Tag: Utah State Aggies

Utah State Football: Aggies’ Best moments from 2019

Best plays and moments from USU’s up and down season from 2019.

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Utah State Football: Aggies’ best moments from 2019

Counting down the top moments from USU football

What was the best moment?

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

The 2019 season had some genuinely great moments for USU’s football team. Despite an up and down year with stretches of unbridled frustration, the Aggies did put together some incredible plays and keyed up a few noteworthy wins. Without further ado, let’s look at the best of the best this season had to offer for Aggie fans.

1. Beating SDSU on the road

San Diego State had themselves a rock solid season, getting to 10-3 and winning a bowl against Central Michigan in what would be Rocky Long‘s last game an Aztec. San Diego State nabbed a good road victory against UCLA (a school they had historically not beaten until this tilt) and fielded a truly stifling defense, holding their initial opponents on the schedule to 0, 14, and 10 points.

The Aggies came to town looking for their first win against SDSU since 1967. USU dominated the first half of the game and held a 23-3 lead to begin the third quarter. The rest of the game would see the Aggies blow several big plays on defense and allow the chippy Aztecs to get within six points in the closing minutes.

Dominik Eberle missed a sure game-winning kick and SDSU appeared to be on the way to a crushing comeback… until Ryan Agnew decided to sprint backward chasing down a wayward snap. Years of blown chances in close games wouldn’t nip the upset-minded Aggies this time.

Altogether, it was a roller coaster game with a terrific ending, which makes this the best win USU got in 2019.

2. David Woodward‘s Strip-six vs CSU

In what turned out to be an incredibly wet and gusty evening, USU weathered the storm (no pun intended) against the feisty if beleaguered Colorado State Rams. Though Utah State went on to win the game 34-24, there were a lot of mistakes along the way that prolonged the fight and kept all in attendance nervous.

The offense didn’t click much despite a great rushing attack from the Aggies. Jordan Love threw a pick-six and Bright lost a fumble early in the game. Late in the game and with a tenuous lead propping up the Aggies, linebacker David Woodward decided he had enough. He forcefully stripped the ball from Rams’ runner Marvin Kinsey and returned it eight yards for the game-clinching score. Great stuff from a stud defender.

3. Eric Munoz vs Wyoming

In another nail-biting game, USU toppled the Wyoming Cowboys in dramatic fashion. Former walk-on linebacker Eric Munoz had his coming out party in Logan with a sturdy 13 tackle, two-interception performance against a resilient Cowboy offense.

After the game ended, Munoz had a memorable and tear-filled press moment where he detailed his struggles to make it in college. The former walk-on went on to earn a scholarship less than a week later. Great win and a great person helped make it possible for USU.

4. Eberle kicks Fresno State to the curb

The Aggies have had a long and painful history of missed opportunities, especially when it comes to field goal kicking. Against Fresno State, Dominik Eberle ensured Utah State would get a needed walk-off win. It was not only the first game-winning kick in Eberle’s storied career with the Aggies, but it was also the first time since 1998 the Aggies had won a game on a last-second field goal.

So, THAT is what it feels like to win one of these things.

5. Scarver just returns kickoffs for touchdowns

In an otherwise forgettable game, Savon Scarver racked up his fifth kickoff return for a touchdown in his career. This set the school record, passing the previous mark of four that was set by Kevin Robinson. The blocking and coverage downfield was flawless and the junior speedster made it look easy against the Wolf Pack. Aggie fans are fortunate they have this guy around for one more season. Enjoy him, Aggie nation.

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Miraculous comeback by Boise State sinks Aggies’ at-large hopes

RayJ Dennis scored all of his career-high 19 points in the final 3:23 of regulation as Boise State fought back from a late 19-point deficit.

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Game Recap: Boise St. 88, Utah St. 83 (OT)

Broncos erase 19-point deficit in stunning fashion

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

High drama in Boise means high stress for Utah State

It seemed for all the world that Utah State was moving past its early struggles in the Mountain West, leading comfortably in Boise with just a few minutes to play.

But a late Boise State surge propelled the Broncos to one of the most unlikely wins of the season in college basketball, the home team escaping with an 88-83 overtime win in ExtraMile Arena.

