Utah State (1-3, 0-0 MWC) at No. 21 Boise State (3-1, 0-0 MWC)
- Kickoff: Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT
- Venue: Albertsons Stadium
- TV: FS2
- Radio: KZNS 1280 The Zone
- Livestream: https://www.foxsports.com/live
- Series: Utah State trails in the all-time series against Boise State, 23-5, which includes woeful 3-11 record in Idaho.
- Weather: Sunny skies with temperatures in the low 70s at kickoff.
The trends
For Utah State: The Aggies are 1-3 following back-to-back-to-back losses to No. 11 USC, No. 18 Utah and Temple. The most recent loss — to the Owls — was a brutal one for the Aggies, who controlled the game for much of the first half before being blown out in the second frame. Things don’t get easier for USU, which hasn’t won a game in over a month now and hasn’t beaten an FBS opponent since Nov. last year. A trip to Boise comes first, followed by a game against surging UNLV.
For Boise State: The Broncos are 3-1 following a dominant showing at home against Washington State. Boise State, ranked No. 21 overall, is widely viewed as the best Group of 5 team in the country currently and running back Ashton Jeanty is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender.
What to watch for
Critical moments. If the Aggies’ struggles can be boiled down to one thing, it is a failure to execute in the biggest moments. Through the first four games of the season, USU has routinely been penalized or failed to convert on key downs in key situations. Be it errant throws, mis-run routes, or ill-timed offensive line penalties on offense, or blown coverages or missed assignments on defense, USU has made a bad habit of making the wrong plays at the least opportune time.
There is obviously a lot more to USU’s struggles than just that, but outside of the blowout loss to USC, the Aggies have led in their other two losses and controlled the game even. Then untimely miscues creep in and all momentum is lost, leading to an eventual USU loss.
In order to beat a team like the caliber of Boise State — another College Football Playoff contender — Utah State has to be near perfect and that has been a challenge during the early season.
If the Aggies are to pull off the notable upset, it will need a standout offensive performance. That means quarterback Spencer Petras coming into his own as the Aggies’ signal caller, in what will be just his second game in two years. USU will also need a breakout game from Jalen Royals, who has been solid thus far this season, but not extraordinary like he was at times in 2023. Continued excellence from running back Rahsul Faison wouldn’t hurt either.
Boise State has proven vulnerable defensively this season, especially through the air, and Utah State has the talent to capitalize. If it doesn’t BSU will surely run away with the game. Literally.
Key player
Ashton Jeanty, Boise State running back: Speaking of running, there may be no better player in all of college football than Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Florida native is a legitimate Hesiman Trophy contender and has already rushed for 845 yards and 13 touchdowns through four games this season.
Jeanty is averaging 10.3 yards per carry and by myself has rushed for more yardage this season than 90 FBS team, Utah State included.
The Aggies understand the challenge ahead of them — interim head coach Nate Dreiling noted this week that Washington State played near perfect defense and Jeanty still ran all over the Cougars — so the most important figures on the Aggies’ defense will be linebackers John Ross Maye and Clyde Washington. Ideally, USU’s defensive linemen will be able to get a hand on Jeanty, but more often than not it will be the Aggies’ linebackers, Maye and Washington especially, that who will have to find a way to bring him down or risk game-changing runs.
Jeanty may be the most exciting player in the country right now and the result of the game will surely come down to whether or not USU was able to limit him at all.
“He’s the No. 1 back in the country right now, so he’s going to have our full attention and we know we got to be able to, got to be able to contain him,” Dreiling said.
Quotable
“It is going to be a fun game. A sold-out atmosphere and going against one of the best players in the country. We know that we’ve got things that we need to improve on. It starts with ourselves.” — Utah State coach Nate Dreiling
“They (Utah State) has been inconsistent at times but they are a good team. ... Nate Dreiling is going to do a really good job and those guys are going to play hard. Play fired up and I know that they are going to cut loose. ” — Boise State coach Spencer Danielson
Next up
Utah State: vs. UNLV; Boise State: at Hawaii
Utah State schedule
- Aug. 31: Utah State 36, Robert Morris 14
- Sept. 7: USC 48, Utah State 0
- Sept. 14: Utah 38, Utah State 21
- Sept. 21: Temple 45, Utah State 29
- Sept. 28: Bye
- Oct. 5: at Boise State (TBA)
- Oct. 11: UNLV (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
- Oct. 19: New Mexico (2 p.m., TruTV)
- Oct. 26: at Wyoming (5 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
- Nov. 2: Bye
- Nov. 9: at Washington State (TBA)
- Nov. 16: Hawaii (1 p.m., Spectrum Sports)
- Nov. 23: San Diego State (1:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
- Nov. 29: at Colorado State (TBA)
All times Mountain Time zone.