NCAAF Friday Night – Utah St. Aggies vs. BYU Cougars

Max Hall and the BYU Cougars were victims of their own success this season. A win over Oklahoma sans Sam Bradford catapulted the Cougars in to the spotlight, and the pressure got to the team. Coach Bronco Mendenhall has mentioned that the team did not respond well to the success, and the 54-28 loss to Florida State proved that this team is just not ready for the lime light.

BYU shook the loss by trouncing Colorado State 42-23, returning to their winning ways. Whether or not they like it, BYU will be the focus of the spotlight, they’ll be the main attraction under the Friday Night Lights when they host Utah State as major favorites.

A one time Heisman candidate, Max Hall was a commander on the field, throwing for 241 yards and scoring three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) while also notching two interceptions. With Harvey Unga, the 6-foot, 240-pound junior, becoming a hard, physical rushing sensation, the offense of the BYU Cougars is in steady hands.

The problem is, and always has been, that their defense can’t get off the field. While they allow just 23.3 points per game, the defense also gets run over for 344.3 yards per game. For a team that desperately needs to prove to their betting faithful that they can beat up on lousy teams, BYU’s defense will need to be more efficient in forcing offenses to the sidelines instead of priding themselves on redzone defense. Utah State isn’t the cream of the crop, but they are eighth in the nation with an average of 489.0 total yards per game and 33.3 points.

Utah State Aggies (1-2) vs. BYU Cougars (3-1)

Friday, October 2 nd — LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo — 9:00pm EST

NCAAF Betting Line: BYU -24 (65.5)

That’s what makes Utah State such an attractive road dog in this game. They’re 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games on the road and are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games against BYU despite losing nine straight meetings. The most attractive part about this 24-point spread is the history between these two teams. BYU has won the last nine games, but the average point differential stands at +18.8 for BYU.

BYU hasn’t exactly been a bettor’s best friend. They’re winless in their last five games at home against the spread, and are just 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games. It’s Max Hall and BYU, but their defense is the unit you should be worried about.

Furious Free Pick: Utah State +24 (OVER)