Freshman guard RayJ Dennis led the comeback charge for Boise State, scoring all of his career-high 19 points in the final three-plus minutes of regulation. Dennis shot 5-for-5, including four three-pointers. He was also a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw stripe.

It was one of the most electrifying individual performances of the season—not just in the MW, but in the nation—and it came from one of the most unassuming players on the court.

This win wasn’t just unlikely—it was all but impossible.

According to Ken Pomeroy, the win probability for Utah State (14-6, 3-4 MW) peaked at 98.8% after Justin Bean’s free throws put them up 18 points with 4:10 remaining. The Broncos’ 0.2% shot at victory was about as slim as it gets.

But on some nights, college basketball simply refuses to be penned in by such limits.

Utah State’s collapse spoiled a season-high scoring night from its star player, Sam Merrill, who finished with 30 points on the night. Bean had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Neemias Queta added 12 points before fouling out, but those performances weren’t enough to stave off the Broncos’ late push.

The gut-wrenching loss may be the final straw that breaks the back—and heart—of the Aggies.

With just over six minutes to play in regulation, Queta hit two free throws to give the Aggies a 62-43 lead over Boise State, matching the Aggies’ largest lead of the game at 19 points. Over the next two minutes, the Broncos only managed to chisel one point off of that deficit, with Utah State leading 66-48 with four minutes to play.

Then it happened.

RJ Williams drew a foul on Queta, the fifth of the game for the Portuguese sophomore. Over its next few possessions, Utah State alternated between missed shots and turnovers, resulting in a 14-0 run for Boise State that cut the Aggie lead to four points with one minute remaining.

After two Abel Porter free throws with eight seconds to play, Utah State held a 75-70 lead and looked like they would be able to survive Boise State’s big haymaker.

But Dennis came down and capped off his out-of-the-blue explosion, nailing a three-pointer with four seconds remaining.

Boise State’s comeback hinged on forcing one last turnover.

Justinian Jessup didn’t disappoint.

The senior sharpshooter was able to intercept Diogo Brito’s inbounds pass, and he quickly layed the the ball in with 1.3 seconds on the clock, tying the game at 75.

The two teams would take that scoreline with them into overtime. With the wind fully at their backs, Boise State drew first blood in the extra period—and never gave the lead back.

Jessup and Williams both finished in double figures for the Broncos, with Derrick Alston also chipping in 19 to tie Dennis for the team-high in scoring.

The win moves Boise State (12-6, 4-4 MW) to .500 in league play—something Utah State can no longer claim. The Broncos have had issues with depth at times this year, but the big plays out of RayJ Dennis and Max Rice down the stretch is a sign of growth for Leon Rice’s bench.

It’s a step in the right direction for a Broncos team coming off two straight losses to San Diego State and Air Force. Consistency hasn’t been this team’s strong suit this season, but any indications of progress are encouraging. If nothing else, it seems unlikely that Boise State will repeat its dismal showing in the Mountain West after last season’s mess.

For the Aggies, the loss not only hands them a losing record in conference play—it might have completely dashed any remaining hopes that Utah State had to get an at-large bid in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Craig Smith’s team came into the season with massive expectations, but the Aggies have fallen well short of them. Utah State was pegged to win the league going away, with San Diego State a distant second in the league. Questions lingered about how the team would fare with Queta on the mend from a summer knee injury, but a 7-0 start to the season for the Aggies quelled those fears.

But since Thanksgiving, that narrative has been completely flipped on its head, with Utah State going just 7-6 in games since their holiday trip to Montego Bay for the Jamaica Classic. And things are getting worse in 2020, with the Aggies having won just one game in five tries so far in the new year. Those games include losses to Air Force and UNLV.

Even on the road, those were games the Aggies were supposed to win.

At this point, preseason projections have to be thrown out. Though it’s not entirely clear what is wrong with the Aggies, they are nowhere near where the prognosticators—myself included—thought they would be.

The Aztecs, meanwhile, are still standing as the last undefeated team in the nation.

