It’s been rough for the Spartans, and the Aggies lost two straight, but they’re fun teams that should air it out. Here’s the San Jose State vs Utah State preview and prediction.
San Jose State was supposed to be a Mountain West player in the second season under head coach Ken Niumatalolo, and that went bye-bye right away in a stunning home loss to Central Michigan.
It hasn’t been easy, but with a win over New Mexico, the Spartans are still 1-1 in the Mountain West with winnable home games against Hawaii and Air Force up next.
Utah State has a lot to like under head coach Bronco Mendenhall. His offense is great, his defense plays like it has nine guys on the field, and it makes for a lot of fun games.
The Aggies get a tough run late with three road games in the next four dates, and they need this win to realistically stay alive for a bowl game.
San Jose State Spartans vs Utah State Aggies
Sep 20, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; San Jose State Spartans head coach Ken Niumatalolo looks on against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. © James Snook-Imagn Images
How To Watch San Jose State vs Utah State
Friday, October 17, 2025
Game Time: 9:00 PM ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
Location: Maverik Stadium, Logan, UT
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Why San Jose State Will Win
The offense is working.
Yeah, quarterback Walker Eget is questionable at best, and top receiver Danny Scudero is banged up, but the offense should still be okay against a rumor of a Utah State defense.
The Utah State offense is among the worst in the nation at generating third down conversions, but it’s the defense that’s the real issue, especially against the run.
It’s been able to hold up here and there, but run for over 4.5 yards per carry against this bunch, and get the win.
San Jose State’s two wins came on its two best running games of the season, but …
Oct 11, 2025; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Bronco Mendenhall walks the field before his team takes on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.© Marco Garcia-Imagn Images
Why Utah State Will Win
Central Michigan went on a game-winning scoring drive in the final few minutes against the Spartans.
The San Jose State defense fails time and again in key moments. Stanford came back from down nine in the last six minutes to win 30-29. Last week, the Spartans were up 14 on Wyoming with ten minutes to play, and lost 35-28.
Utah State isn’t a well-oiled machine on offense quite yet, but it’s able to score, averaging close to 40 points per game. It will keep pushing for a full 60 minutes.
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The last team with the ball gets the win?
The injuries to the San Jose State offense don’t help the cause.
Niumatalolo and his coaching staff know what they’re doing, but Eget was able to throw the offense out of problems at times. Both teams will get creative, but at home, Mendenhall’s offense will get on a roll late.
The Aggies are 3-0 at home, 0-3 at home – the road games were much, much harder, but you get the point – and they’ll continue the trend.
San Jose State vs Utah State Prediction, Betting Lines
Utah State 35, San Jose State 30
Line: Utah State -4, o/u: 61.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3.5
Must See Rating: 3
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– Cavalcade: The Hot Team, Nebraska & CFP?
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– CFP Top 12 Projections
Related: College Football Week 8 Expert Picks for the 16 Biggest Games
This story was originally reported by College Football News on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: Utah News