College Football ATS Picks - BYU at Utah State Game Preview

It’s been a rough year for the BYU Cougars. BYU has been unable to get any sort of offense going all season long and its lone win was a victory over 0-3 Portland State. The Cougars are in desperate need of a win if they are to have any hope of making a bowl with their tough schedule. The Utah State Aggies will try to stop that from happening as they too are looking to get back to a bowl after going 3-9 in 2016. These two will face off with one of the best rivalry trophies, The Old Wagon Wheel, on the line.

This matchup in Week 5 of the regular season will take place on Friday, September 29, 2017,

at 8 p.m. ET at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah. This game will be broadcast on CBS Sports.

College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu

BYU -3.5
Utah State +3.5
Over/Under: Check Back Later

Odds Analysis

BYU has yet to cover a game this season. The Cougars only came close to covering once, against arch rival Utah, and wouldn’t have covered a teaser in their other three games. The offense is the primary reason for this, but there is a silver lining. Under has been a great bet in BYU games because this team has a strong defense, but can’t do anything on offense.

The Aggies have had a brutal schedule so far. This team has traveled to Wisconsin, Wake Forest, and San Jose State in the span of a few weeks and that kind of travel typically leaves a team with dead legs. Utah State did what it was supposed to though, getting blown out by Wisconsin and Wake Forest, but crushing Idaho State and San Jose State.

Key Stat

It’s hard to describe just how bad BYU’s offense is. The Cougars are the one team averaging less than 10 points per game in the country and if you take out their performance against Portland State, they are averaging less than a touchdown per game.

The running game has not been able to get on track all season long. BYU is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry this year and that barely includes what the quarterbacks have done.

BYU hasn’t been able to get anything going through the air either, but it’s not as much the fault of the quarterbacks as it is the receivers. The wide receivers don’t have the strength to separate at the line of scrimmage and opposing defenses have jammed them the entire season. That puts both Tanner Mangum and Beau Hoge in terrible spots.

Key Injuries

Mangum is out until mid-October with an ankle injury and that has hurt BYU’s passing game too. Although Mangum has really struggled to put up good numbers this season, he has been much better than Hoge and that will hurt the Cougars here.

Utah State isn’t without injuries either. Kent Myers looked like he suffered a head injury against Wake Forest two weeks ago and was pulled from the game. Myers played last Saturday against San Jose State and looked mostly fine, but that’s something to watch. Additionally, the Aggies suffered a huge loss when it was announced that Tonny Lindsey Jr. would be out the rest of the season with a shoulder injury last week. He was arguably the team’s best running back and his loss stings.

Free ATS Pick

Under is going to be a popular play in this one since both these defenses have been good against non-Power Five opponents. There’s a chance that this game could open in the low 30s, which would be amazing.

When it comes to taking a side, I’m going to go with the Aggies. They are playing at home and have looked a little better than the Cougars have this year. It will be close, but they’ll pull it out.

College Football Odds: Utah State 20, BYU 17

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