Utah State does hold wins over LSU and Florida, but those victories won’t be enough to buoy the Aggies’ chances at getting an at-large bid. At this point, they may need to run the table the rest of the way to have a shot at one. Failing that, Utah State’s only way forward will likely be through the Mountain West Tournament.

They will have plenty of competition there, though, with San Diego State having already all but locked up their ticket to the Big Dance. No other team in the league can make such a claim, so the stakes will be enormous at the Thomas & Mack Center in March.

Let’s hope that all of those games can be exciting as this one was.

UP NEXT

Boise State: The Broncos will have something of a light week compared to their recent forays against SDSU, Air Force, and Utah State. On Saturday, Boise State hosts Fresno State (6-12, 2-5 MW), who has struggled to the tune of a 2-5 start in league play. The Bulldogs have weapons, though. Leon Rice would do well to remind his team not to rest on their laurels, especially with no midweek game to keep them sharp.

Utah State: The Aggies will look to right the ship at home against Air Force (9-10, 3-4 MW). Remember: this team beat the Aggies by 19 points just two weeks ago. The Falcons’ offense has been impressive behind the play of Ryan Swan and Lavelle Scottie, but Dave Pilipovich has yet to field a consistent winner on the year. Utah State will also host San Jose State (6-13, 2-5 MW) next Saturday.

It’s not a stretch to say that these are must-win games for Utah State if they are to have any hope at getting into the NCAA Tournament through the front door.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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2020 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: January 12

Jordan Love and Curtis Weaver are expected to go in the first round for their respective schools. Where else do they stack up in the 2020 draft?

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2020 NFL Mock Draft Roundup January 12th

Where are the Mountain West player going in mock drafts?

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

First in a series of mocks.

With the college football season over for the Mountain West, it’s time now to look at where some of the conference’s most well-known entities could go. This week, we’ll be taking a look at QB Jordan Love from Utah State and DE Curtis Weaver from Boise State. Going forward we will mix in other players if they get consideration.

Jordan Love

By now, it’s well known that Jordan Love had some struggles this past season. After a brilliant sophomore campaign where he threw for 3,567 yards and 32 touchdowns to just six picks, Love had serious trouble matching his production from the record-setting season USU had in 2018.

In 2019, Love threw for 3,402 yards and 20 touchdowns to 17 interceptions. Though a few of those picks were not his fault, there were other times where Love tried doing too much and committed sloppy turnovers. While he still has plenty of talent and potential, he needs to clean up his decision making and not force plays that aren’t there moving into the NFL draft process.

Numerous sites have Jordan Love going to different teams in different rounds. Though he had the hype for a while of being a potential first round pick, his inconsistent performance in 2019 realistically knocked him down a couple rounds.

WalterFootball.com: Projects Love going between the third and fifth round. Analysis praises his arm strength and touch on deep passes, but admonishes that his field vision and decision making needs to improve.

CBS Sports: Projects Love as a first rounder (20th pick overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Draft Network: This projection has Love going to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 13.

USA TODAY Draftwire: Projects Love as a first-rounder (13th pick overall) to the Indianapolis Colts.

Curtis Weaver

Everyone in the Mountain West knows how good of a defensive player Curtis Weaver is. Year over year, the DE has gotten better and more disruptive to opposing offenses’ game plans. In 2019 Weaver had his best season yet with the Broncos, racking up 52 total tackles and a gaudy 13.5 sacks, good for 6th highest in the NCAA. The Broncos’ opponents struggled mightily to stop him from wreaking havoc in their backfields, and Weaver will no doubt find himself a good home in the NFL sooner rather than later.

WalterFootball.com: Projects Weaver to go between the second and fourth rounds.

CBS Sports: Projects Weaver to go in the first round (27th pick overall) to the Miami Dolphins.

Draftwire: Projects Weaver as a second rounder (48th pick overall) to the New York Jets.

ESPN+: Todd McShay projects Weaver to go the Miami Dolphins with the 20th pick overall.

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Air Force Football: Top Five Moments from 2019

Moment #2 from 2019 Two Years is Two Too Many Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire Were still counting down the five most memorable moments of the Falcon’s 2019 football season. In case you missed our first three installments of this five part series, …

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Moment #2 from 2019

Two Years is Two Too Many

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Were still counting down the five most memorable moments of the Falcon’s 2019 football season. In case you missed our first three installments of this five part series, check them out here  Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3 .

