date: Saturday, October 11th
Time: 9:00 PM EST
TV: Mountain West App/Spectrum Sports Network
Line (Draftkings Sportsbook): Utah State (-1.5)
Series History: Utah State is 13-6 all-time against Hawaii, and the Aggies have won eight straight meetings. The most recent meeting was in 2024, where the Aggies pulled off a 55-10 win in Logan. The last loss for Utah State in the series came in 2010, when Hawaii won 45-7 in Logan. The longest losing streak for the Aggies in the series is 8 games between 2011-2024. The longest losing streak for the Aggies in the series is 3 games between 2005-2007.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Limit the number of penalties
Utah State, in recent years, has really struggled as a team, committing a lot of penalties. Penalties create undisciplined football and limit the efficiency of a team. This has shown over the last few years as Utah State has struggled overall as a program. Under Bronco Mendenhall, the penalties, while not perfect, have gotten a little better, and the improvement has shown in Utah State’s record this season. Utah State is likely going to be in a tight game with Hawaii, so it is vital that the Aggies are able to put themselves in a good position and not commit penalties that stall drives. Penalties will also be important on defense, as the Aggies are going to need to find ways to get their defense off the field.
2. Get off to a fast start
Hawaii is a hard place to play. The travel is one aspect of playing the Rainbow Warriors, but Hawaii also comes to play at home. The best way to beat Hawaii on the road is to get off to a quick start. Utah State has done a good job this year of creating explosive plays, and they are going to need that in this game. The Aggies need to get Bryson Barnes and the passing game going early on, and if they are able to do so, the Aggies might come out with a comfortable win.
3. Limit explosive plays
Utah State needs to be able to get Hawaii’s offense off the field. Against Air Force, Hawaii had over 500 yards of offense, and the Rainbow Warriors have had more success this season on offense than in previous years. Utah State cannot afford to get into a shootout. If this game does end up turning into that type of game, then the Aggies better get ready to score a lot of points. The best situation for the Aggies is to put a productive offense on the field and make a few key stops on defense to continue to build on momentum.
Prediction
Hawaii is playing much better this year than in the past couple of years. This is the best start to a season that Hawaii has had since 2019. If allowed to run wild, Hawaii’s offense will do so. Utah State didn’t do a great job of stopping Vanderbilt, and just like Hawaii, the Aggies are looking to regroup after a Bye Week. Utah State is looking better than expected in year one under Bronco Mendenhall. 4-2 would not look bad at all for the Aggies, with the only two losses against SEC teams and winnable games against Mountain West competition coming up on the schedule. Hawaii manages to give Utah State a scare for a while, but late into the second half, Utah State’s defense comes up with a few key stops, and the offense capitalizes.
Score Prediction: Utah State: 42; Hawaii: 28
