As bowl season draws near, where could we see the Utes, Aggies, and Cougars headed for the postseason?
No. 18 Utah
After a crushing loss to Oregon at home that likely ended the Utes’ chances at a Pac-12 three-peat two weeks ago, Utah had the perfect opponent on the schedule to get back in the win column last time out.
Utah responded with the resilience that we’ve seen all season long, hammering Arizona State 55-3 in what was likely the most complete performance of the campaign.
The Utes racked up a season-high 513 total yards alongside the season-high 55 points in the game, picking up 26 first downs and recording zero turnovers. On the other side, Utah’s defense allowed a mere 83 yards and just six first downs to the Sun Devils’ offense.
Utah is now 7-2 on the season and although a Pac-12 title is more than likely out of reach, they will try to play spoiler when they travel to No. 5 Washington.
No matter the result of the matchup with the Huskies, the Utes still have a chance to win 10 games, a bowl trophy, and finish ranked in the Top 25.
Projection: Valero Alamo Bowl
Opponent: Oklahoma
Date: Thursday, December 28
Location: Alamodome – San Antonio, TX
Time and channel: 7:15 p.m. MT, ESPN
Utah State
Needing a victory to keep its bowl chances alive, the Aggies defeated San Diego State 32-24 in double overtime last week.
Even through quarterback struggles and overall up-and-down performances this season, Utah State showed resilience by beating a tough defensive team on the road.
At 4-5 (2-3 Mountain West) however, USU still needs to pick up two wins from its final three games to secure bowl eligibility for the third straight season.
Following a couple of solid performances and an injury to McCae Hillstead, senior quarterback Cooper Legas was confirmed as the starter for the remainder of the season this week. In relief of Hillstead against the Aztecs, Legas completed 11-of-15 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns while leading all of the offense’s scoring drives but one.
The Aggies will now take on Nevada at home Saturday afternoon, a game they are favored to win with relative ease. If they slip up against a 2-7 team before facing Boise State, USU will be staying home for bowl season.
Projection: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Opponent: Northern Illinois
Date: Saturday, December 23
Location: Albertsons Stadium – Boise, ID
Time and channel: 1:30 p.m. MT, ESPN
BYU
After getting handled on the road in a 37-7 loss to West Virginia, I have the Cougars missing a bowl game for the first time in this season’s projections.
BYU was soundly outplayed on both sides of the ball against the Mountaineers and have now been outscored 72-13 over the last two games.
Not only have the Cougars been blown out in back-to-back weeks, but the defeats have dropped the team’s record to 5-4 with just three games to play.
Following a 4-1 start, it seemed that BYU would more than likely find the two wins needed for a bowl invitation over the final seven weeks.
Instead, it is clear that the Cougars have been hit with a reality check as Big 12 play has progressed. They have a long road ahead to be competitive at the Power 5 level.