COMING IN AT #2

November 2, 2019 Air Force 17 vs. Army 13

For any leg of the Military Academies Battle for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, it can be expected to be hotly contested, regardless of team records. Coming into their 2019 clash with Army, Air Force had already lost to Navy earlier in the year, making the teams number one goal each season, a trip to the White House, already out of reach.

Army consequently was still searching for their footing when they traveled to Colorado Springs. They were one loss away from being eliminated from Bowl Consideration, but the ultimate prize was still within reach for Cadets from West Point; The Commander-In-Chief’s trophy. Army finishes the season against Navy, therefore a win at Air Force not only would have kept their Bowl aspirations alive, but a third consecutive trip to meet the President.

When you lay all that was at stake for Army out there, you could easily be fooled into attributing the motivation factor to their sideline. To borrow a phrase from Lee Corso “not so fast, my friend”. The Falcons had endured two consecutive losses to the Black Knights, and the Army team and fan base has been spewing reminders of it for the full 24 months.

Its almost as if the Army contingent had forgotten that Air Force had won 18 of their 20 meetings prior. Perhaps that’s more palatable than a friendly reminder of how Air Force has also captured the CIC Trophy 18 times, as compared to their eight. But who’s counting?

The beauty of this rivalry is that none of the aforementioned matters when Military Academies play. These are bitter rivalry games, and the play on the field reflects that. But there is something beautiful about these games, and as a football fan you have to appreciate that individuals that are ready and willing to die for one another can flip a switch to punish one another for a full four quarters, without batting an eye.

The 2019 meeting between Army and Air Force was certainly of that bruising variety, which it was apparent that neither team would leave an ounce of breath on the field.

Coming into the game, you would have thought that a slight offensive edge belonged to Air Force because of D.J. Hammond’s ability to throw the ball. That was not the case at all this day, as Hammond’s most critical contributions came in his decision making, and modest yet grueling rush yards, which the Falcon’s needed every one of.

Jabari Laws on the other hand came out slinging and had a career day throwing the ball for over 200 yards. So while the Falcon defense kept the Army run game well below its average, the passing game became the real wild card.

In the end, multiple fourth down stops by the Air Force defense were the difference. A theme as the season went on, as we saw. This was a showing of fortitude by both teams, but in the end, the Falcons did what they have done more often than not against Army; Air Force Sang Second.

Next Time We Reveal Air Force’s Top Moment from 2019!

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Air Force Football: Top Five Moments from 2019 (Part 3)

Moment #3 from 2019 The Kings of Colorado Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire Were still counting down the five most memorable moments of the Falcon’s 2019 football season. In case you missed our first two installments of this five part series, check …

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Moment #3 from 2019

The Kings of Colorado

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Were still counting down the five most memorable moments of the Falcon’s 2019 football season. In case you missed our first two installments of this five part series, check them out here  Part 1 or Part 2 .

COMING IN AT #3

The Claim to Colorado: Air Force 30 at Colorado 23 | Air Force 38 at Colorado State 21

During the off-season if you looked ahead at the Air Force schedule, it appeared a daunting one. On top of the Mountain Division regulars, which includes rival Colorado State and the Commander-In-Chief series opponents, the Falcons landed in state foes, in the Colorado Buffaloes for 2019.

During the Mountain West’s media days, Troy Calhoun was as quick to remark on just how difficult their schedule looked. Going as far as to say its the toughest he’s seen at the Academy.

Hyperbole? Not necessarily.

The Falcons already had difficult games against Boise State, Wyoming and Utah State built into the calendar, along with the Rams at CSU. You can always count on two prize-fights against Army and Navy each year as well. Pair all of that up with a trip to Boulder to face an NFL potential talent at quarterback, defensive line, linebacker and an elite receiver, and the schedule quickly becomes legit.

The caveat of interest built into this schedule was the Battle for Colorado though. Air Force plays Colorado State every year. The Rams play the Buffaloes each season. But with the odds of Haley’s comet, the stars aligned, and the Falcons completed the Colorado trinity by facing the Buff’s for the first time since Nixon was in office.

