Who wins the Utah State-Colorado State game? – Desert News

Note: With EA Sports’ College Football 25 bringing college football back into the gaming world, Deseret News is simulating every Utah State game against an FBS opponent this season.

Utah State is finding its feet late in the season – the Aggies have won three of their last four games, and the last two victories came by an average of 33 points.

In the final game of the regular season, Utah State will have the opportunity to spoil Colorado State’s hopes of advancing to the Mountain West title game.

The Rams are tied with UNLV at 5-1 in league play heading into their game against Utah State on Friday – with a win, Colorado State could potentially earn a spot in the MWC Championship against host Boise State, although the Rams would probably need UNLV. lose, as the Rebels currently have a mathematical advantage in many tiebreakers.

Can Utah State upset the Rams and impact the league race?

The Deseret News aired a simulation of Friday’s game on the EA Sports College Football 25 video game, and the Aggies and Rams finished the regular season with an exciting matchup.

How the simulation was set up

There were a few ground rules in place: the simulation used 10 minute quarters and I let the computer simulate the game without user interference.

Injuries and depth chart changes have also been implemented.

This week, I inserted Bryson Barnes as the Aggies’ starting quarterback — he took over for the injured Spencer Petras last week in Utah State’s win over San Diego State.

How accurate was the simulation of Utah State’s last game?

The actual score: Utah State 41, San Diego State 20

College Football 25 simulation final score: Utah State 29, San Diego State 21

My analysis: Although both the real game and the simulation allowed the Aggies to beat the Aztecs, they achieved the same result in different ways.

In the real game, Utah State overcame a 13-0 deficit by scoring 41 straight points to blow out San Diego State.

The simulation was closer, although Utah State built a 15-point fourth quarter before holding on.

How did the simulation between Utah State and Colorado State go?

Final score: Utah State 31, Colorado State 28

Key sequence: After the Aggies took a 14-0 lead on two big plays (more on that in a minute), the Rams closed within 14-13 with 29 seconds until halftime on a 62-yard touchdown run.

That still gave Barnes and the Utah State offense ample time to score.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Barnes hit little-used wide receiver Kahanu Davis for a 42-yard gain to the Colorado State 26.

Following an incompletion, Barnes then found Josh Sterzer for a 17-yard pass to move the ball to the Colorado State 9.

Utah State called a timeout with 10 seconds left, then Barnes found Grant Page for a 9-yard touchdown with six seconds left in the half — a critical, quick drive in what ended up being a one-score match.

How the simulation went: Things couldn’t have started off better for Utah State.

On the first play of the game, Barnes found Jack Hestera with a completion near midfield, and the wide receiver ran the next 50 yards untouched for a 75-yard touchdown just 10 seconds into the game.

The Aggies then stopped Colorado State on its side of the ball on the ensuing possession. On the punt, Jadon Pearson broke through and blocked the punt, then Pearson recovered the ball and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown to make the score 14-0.

Over the next quarter and a half, Colorado State got back into the game with two field goals, as well as the aforementioned touchdown — a 7-yard Caleb Goodie reception on second-and-goal — with 29 seconds left before halftime .

That resulted in the quick touchdown that gave Utah State a 21-13 lead at the break.

The Aggies then made a big stop early in the third quarter, when Colorado State failed to pick up a fourth-and-goal at the Utah State 47.

The Aggies made them pay, as Kyrese White caught a 16-yard pass at the Colorado State 34, then Hestera ran in his second touchdown two plays later on a 32-yard score to make it 28-13.

The Rams then had a promising drive, but the Utah State defense threw a turnover at the Utah State 42 – Max Alford released the ball from a Colorado State running back and Clyde Washington recovered.

Utah State turned that victory into three points, scoring on a 32-yard Tanner Cragun field goal early in the fourth to make it 31-13.

The state of Colorado tried to shut it down, and still had time to do so.

The Rams scored touchdowns on their next two drives – possessions that took time as Colorado State had to rush for more than 80 yards on both.

The second touchdown was set up by a Barnes interception, and Colorado State made it a three-point game with a successful two-point conversion with 1:51 left.

Then, on Utah State’s final possession, after Colorado State got within three, the Aggies went three-and-out, giving the Rams a chance to rally, even though they no longer had of downtime.

Colorado State moved into Utah State territory, but a Cian Slone sack ended the Rams’ last hope and gave the Aggies one more victory.

Star players: Barnes threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while Hestera had four catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Slone led Utah State with 10 tackles and two sacks.

For Colorado State, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns, with Goodie as the primary pass receiver, with nine catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Key stats: Despite losing, Colorado State had more total yards, finishing with 449 to Utah State’s 359.

Neither team was able to do much with the running game, as Utah State ran for 17 yards on 15 carries, while the Rams had 72 on 25 carries.

The Aggies, however, had three of their four touchdowns on big plays, including the blocked punt for a score.

How realistic was the simulation?

My analysis: Given that Utah State has shown this type of offensive firepower all season long, it’s believable that the Aggies could give Colorado State a game.

Will Utah State be able to beat the Rams, though? This would be the Aggies’ only victory against a team with a winning record.