Thoughts on BYU/SDSU?

[BuddyBear]

As many of you are aware this is a makeup game that was suppose to be played but the fires in the San Diego area forced the cancellation of this game.

This is a very interesting game. On the one hand, clearly BYU is the superior team without any questions. However, BYU has already secured a Las Vegas Bowl Bid, has won the MWC, and has just come off an extremely dramatic home rivalary game with Utah in which they won.

That being the case, the obvious question is how exactly does BYU get up for a game like this? We've seen teams in similar positions already struggle. Iowa vs. Western Michigan, Central Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan, etc....

I suppose they do have a 15 (?) game confernece winning streak that might motivate them...but do they really get up for SDSU? SDSU on the other hand won't be bowl eligible this year and have little to play for but they've been competitive in all but one of their conference games (@Air Force, 23-55). They are a young team and are at home and this will be their final game. Even though they have struggled picking up wins they have been putting up a ton of points (although giving up a ton as well) and they do fall into some strong systems.

Anyone have thoughts or bets already placed this game?

Thanks

[bmac]

I can't play this one but you absolutely right about it being very hard to handicap. If I had to I guess I would play BYU. This is assuming they have any pride.

[bearmz]

Tuesday, November 27, 2007
BYU defeated Utah, 17-10, on Saturday. The play that will live in lore is Max Hall's long pass to Austin Collie on a fourth-and-18 deep in BYU territory,
Hall's successes -- like Beck a season ago, he has the chance to go undefeated in Mountain West play with a win Saturday at San Diego State -- are largely a credit to being around Beck.
"I'm seeing the field really well right now," Hall said. "I know what (defenses are) bringing at me."
Hall still is amazed at the outcome. With a somewhat bum shoulder, he unleashed a long pass to Collie.
Mendenhall said quarterback Max Hall's shoulder injury against Wyoming was a grade 3 sprain.
"All I know is Max and the training staff worked harder than anyone I've been around other than Aaron Francisco when he was recovering from an ACL.
"Max showed a will and toughness beyond what I thought was possible. I just know Max did an incredible job."
Utah quarterback Brian Johnson also suffered what was labeled a grade 3 shoulder sprain in Week 1 and missed three weeks of play.
Mendenhall said Hall would likely not throw on Monday and have limited throwing on Tuesday (practices are not open to media this week).
BYU running back Harvey Unga injured his ankle in the first half against Utah and left the field. He returned and scored the game-winner with 38 seconds to play.
…..“It scared me at first because I thought I felt something pop. I thought 'I hope it's not broken or anything.' As I was kneeling down I worked it out and then I got up and limped off the field."
Unga said his ankle was re-taped and he used a brace in the second half.

BYU has recorded a 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher for the third consecutive year in 2007.
QB Max Hall has currently thrown for 3,390 yards, while RB Harvey Unga has collected 1,050
yards on the ground. Last year, former BYU QB John Beck and RB Curtis Brown became the first
duo in MWC and BYU history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in back-to-back seasons.

SDSU QB Kevin O’Connell has set a school record
for most rushing touchdowns in a season by a
quarterback with nine. O’Connell surpassed the
previous high posted by Matt Kofler, who had
seven in both 1980 and 1981. O’Connell has 17
career rushing TDs, already an SDSU career record.
SDSU QB Kevin O’Connell is the first quarterback in San Diego State history to
rush for 1,000 career yards. He currently has 1,261 career rushing yards.
There is no big secret to San Diego State's offense. Everything runs through Kevin O'Connell.
The senior quarterback accounts for 74.9 percent of the Aztecs' total offense and has factored into 71.8 percent of their touchdowns.
He has completed 224 of 328 passes for 2,775 yards and 14 touchdowns, and is also the team's second-leading rusher (374 yards) - trailing the leader by just one yard. If not for sack yardage, O'Connell's ground gains would be much more.

SD's next best rusher is RB Bornes with 367yd-3TD.

BYU is 6-2 against San Diego State as MWC opponents and holds a 9-5-1 edge
in the series in games played in San Diego. The Cougars have won five of the
last six meetings with the Aztecs, including a 47-17 decision last year in Provo.

BYU’s Austin Collie has registered four consecutive 100-yard receiving
games this season, one shy of the league record of five, held by San Diego
State’s J.R. Tolver (2002). BYU’s Austin Collie, recorded a league-record 366 all-purpose
yards earlier this season against Tulsa.

Air Force set a new MWC record for rushing touchdowns with eight
against SDSU. Air Force’s 569 rushing yards against the Aztecs set a new league
record for most rushing yardage in a conference game and ranks as
the second-highest output overall in MWC history.

Of course the o/a team stats are heavily in BYU's favor, but the health of BYU's Unga and Hall is a bit worrisome.
Sd has given up 1365yds and 100 pts the L2 g.
Both are very good in Red Zone Offensively(BYU 33 TD/49att and SD 21/32), but SD has given up 28TDs out of 41 atts by opps while BYU has only given up 15 in 29.
BYU has 2 very good Off players in Unga and QB Hall but only avgs 29.6 pt/g and SD 24.9.
SD seems to be a 1 man team with QB O'Connell being the whole show. BYU has 27 sax and SD has allowed 28 TY. Outside of the pass game, SD really has no rush game(#106)
BYU's HC closed practices this week??? Maybe he's trying to right the Off ship or hiding the injs? BYU's scoring or lack of, does bother me, but I still couldn't take SDST in this game. BYU's D should be able to handle a 1 man show and they did win 47-7 LY but O'Connell was not at the helm for that g.