The Falcons season couldn’t have gotten off to a more thrilling start, trading blows with an opponent from the PAC12. They could have viewed this game as a confidence builder to stay within a score, coming off of back to back 5-7 seasons. But instead, Air Force began their validation process to show just how special this team was in 2019.

After four quarters of back and forth lead changes, the Buff’s wrestled away a 10 point lead late in the game to send it into overtime. From there, the defense did their part, fending off a talented Colorado offense, and the offense did what they did a lot of this season; score touchdowns. Like a dagger to the heart, Kade Remsberg projects across the goal line, securing victory in the first leg of the battle for Colorado.

It wasn’t until mid November that Air Force would have the opportunity to complete their sweep of the state. Between their games in Boulder and Fort Collins, the Falcons stacked up another 5  wins before lining up against the Rams. As fate would have it, that would exceed the win total for the Rams for the entire 2019 season.

Air Force entered the contest with Colorado State full of confidence, and the end result reflected it. After going down 14-0 in the first quarter, the Falcons didn’t flinch. Completely dominating the balance of the game, and outscoring the Rams 38-7 from that point on.

Make no mistake, this was not the Commander-In-Chief’s trophy. However, these are in state rivals, and all three of these teams wanted this series. Its a shame this can’t be a more regularly played trilogy, but maybe it will find a way to land on the schedule more frequently in the future.

Reflective of the season that was for Air Force, the battle for Colorado went to the best team. And in nearly every game they played this year, a similar result would yield. All Hail the Kings of Colorado, the United States Air Force Academy!

Next We Will the second most epic moment of the 2019 season

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Air Force Football: Top Five Moments from 2019

Moment #4 from 2019 Bugg says Aloha for 92 yards and the score Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire Were counting down the top five moments of the Falcon’s 2019 football season. If you missed our initial post on the 5th ranked moment, you can check it …

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Moment #4 from 2019

Bugg says Aloha for 92 yards and the score

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Were counting down the top five moments of the Falcon’s 2019 football season. If you missed our initial post on the 5th ranked moment, you can check it out here.

COMING IN AT #4

October 19, 2019: Air Force 56 at Hawai’i 26

Before Nick Rolovich’s Warriors from Hawai’i cemented themselves as the darlings of the West Division, they had a less than memorable meeting with the Cadets from Colorado Springs.

Prior to playing either of the Mountain Division powers, Hawai’i had begun to string together a nice season. They started the year off by knocking off two of their three power five opponents from the PAC 12. They then proceeded to dismantle their division rivals, Nevada by 51 points, all before the calendar turned to October.

After a 22 point loss on the Blue Turf to Boise, Hawai’i headed back to the island to prepare for Air Force. Things did not get any easier.

A prolific run-and-shoot passing offense that the Bows’ deployed, looked poise to feast on a Falcon defense that was coming off of a lackluster 2018, by their own admission. To make things even bleaker, the Falcons lost their starting quarterback, D.J. Hammond early in this game, and backup Isaiah Sanders was unavailable due to injury.

Enter, super senior Michael Schmidt. Under Schmidt, the offense didn’t miss a beat. In fact, the Air Force attack thrived under his control. Not only did the Falcons ground game have its way with Hawai’i, seeing Timothy Jackson and Schmidt clear 100 yards, with Kadin Remsberg not far behind, but the passing attack was humming as well.

The Air Force offense was operating at such a high level, it wouldn’t of mattered really how effective the Cole McDonald led pass attack was this day. The Falcons seemingly scored at will, but to make things worse for Hawai’i fans, we learned this day that the Air Force defense had completely turned the page from last year. Not only had they improved, but the defense was a force as we learned by seasons end.

Once the dust settled, Air Force handed Hawai’i a 30 point beat down. This was made possible by a relentless defensive effort that was topped off with a 92 yard interception return for a touchdown by Tre Bugg, sure to earn play of the year considerations this year.

And offensively, you couldn’t help but to appreciate what Mike Schmidt was able to do with his opportunity. Having less than a handful of snaps in his four years with the team prior, he cashed in with 120 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, to go along with 147 through the air and another score.

