Last Saturday at 7,220 feet, Fresno State could not overcome a 24-7 halftime deficit to Wyoming and lost 24-19. Goodbye to the Bulldogs’ 14-game winning streak and a national ranking. Very possibly goodbye to the coveted “New Year’s 6” bowl invite to the best Group of 5 team.
Worse, their productive QB, Mikey Keene, left the game in the 4th quarter with an ankle injury. The Bulldogs have a short week to prepare for a second game at altitude as they visit Utah State on Friday night.
The circumstances are quite tricky for Fresno. While Utah State has also had injury issues at QB, both Cooper Legas and McCae Hillstead have played well. Keene’s status is uncertain. Giving Bulldog fans some comfort, backup Logan Fife is experienced as he started 4 games in 2022.
After a disappointing off season where the Aggies suffered multiple losses to the transfer portal, Utah State is trending upward. Two Saturdays ago, they blocked an extra point to win 34-33 over Connecticut just when the Huskies thought they were going to force overtime. Last Saturday, the Aggies spotted Colorado State a 17-0 lead. No problem for Utah State as the Aggies roared back from a double digit deficit for the second straight week as they rolled to a 44-24 victory.
The Odyssey cannot help but root for Utah State’s coach Blake Anderson. His wife passed on while he was coaching Arkansas State. More recently, Anderson had to deal with another unspeakable tragedy when his son committed suicide. Hard to believe, but a few things are just more important than college football.
Utah State is currently a 5.5 point underdog. If live dogs appeal to you, the Aggies are attractive.