Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson didn’t need to consult any of his assistants or study film with a defensive analyst to get a scouting report on Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes. Danielson’s wife, Rachel, handled the scouting this week.
“We were watching the Utah State and Fresno State game (last weekend), and a couple plays into that game, she looks at me and she’s like, ‘That quarterback is so good,’” Danielson said during his weekly press conference on Monday.
Barnes is having a special season. He’s completing 62% of his passes, and he’s No. 3 in the Mountain West with 18 touchdown passes. The senior has thrown for 2,503 yards with just four interceptions. He has finished with more than 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games, and he ranks No. 2 among quarterbacks in the conference with 644 rushing yards, trailing only Air Force’s Liam Szarka, who has 922.
Danielson didn’t hold back in his praise of Barnes.
“He’s probably going to be the offensive player of the year in our conference, and he’s absolutely deserving of that,” Danielson said.
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Fresno State football coach Matt Entz echoed Danielson’s sentiments.
“I think that quarterback is the best football player in our league right now,” he said during his weekly press conference on Monday.
Boise State (7-4, 5-2 Mountain West) is going to have to figure out a way to contain Barnes when the Broncos go on the road to face Utah State (6-5, 4-3) Friday in a game with major Mountain West Championship implications.
If Boise State wins, it will have a chance to win its third-straight conference title on Dec. 5. The Aggies also have an outside shot at playing in the championship game if they can win.
The Broncos will most likely be without starting quarterback Maddux Madsen again after he was lost to a foot injury against Fresno State. Danielson didn’t rule Madsen’s return out on Monday, but he said it was highly unlikely. That means former walk-on Max Cutforth could make his third, and most meaningful, start. He struggled in his first start, which was a 17-7 loss to San Diego State, but the Idaho native bounced back last week, completing 22 of 34 passes for 239 yards in a 49-21 win over Colorado State.
Boise State’s running game also got back on track last week. Sire Gaines posted a season-high 149 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Dylan Riley added 72 rushing yards and a score, and Malik Sherrod chipped in with 56 yards and two touchdowns. Reserve running back Seth Knothe also scored.
Utah State is coming off a 28-17 win over Fresno State. Barnes led the team with 113 rushing yards, and running back Javen Jacobs scored two decisive rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Boise State vs. Utah State Betting Odds
Boise State is a three-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM as of this writing, and the Over/Under is 55.5 points. The moneyline is at -160 for Boise State and +135 for Utah State.
Boise State is 24-5 all-time in the series, and the Broncos have won nine straight games against the Aggies, including a 62-30 win last season. Utah State hasn’t beaten Boise State since a 52-26 win in Logan, Utah, in 2015.
Utah State is 5-0 at home this season. The Aggies are 6-14 overall and 9-11 against the spread in their past 20 regular season games as an underdog at home. Boise State is 15-5 overall and 8-9-3 ATS in its past 20 regular season games as the favorite on the road.
Boise State vs. Utah State On TV
The Mountain West game featuring Utah State and Boise State at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, will be televised on CBS and Paramount+. It’s the final regular season game for both teams.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
Boise State vs. Utah State Prediction
I predict Boise State wins 31-21, and I predict the game goes Under 55.5 points.
I don’t think any team in the Mountain West can beat Boise State when the running game is clicking and the defense plays the way it did last week. The Broncos held Colorado State to 39 rushing yards and snagged three interceptions. If Cutforth can protect the ball, I believe Boise State is heading back to the championship game.
But I also anticipate Barnes is going to keep the Aggies in the game. He accounted for five touchdowns in back-to-back games earlier this season, and he’s scored at least three touchdowns in four games. He makes good decisions, and he’s an accurate passer and a tough runner. Barnes could prove Danielson right and lock up Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors with a big performance on Friday.
The bad news for Utah State is the Aggies are going up against a secondary that has racked up 14 interceptions, and the Aggies’ offensive line has surrendered a conference-high 37 sacks this season. That means it could also end up being a long day at the office for Barnes.
