Stay up late to take in a crucial Mountain West showdown on Saturday, as Utah State will head up to Boise to take on Boise State. The Mountain West’s Mountain Division title will be on the line, after Colorado State lost to Air Force, and the Broncos have a major New Year’s bowl berth to protect. Utah State might even be able to steal that spot with a win.
How to watch Utah State vs. Boise State: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Major implications abound in this late night Mountain West showdown.
The Aggies have gotten to this point despite losing three starting quarterbacks to injury this year. Chuckie Keeton, Darell Garretson, and and Craig Harrison have all gone down, meaning freshman Kent Myers is getting the snaps now. He's thrown five touchdowns to only one pick during his 4+ games as a starter, so he's taken care of the ball well.
For Boise State, the focus is on running back Jay Ajayi. The junior averages over 25 carries a game, and averages over 126 yards a game. The Aggie defense has been tough all year, but stopping Ajayi will be one of their tougher tasks this year.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 10:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 (Mike Couzens/David Diaz-Infante/Shelley Smith)
Radio: Utah State | Boise State
Online streaming: WatchESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: Boise State enters this game at No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and is 9-2 (6-1 Mountain West). Utah State is unranked, but 9-3 (6-1 Mountain West). Boise State leads the all-time series 14-4.
Vegas: The Broncos are a 8.5-point favorite at most sportsbooks. The over/under is set at 55, per OddsShark.com.
Weather forecast: Rainy with a high of 48.
Two things at stake
Boise State: A major bowl spot. The Broncos are currently in pole position for the Group of Five bowl bid to one of the major New Years Day bowls, currently projected to be the Fiesta Bowl. They need to keep winning, though, as their lead over undefeated Marshall is only one place (No. 23 vs. No. 24). There’s no guarantee that they’ll stay higher than the Herd even if they win, but considering the committee’s reluctance to rank Marshall, they’d have to feel good about their chances.
Utah State: A division title. The Aggies are locked in a tie for first in the Mountain West Mountain division with Boise State at 6-1 in conference. And if the Aggies can win the division and the conference, they’d have a decent argument for that New Year’s bowl.
One big matchup
Boise State rushing game vs. Utah State defense. The Broncos are rushing for over 218 yards per game this year, led by Jay Ajayi. He’s gone over 100 yards in seven straight games, but will have a tough opponent in the Aggies. Utah State is allowing only 116 yards per game, which is 17th in the nation, and have turned over their opponents 28 times this year. Whoever gets the upper hand in this matchup will probably win the game.
Further reading
For all things Mountain West, check out Mountain West Connection. For Boise State info, head over to One Bronco Nation Under God.
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