No. 19 San Diego State has never had a 12-win season in school history but can achieve that on Saturday by beating Utah State in the Mountain West Championship Game. The Aztecs are nearly TD favorites on the NCAAF college football odds on their temporary home field outside Los Angeles.
How to Bet Utah State at San Diego State NCAA Football Odds & TV Info
- When: Saturday, 3 PM ET
- Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, Calif.
- TV: FOX
- Stream: Fox Sports Go
- Radio: Tunein.com
- Opening NCAAF Lines: SDSU -6 (total 50)
Series History
The schools didn’t play this year. Utah State and San Diego State will be meeting for the 16th time in series history this weekend in what is the 19th-most played series in USU history. Utah State trails all-time 13-2, which includes a 2-8 road record. SDSU had won 10 straight games in the series prior to USU’s 23-17 road win in 2019. The Aztecs won last year’s meeting in Logan, 38-7.
Why Bet on Utah State?
The Aggies (9-3) won the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with last week’s 35-10 rout of New Mexico. Logan Bonner passed for 306 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, and wide receiver Deven Thompkins set the single-season school record for yards receiving.
Thompkins caught five passes for 35 yards to set the school record for most receiving yards in a single season. He now has 1,543 on the year, surpassing the previous mark of 1,531 set by Kevin Curtis in 2021. In three quarters of work, Bonner was 16-of-23, throwing touchdown passes of 27, 39, 36, 76 and 10 yards, respectively, to tie the school record of five set by both Chuckie Keeton and Jordan Love.
It was the eighth-straight game and 10th time this season that Bonner has had multiple touchdowns. It is also the fifth time this year and seventh time in his career that he has thrown four touchdowns in a game. Bonner now has 32 touchdown passes on the season, which is tied with Love for the single-season school record. With the win, Utah State became just the eighth team in school history to win nine or more games.
Bonner ranks first in the MW in yards per attempt (8.58), second in passing touchdowns (32, 2.67 pg), second in yards per completion (14.2), third in passing (270.2 ypg), third in points responsible for (16.2 pg) and third in passing efficiency (155.0).
Thompkins is one of the best receivers in the nation. He leads pg. the nation in receiving with 1,543 yards (128.6 ypg). Thompkins is also first in the MW and fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards with 1,803 (150.3 ypg), third in the MW and 11th in the nation in receptions with 87 (7.2 pg), fifth in the MW and 33rd in the nation in yards per reception (17.7), and sixth in the MW and 24th in the nation in receiving touchdowns with nine (0.75 pg). His eight 100-yard receiving games are tied for first nationally.
Utah State has rallied from double-digit deficits to win six of its nine games this season, marking the first time in school history that has happened. Utah State has trailed after the first quarter and at the half in eight of its 12 games this year, and trailed after the third quarter in six of its 12 games. USU is 5-3 on the season when trailing after one quarter and at halftime, and 3-3 when trailing after three quarters.
Utah State has been outscored 99-62 in the first quarter, but has outscored its opponents 105-56 in the fourth quarter, which includes a 95-33 advantage in its nine wins. Utah State is 4-0 on the season in one-score games and has won those four contests by a total of 13 points.
Why Bet on San Diego State?
San Diego State (11-1) completed one of the best regular seasons in school history with a 27-16 win over Boise State last week to win the West Division of the Mountain West. QB Jordan Brookshire led SDSU to 24 unanswered points after replacing an ineffective and banged up Lucas Johnson late in the first half. Brookshire passed for 192 yards and a touchdown as for the Aztecs completed their first 11-win regular season in 99 years of football. They have won 11 games overall before but never 12.
Jesse Matthews caught nine passes for 133 yards, and Greg Bell rushed for a touchdown — but Brookshire transformed the struggling San Diego State offense when he took over on the penultimate drive of the first half. On their next four drives, the Aztecs turned a 13-point deficit into an 11-point lead. Brookshire will start this game.
The Aztecs outgained the Broncos, 408-319 (257-153 in the second half), and had large advantages in the key statistical categories of turnover margin (SDSU +3), average field position (SDSU +6) and time of possession (+8:34). San Diego State’s defense did not allow a point over the final 38:38 of the game and held Boise State to its lowest point total since Dec. 21, 2019. The Aztecs forced three turnovers and have now won 28 straight games when the opponent turns the ball over at least three times.
San Diego State’s special teams are among the best in the nation. Junior Matt Araiza currently leads the nation in punting (51.5) and is on pace to set an FBS record while senior Jordan Byrd is 11th nationally in kickoff return average (29.4). Meanwhile, the Aztecs have blocked three punts this season to rank sixth in that category.
San Diego State looks to claim the 22nd conference championship in school history, the fourth Mountain West championship and the first since 2016. San Diego State is playing in its third Mountain West Championship Game, having defeated Air Force, 27-24 in 2015 and winning at Wyoming, 27-24, in 2016 to claim back-to-back conference titles.
Game Trends
- Aggies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
- Aggies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Aggies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
- Aztecs are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games.
- Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Expert Prediction
- San Diego State 30, Utah State 23