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Week 3: Fresno St. vs. Utah St. Preview & Pick

The Fresno State Bulldogs and the Utah State Aggies will be trying to win on Saturday at Romney Stadium. Odds have the Bulldogs as 5½-point favorites, the game’s total is 58, here is a preview and free pick…

Fresno State vs Utah State Free Week 3 College Football Pick

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Both the Fresno State Bulldogs and Utah State Aggies are coming off victories in their most recent games. Something has to give on Saturday, as they hook up with the Bulldogs coming in as six-point favorites.

Week 3: Bulldogs vs. Aggies

Date: Saturday, Sept. 18, 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Romney Stadium, Logan, UT
Broadcast: ESPN3
Bulldogs vs. Aggies betting lines from BetUS.com
Bulldogs: -6 (-110)
Aggies: +6 (-110)
Total: N/A
Bet Now @ Bodog.com

Fresno State enjoyed a bye after a Week 1 victory over Cincinnati. The 28-14 victory had plenty of positives, but it was far from perfect. Running back Ryan Mathews was chosen in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, leaving a gaping hole in the backfield. Without him, the Bulldogs managed just 49 yards on 30 carries against Cincy. It’s particularly surprising considering Fresno State threw ball so well; Ryan Colburn went 18-24 for 247 yards and four touchdown passes. You’d think with Colburn and Co. slinging the ball so well, some lanes would have opened up on the ground.

Fresno State’s “D” looked completely different than the one that struggled in 2009. That unit managed just 11 sacks and 15 takeaways all season. This year’s incarnation is well on its way to eclipsing those totals; Fresno State racked up eight sacks against Cincinnati and added a pair of turnovers. Logan Harrell and Chris Carter combined for seven of the team’s eight sacks. If the Bulldogs can bring this kind of effort on a weekly basis, they’ll be in the Top-25 in no time.

Utah State earned a 38-17 win over Idaho State last week, erasing some of the sting from its season-opening loss.

It’s the first time in five years the Aggies started as well as 1-1, so perhaps bigger and brighter things are on the way. After allowing an opening-drive field goal to Idaho State, the Aggies locked down on defense, shutting out their opponent until the last three minutes of the game (the Bengals scored two garbage time touchdowns at that point). Utah State picked off a pair of passes and did a great job against the run, but the “D” could afford to put more pressure on the quarterback (just one sack against Idaho State).

On the other side of the ball, Diondre Borel had a masterful performance. In just three quarters of action he completed 21 of 26 passes for 255 yards and a score; Borel’s day could have been bigger had it not been for a couple of drops. The Aggies also relied heavily on a balanced rushing attack. Five different players had 28 rush yards or more, and Utah State totaled 275 yards on the ground before the day was over.

Utah State has some interesting talent, but Fresno State is shaping up to be a nice little sleeper this year. The running game should be better this week—starter Robbie Rouse was hobbled by an ankle injury and backup Tracy Slocum sat out with turf toe, but both are expected to be ready for the Aggies—and the defense played out of its mind against Cincinnati. Considering Cincy is a two-time defending Big East champion, that’s no small feat. Take the Bulldogs.

Fresno State at Utah State pick: Fresno State -6

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By Ian Van Den Hurk

Ian Van Den Hurk has covered amateur and pro sports for years, including a successful run handicapping anything from football to mixed martial arts. Looking for more sports betting tips and expert sports handicapping articles from Ian V? We've got your back...