Darnell Dickson - Daily Herald | Posted: Friday, October 2, 2009 12:00 am
The Aggies are statistically one of the worst defenses in the country. Utah State is 117th (out of 120) in total defense, giving up 486.3 yards and 26 first downs a game. That should make Max Hall rub his hands together with glee. The Cougars should be able to move the ball and score at will unless turnovers become an issue.
• Advantage: BYU
The Aggies rolled up more than 600 yards of offense and scored 53 points against Southern Utah. USU also made some big plays against Utah and Texas A&M in losses. Robert Turbin is a big-time back and Diondre Borel is a dangerous run-pass combination at quarterback. The BYU defense has been giving up tons of yardage.
• Advantage: Utah State
BYU is No. 1 in the country in net punting, but the rest of the Cougars' special teams are just average. Even so, they are much better off than Utah State. The Aggies special teams are ranked in the 80s (of 120) or lower in every category.
• Advantage: BYU
BYU has dominated this series, winning 19 of the past 20 games and nine straight. It's the Cougars' third straight game at home. Utah State has never beaten BYU on a Friday night (0-12), but the Aggies played well on the road against Texas A&M a couple weeks ago. USU is working hard to make this matchup a true rivalry game.
• Advantage: Even
Really, the only thing that can stop the BYU offense is turnovers and mistakes. The Cougars have a huge size advantage over the Aggies on the line and should be able to move the ball all over the field. If BYU executes at a high level and doesn't turn the ball over, the points should pile up.
• Advantage: BYU
Utah State and Gary Andersen are still in the building stages of his program. The Aggies are better offensively and when recruiting improves, they will get better defenders as well. As for this one, get ready for a long, entertaining night with lots of scoring and big plays.
• Darnell sez: BYU 45, Utah State 28