Utah vs. San Diego State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Livestream, Odds, Prediction
San Diego State has gone 6-2 against the Pac-12 since 2016.
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After New Mexico State and Arizona the Aztecs face a true test with the Utes.
WEEK 3: Utah Utes (1-1, 0-0 Pac-12) at SDSU Aztecs (2-0, 0-0 MW)
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 18th, 2021 – 4:00 p.m. PST | 7:00 p.m. EST
WHERE: Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, California (27,000)
TV: CBSSN
STREAMING: You can get a free seven-day trial of FuboTV by clicking here.
RADIO: 101.5 FM (KGB) and XTRA 1360 AM.
SERIES RECORD: Utah leads, 17-12-1, with 5 straight Utah wins.
LAST MATCHUP: November 20, 2010.
ODDS: Utah -7
OVER/UNDER: 44.5
Carson, CA — The Aztecs enter Saturday evening’s battle against the Utes with good momentum and home field advantage.
The Utes gave up their second preseason game against BYU last week 26-17. What they lost in momentum they will try to regain with the furor from a winnable loss against a big rival and fellow Mountain West emeritus school.
Brady Hoke’s Aztecs are starting to look more like Rocky Long’s squad with each new game. If a decisive win over the Utes can be waged, the Aztecs could reclaim the clout they earned and kept over the last six years.
Aztecs starting quarterback Jordon Brookshire is gaining steam and finding ways to get the job done. So far he’s thrown for 298 yards (149.0 ypg), executing on 50% of his passes throwing two touchdowns and one interception this season. He’s run for 22 rushing yards (11.0 ypg) on 15 carries with two rushing touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Greg Bell has managed 286 rushing yards (143.0 per game) on 38 carries, with two touchdowns so far. This year Jordan Byrd has made five carries for 67 yards and a touchdown. Daniel Bellinger has 123 receiving yards (61.5 yards per game). He’s amassed four receptions and one touchdown.
For the Utes, quarterback Charlie Brewer has 380 passing yards (190.0 ypg) to lead Utah, completing 64.2% of his passes and tossing three touchdown passes and two interceptions this season. He’s also managed 35 rushing yards (17.5 ypg) on eight carries.
Tailback Micah Bernard has rushed 18 times for a team-high 181 yards (90.5 per game), with one touchdown this year. He’s had seven catches for 59 yards (29.5 per game). Tavion Thomas has rushed for 133 yards (66.5 per game) on 19 carries with two touchdowns.
Receiver Dalton Kincaid’s 112 receiving yards (56.0 yards per game) by way of five receptions and two touchdowns lead the team.
WHY THE UTES WILL WIN
Some argue the Utes are Pac-12 contenders this year and the loss against BYU was a fluke.
The Utes have a solid running game, and Charlie Brewer can execute if he’s not being chased down. In addition, their defensive line is going to be harder on the Aztecs than the two lightweight teams SDSU has played so far this year. These factors will make the Utes appear as a more formidable team than the one which lost to BYU last week.
WHY THE AZTECS WILL WIN
The Aztecs have the #1 scoring defense in NCAA football. This is a huge X factor in this or any other game. In addition, the Aztecs have found their own ground game, and that includes quarterback Jordan Brookshire running for the chains when the opportunity arises.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN
This will be a well contested match, and most fans will be expecting the Utes to register a decisive win against a nationally recognized G5 team. However, the Aztecs are used to having their way with the Pac-12 conference, and their defense will keep Charlie Brewer on his heels for much of the game. The Aztecs will walk away with the W.
Final Score Prediction: Aztecs 31, Utes 24