3. Utah State at San Diego State
LINE San Diego State -6
ATS PICK San Diego State
San Diego State was put in a position it couldn’t handle just once this season.
The team is all about defense, running game, and control, and it lost all of that for a stretch in the 30-20 defeat to Fresno State. Other than that, the team has found ways to come through time and again.
It held on to shock Utah in a thriller. It had to battle way too hard to get by mediocre San Jose State, UNLV, and Hawaii teams, but it also found the mental toughness to get by Air Force and Nevada in tight fights.
And then came last week against Boise State.
Just when it seemed like the Broncos were going to blow the doors off the game, Brady Hoke and the coaching staff adjusted, the offense started moving with Jordon Brookshire at quarterback, and the defense played like it was insulted as it stopped everything in the second half of a 27-16 win.
Utah State has the offense to make this scary, and the defensive front can get into the backfield, but it doesn’t control the clock and it doesn’t do enough to stop the run.
You’ll have to wait a full four quarters in a low scoring game, but San Diego State got here doing what it does really, really well. It’s not pretty, but it’ll be enough to win a Mountain West title by a touchdown.
NEXT: College Football Pick Against The Spread No. 2 Baylor vs Oklahoma State