Once Utah State lost quarterback Chuckie Keeton for the year, it seemed unlikely that the Aggies would have the season they had hoped for. That was reaffirmed once they lost to Arkansas State in the week following Keeton’s injury. However, the following week, Utah State had a breakthrough, winning 35-20 at BYU for their first win in Provo since 1978. That has the Aggies riding high on the back of quarterback Darell Garretson, who led them to their win over the Cougars.
How to watch Air Force vs. Utah State: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Which team’s hot streak will continue?
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
But Utah State faces another tough test against a surprising Air Force team that sits at 4-1 and is fresh off a win over Navy. The Falcons went 2-10 and 0-8 in the Mountain West last season, but they’ve already doubled their 2013 win total and have an impressive Mountain West win over Boise State under their belts. This could end up being a very important game in the Mountain West race.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 10:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Online streaming: WatchESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: Utah State is 3-2, while Air Force is 4-1. Neither team is ranked.
Vegas: Utah State opened as a 7.5-point favorite and is now a 7-point favorite. The over/under is 48.5.
Weather forecast: Partly cloudy with a high of 69 and a low of 41.
Two things at stake
This could have serious Mountain West “Mountain” Division ramifications. The winner would get a big boost in that race.
For Utah State, this is an opportunity to prove that the BYU game wasn’t a fluke. For Air Force, it’s an opportunity to build on the impressive two-game winning streak over Boise State and Navy.
One big matchup
Utah State offense vs. Air Force defense: Air Force has been a defensive-minded team this year, and the Falcons were able to beat Boise State and Navy by two scores each by limiting those potentially powerful offenses. Now, they’ll face perhaps their toughest test yet against Utah State. Garretson proved to be a very tough test for the BYU defense, and while he may not be Chuckie Keeton, he has the potential to turn this into a high-scoring affair that would be too tough for the Air Force offense to overcome. If the Falcons are going to win, they need to limit the USU offense.
Further reading
Read Mountain West Connection for more on Utah State and Air Force.
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