With only one game to play, can the Aggies and Cougars reach bowl eligibility?
Utah
After a close loss at Washington, the Utes had a tougher than expected opponent on the schedule next.
Taking on the surprise of the season in the Pac-12, Utah had to travel to Tucson to face then-No. 17 Arizona. A win over a ranked opponent would have been a great way to get back on track.
Instead, the Utes were hammered by the Wildcats, losing 42-18 in a game that was never close. The loss gives the Utes back-to-back losses for the first time since early 2021.
At 7-4, it appears the injuries have finally caught up in a season where Utah treaded water for longer than many thought possible.
And although they won’t be playing for a Pac-12 title, the Utes can still end the season strong with a win over Colorado and a first bowl victory since 2017.
Projection: SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Opponent: Maryland
Date: Saturday, December 23
Location: Allegiant Stadium – Paradise, NV
Time and channel: 5:30 p.m. MT, ABC
Utah State
Following back-to-back wins, the Aggies hosted Boise State in their home finale last week.
It seemed this was Utah State’s best chance to beat the Broncos since 2015 and getting out to a 10-0 lead certainly excited some Aggie fans at the possibility of pulling off the upset.
It all went downhill from there, as Boise State scored 45 unanswered points to rout USU in a win that gave the visitors a guaranteed bowl invitation.
At 5-6 overall (3-4 Mountain West), the Aggies must win their final game to reach a bowl game for the third straight season.
Utah State is favored in its road matchup with New Mexico, but the Lobos are coming off an upset win over Fresno State. To avoid the disappointment of missing out on bowl season, it would be beneficial for USU to come out strong to put the game away early.
Projection: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Opponent: Bowling Green
Date: Saturday, December 23
Location: Albertsons Stadium – Boise, ID
Time and channel: 1:30 p.m. MT, ESPN
BYU
The Cougars seemed well on their way to a bowl appearance after a win over Cincinnati in the last week of September.
At 4-1, BYU needed to win just two of its final seven games. A win over Texas Tech gave the Cougars a 5-2 record with four games to play, seemingly improving their chances for a bowl game.
BYU has instead dropped four straight games, including three in embarrassing blowout fashion.
The Cougars now travel to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State needing a win to qualify for the postseason. The way the second half of the season has gone, it seems highly unlikely BYU will reach the six-win mark.
