The Utah State Aggies look for their second consecutive win after a dismal start to the season when they host the Air Force Falcons in a Mountain West Conference matchup on Thursday in Logan, Utah. The Aggies (1-4) had been beaten by 19 points or more in each of their first four games before downing New Mexico by two touchdowns on Nov. 26. The Falcons (2-2) also played the Lobos in their last game, beating New Mexico by 28 points. Air Force is averaging 26 points per game, while Utah State is averaging 17.2.
Game time from Maverik Stadium is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. The Falcons are 13.5-point favorites in the latest Air Force vs. Utah State odds from William Hill Sportsbook, up from opening at -10. The over-under for total points scored is set at 51. Before making any Utah State vs. Air Force picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also a sizzling 49-25 on all top-rated picks through 13 weeks of the 2020 college football season, returning almost $1,300 in profit already. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Air Force vs. Utah State. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for Utah State vs. Air Force:
- Air Force vs. Utah State spread: Air Force -13.5
- Air Force vs. Utah State over-under: 51 points
- Air Force vs. Utah State money line: Air Force -550, Utah State +400
- AF: Air Force is dominating opponents in time of possession, holding the ball for 34 minutes, 23 seconds per game
- USU: The Aggies are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games
Why Air Force can cover
The Falcons' defense is anchored by senior defensive tackle George Silvanic, who is third on the team with 20 tackles, including nine solo. Silvanic leads Air Force with 2.5 sacks for 20 yards. His best game was a seven-tackle, 1.5-sack performance against Navy on Oct. 3. He played in one game in 2019 against Colgate in the season opener, recording two assisted tackles. He moved to the offensive line after that before returning to the defense this year.
Also powering the defense is senior cornerback Elisha Palm, who has registered 25 tackles, including 21 solo. He also has two pass breakups along with one interception. His best game was at San Jose State on Oct. 24, when he registered nine tackles, including eight solo. Last season, he played in 12 games, including one start. He also played in five games in 2018.
Why Utah State can cover
The Aggies are tough to beat at home, and are 9-3 in their last 12 Mountain West home games, and 40-13 in their last 53. Utah State is 152-109 all-time at Maverik Stadium. Sophomore linebacker AJ Vongphachanh continues to lead the defense with 42 tackles, including 24 solo. He also has registered three sacks for 19 yards and one pass breakup. He also has forced one fumble. His best game of the season was in the loss at Nevada, when he registered 17 tackles, including 10 solo, and one sack.
Senior safety Shaq Bond has also been a difference-maker with 40 stops, including 32 solo. He also has broken up three passes and intercepted one pass for 11 yards. He has had three games with double-digit tackles, including a 12-tackle performance against San Diego State on Oct. 31. In his three-year career at Utah State, he has registered 160 tackles, including 103 solo, with 14 pass breakups, one forced fumble and five interceptions, including two returned for scores.
How to make Air Force vs. Utah State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, with the model suggesting both teams will combine to score just 46 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Utah State vs. Air Force? And which side of the spread cashes almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Air Force vs. Utah State spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $3,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