Next We Will Unveil Moment #3

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Air Force Football: Top Five Moments from 2019

Falcon Arial Assault Waters, Sanders and Hammond have Game for the Ages Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire When you put together a historical season as Air Force just did, the ride is usually composed of a lot of thrills. With the 2019 season in the …

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Falcon Arial Assault

Waters, Sanders and Hammond have Game for the Ages

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

When you put together a historical season as Air Force just did, the ride is usually composed of a lot of thrills. With the 2019 season in the books, lets take some time to reflect on some of the most memorable moments of the Falcons season.

COMING IN AT #5

November 23, 2019 Air Force 44 at New Mexico 22

Remember the Air Force game against New Mexico back in November, where D.J. Hammond missed that one pass? You know, the one where he literally threw a single incomplete pass!

If you missed this performance, or somehow forgot, allow me to reminisce. The Falcon ground game wasn’t their normal selves, chewing up a little more than 200 yards on the ground. Normally you might ask, what happened to their other 1/3 of rushing production?

The reality is, the firm of ‘Waters, Sanders and Hammond’ were so dominant, the normal workhorse backfield of Air Force was adjourned early. Even though Ben Waters and Geraud Sanders were the only players to catch passes this day, they tuned up the Lobo defense to the tune of 327 yards and four tuddies.

These guys along with quarterback, D.J. Hammond put up video game like numbers. Waters hauled in four passes that accounted for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders on the other-hand was only able to grind out 156 yards on his five catches while matching his counterpart in touchdowns.

These two averaged 42 and 31 yards per catch respectively. If that number seems off-the-charts, it is. And much like the end of season stats supported, Sanders led the country in yards per catch. While Waters would have led the country if he had enough catches to qualify. In case your wondering, that was 700 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, which did not qualify.

Anytime you throw more touchdowns than incomplete passes, you have had a pretty special game. When you say that you threw three more touchdowns than incomplete passes, you are a liar.

Or, you were D.J. Hammond on this night. The Falcons trigger-man amassed 327 yards passing, while completing 9 out of 10 passes for four touchdowns. This was garnished well with another trip to paydirt on 41 rush yards, for a five total touchdown performance.

The numbers this offense compiled that night were impressive. But to truly appreciate this accomplishment, you have to understand that this is conventionally a run-heavy triple option offense. And even at that, the efficiency which these guys were able to surgically dismember their opponent was nothing short of spectacular.

Next We Revisit Moment #4

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Utah State at Florida odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Utah State Aggies at Florida Gators betting odds and lines, with NCAA basketball betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Utah State Aggies (11-2, 2-0 Mountain West) and Florida Gators (7-3, 0-0 SEC) will square off at BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Utah State-Florida odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Utah State at Florida: Three things you need to know

1. Following a 14 point loss at Butler, the Gators rebounded in a big way this past week. They held Providence to 26% shooting from the field on their way to an 83-51 victory.

2. Utah State is coming off a 76-74 overtime win vs South Florida on a neutral court. The Aggies failed to cover the spread for the sixth straight game, and are now 4-8 against the spread on the season.

3. Utah State ranks fourth in the country in rebound margin at plus-11.4 per game. Justin Bean, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, has led the team in rebounding in every game, and they also have 7-footer Neemias Queta. Meanwhile, the Gators are tied for 140th in rebound margin a plus-2.6 per game.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Utah State at Florida: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:40 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Florida 68, Utah State 63

Moneyline (ML)

No money line odds were available at the time of publishing.

Against the Spread (ATS)

FLORIDA (-2.5, -110) is coming off a very impressive performance against Providence, and Utah State failed to cover in each of its last six contests. It should be a close game, but if the Gators can hold their own on the boards, they are likely to prevail, and are the side to take.

Over/Under (O/U)

Utah State is highly unlikely to reach its 79.5 points per game average against Florida’s stingy defense, which has surrendered just 62.3 PPG. The Over hit in five straight games for the Gators, but only once during that span was the total this high. A slight lean to the UNDER 133.5 (-110) in this one.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @RuddHQ and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Bowl Season: Mountain West Conference Simulated Results

A simulation run using updated rosters for the EA Sports NCAA 14 Football game was done to see how the Mountain West did this Bowl Year.

