Colorado State at Utah State NCAA Football Picks Against the Spread 9/28/2019

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium

Patrick O'Brien and the Colorado State Rams go to Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium on Saturday where they'll take on the Utah State Aggies. The odds on this game have Utah State as 21.5-point favorites. The Rams are 2-2-0 ATS and 3-1-0 when betting on the total. The Aggies are 2-1-0 when wagering on the over/under and 3-0-0 against the spread.

Key Colorado State Rams Injuries

09/18/19 QB Collin Hill ACL is out for season
08/23/19 DB Braylin Scott Eligibility is out indefinitely

Key Utah State Aggies Injuries

No key injuries to report

In their last contest, the Colorado State Rams faced the Toledo Rockets and lost 41-35. Leading the way at QB for the Rams was Patrick O'Brien who went 32/52 with 405 yards passing and completed 1 touchdown. He tossed 1 pick in the game. Marvin Kinsey Jr. paced the team in rushing for that contest. He had a long run of 74 yards and he added 2 touchdowns for the game. He racked up a total of 246 yards via 23 carries which means he ran for an average of 10.7 yards per carry. Warren Jackson led the team in receiving yardage by racking up 132 yards on 12 catches. He averaged 11.0 yards per catch for that contest. The Colorado State Rams ended up running the ball 36 times and racked up 289 yards earning them an average of 8.0 yards per rushing attempt. For the game, the Rams earned a total of 36 first downs and they had 11 infractions for 82 yards which shows us how undisciplined this team can be. On the day, they totaled 90 plays which gave them a total of 694 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Colorado State allowed 6 catches on 15 tries totaling 111 yards, and a completion percentage of 40.0%. Against the run, the Rams allowed 436 yards on 46 attempts giving the other team an average of 9.5 yards per carry allowed. For this contest, they conceded a total of 547 yards but went the whole game without forcing a turnover.

The Rams step onto the field holding a record of 1-2 for 2019. For total yardage, they sit in 2nd in the MWC and 61st in Division 1 with 1,515 yards. They are one of top scoring teams in the nation with an average of 34.5 points per game, ranking them 43rd in Division 1. As a team, they are averaging 135 yards on the ground per contest which is 8th in the Mountain West. The Rams have one of the most lackluster defenses in the country, giving up 40.3 points per game putting them 11th in the conference. When it comes to passing yards, the Rams have conceded 975 yards. Opponents are completing 59.8% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 7.5 yards per try. In terms of yards rushing, Colorado State is allowing 130.5 yards per game putting them 6th in the Mountain West and 53rd in the country. Opposing teams are running for an average of 5.1 yards per carry ranking them 11th in the conference and 113th in the country overall. In total, they have allowed 522 rushing yards through 4 contests.

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The last time they played, the Utah State Aggies played the San Diego State Aztecs and won 23-17. Jaylen Warren paced the team on the ground for that contest. His longest run of the day went for 12 yards and he added 1 TD in the game. He scurried for 74 yards by way of 17 carries which had him averaging 4.4 yards per run. Savon Scarver was the receiving yardage leader with a tally of 90 yards on 5 receptions. He notched an average of 18.0 yards per catch for that contest. Leading the way at QB for the Aggies was Jordan Love who went 30/47 with 293 yards through the air but wasn't able to get any balls in the endzone via the pass. He finished the game without throwing an interception. The Utah State Aggies ended up running the ball 27 times and totaled 82 yards giving them an average of 3.0 yards per attempt. Overall, they ran 74 plays for a total of 375 yards. For the contest, the Aggies totaled 23 1st downs and they had 3 infractions for 30 yards which tells us that they had a disciplined week in practice. When discussing the defense, Utah State gave up 20 catches on 37 attempts for a total of 281 yards, and a completion percentage of 54.1%. On the day, they conceded 372 yards and earned 1 turnover. Against the run, the Aggies gave up 91 yards on 46 tries giving the other team an average of 2.0 yards per rushing attempt allowed.

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The Aggies come into this matchup with a record of 2-1. In discussing the offensive production, the Aggies have one of the best offenses in the nation. Utah State has made teams respect their running game by averaging 168.3 yards on the ground per contest, putting them 62nd in college football. As a unit, they have a total of 505 yards rushing through 3 games, so they'll look to the run game to try to keep the opponents off balance so they'll have open receivers. The Aggies average 437.7 yards per contest overall ranking them 51st in college football and 3rd in the Mountain West. The Aggies are giving up 20.7 points per game which puts them at 4th in the Mountain West and 43rd in D-1. When talking about points allowed, they have allowed 62 points in total. In regard to yards on the ground, they are allowing 95.3 yards per contest which puts them at 28th in college football and 4th in the Mountain West. This season, they have conceded 286 yards rushing and 2.1 rushing TDs. Their passing defense is one of the best units in D-1. They are allowing 185.3 passing yards per contest. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Aggies are currently ranked 5th in the MWC.

Who will win tonight's Rams/Aggies college football game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take the Aggies -21.5

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