Eyeing CFP Spot, No. 21 Wazzu Hosts Utah State

Nov 7, 20242 min read

With a plausible path to the College Football Playoff, the No. 21 Washington State Cougars (7-1, 0-0 Pac 12 Conference) take on the Utah State Aggies (2-6, 1-3 Mountain West Conference) at 10:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 9 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.

This will be the fifth all-time between between Wazzu and USU. The teams split their first four matchups, with the Aggies prevailing in the last meeting in 2021.

The Cougars are favored by 20.5 points.

The Stakes

While Utah State seeks only its third win of the season, Wazzu is playing for much more.

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger explained the Cougars' prospects of securing a spot in the 12-team field: "Washington State, ranked No. 20 in the AP, is not eligible to receive a conference championship qualifier and must finish high enough in the rankings to get an at-large spot. Do they have any shot? If the committee ranks them inside, say, the top 16[,] ... they might just have a chance, despite a quasi-Group of Five schedule."

If Wazzu beats Utah State and wins its other three remaining games, its record will be 11-1, and it will have a distinct possibility of landing in the CFP.

A-List Aggies

Utah State suffered a significant setback when it lost star wide receiver Jalen Royals, who is out for the season with a foot injury. In his absence, the Aggies look to WRs Kyrese White, Otto Tia and Jack Hestera to pick up the slack. With 834 yards and 6 touchdowns before his season-ending injury, Royals had more than double the offensive output of any of the other members of the USU receiving corps.

In the ground game, running back Rahsul Faison has carried the load for Utah State, rushing for 826 yards and 6 TDs, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

On the other side of the ball, stand-out safety Vincent Jordan is in charge, leading the team with 76 tackles and 2 interceptions. His hands will be full as the Aggies endeavor to contain the explosive Wazzu offense.

Wizards of Wazzu

Dual-threat quarterback John Mateer is the key cog in the Washington State offense. He is the team's rushing leader with 753 yards and 10 TDs. Additionally, he has been prolific in the passing game, throwing for 2,153 yards and 18 TDs. His favorite target is WR Kyle Williams who has 636 receiving yards and 5 TD receptions.

Redshirt freshman defensive back Ethan O'Connor has broken out this year for Wazzu, with 3 interceptions and 4 pass breakups.