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How did the MWC fair this Bowl Season?

Thanks to the NCAA 14 Football Game- We have all the Bowl Insights!

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

Earlier this fall, we covered how the NCAA Football Game Dynasty by EA Sports was still alive and well, even after production of the game stopped in 2014. If you missed it, take a look here.

Using the newly updated rosters for every team on the game, we were able to create real simulation results based on these 2019 teams. We matched-up every team in the Mountain West with their 2019/2020 Bowl Opponent, using the actual locations and players. The games were completely simulated with no user interaction.

Let’s go Bowl by Bowl and see how things shook out!

FRISCO BOWL, DEC. 20: UTAH STATE VS. KENT STATE

If the simulation is any indicator, folks who take in the Frisco Bowl are in for a treat. Jordan Love pulls a George Costanza, and leaves the Aggies on a high note (both puns intended) racking up over 300 yards passing to edge Kent State by three, with a 31-28 victory.

The Utah State defense also came up big holding the Golden Flash to 40% in the Red Zone and forcing two turnovers.

NEW MEXICO BOWL, DEC. 21: SAN DIEGO STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Next up is the New Mexico Bowl which every Aztec fan would be thrilled to have the simulated results. The folks from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan may take umbrage with the notion of San Diego State racking up 41 points though.

I don’t question the Aztecs ability to pound the ball on the ground like the results reflect, behind a strong performance from Juwan Washington. But I do have to wonder what happened to ignite a 41 – 10 drubbing.

LAS VEGAS BOWL, DEC. 21: BOISE STATE VS. WASHINGTON

The kings of the (Mountain) West got reacquainted with their old coach, in most inhospitable fashion. Despite featuring the games most highly rated player in the MWC, Curtis Weaver, it wasn’t enough to knock off the Huskies.

I’m sure Jacob Eason of Washington would be very happy to showcase a near 400 yard passing performance in front of the scouts to increase his draft stock. Mountain West Wire’s resident Bronco, Raj may want to protest the results of this 13 point defeat.

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Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl: Utah State vs. Kent State odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Frisco Bowl betting odds between the Utah State Aggies at Kent State Golden Flashes, with betting picks, tips and bets.

The Utah State Aggies (7-5) and Kent State Golden Flashes (6-6) will do battle in Friday’s Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl with kick off set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

We analyze the Utah State-Kent State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Utah State vs. Kent State: Three things you need to know

  1. Kent State had to win each of its last three regular-season games to become bowl eligible. The Golden Flashes did just that, winning each by one score and finishing 6-6. The KSU offense hit its stride over the final stretch: the Flashes logged a 6.5 yards per play figure over four November games.
  2. Utah State also registered its best month on offense in November, posting 6.3 YPP. Both teams exhibit some run/pass balance, but the Aggies’ passing game (276 yards per game – 32nd in FBS) is the best unit in this matchup. The USU passing game will be up against a KSU defense which was quite good against the pass in four games from late-October to late-November. In only one of those games did the Flashes face a top-90 pass offense, and the quartet of games was bracketed by yielding 342 passing yards to Ohio Oct. 19 and 386 yards to Eastern Michigan Nov. 29.
  3. The Aggies own the postseason experience factor in this one. The USU program is playing in a bowl game for a third straight year; Kent State hasn’t played in a bowl game since 2012.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Utah State vs. Kent State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Utah State 38, Kent State 31

Moneyline (ML)

The analytics and idea of game flow are muddy in this one. The Aggies figure as a 5-to-9-point favorite. PASS on Utah State (-239).

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Aggies returns a profit of $4.18.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The line here is deflated and tilted to draw some underdog bettors. Again, USU is a worthy favorite but a PASS on Utah State (-5.5, -121) is the right call. Save your ammo; there are a couple bowls … or 35 … still to be played.

Over/Under (O/U)

A back-and-forth contest should be on the offing docket Friday. Both offenses look to be at their best of late. Watch the line on the OVER 65.5 (-134). We’re looking for a price under -125.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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