Utah Utes at Utah State Aggies

It's one of those in-state rivalries you don't hear much about because it's not all that competitive, but on Saturday the Utah State Aggies (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS) will play host to the Utes of the University of Utah (2-0 SU, 1-0-1 ATS) in NCAA college football action that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Romney Stadium (artificial turf) in Logan UT.

BetUS NCAA Football Betting Odds: UTAH -24, Total 51.5

Here are some of the NCAA college football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* UTAH is 7-2-1 ATS in its last ten games
* UTAH was won 10 of its last 11 games SU
* UTAH has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* UTAH has won and covered four of its last five road games
* UTAH has played seven of its last nine road games UNDER the total
* USU has covered seven of its last 10 games
* USU has lost 18 of its last 20 games SU
* USU has played four of its last five games UNDER the total
* USU has covered one of its last seven home games
* USU has lost its last seven home games SU
* USU has played four of its last five home games UNDER the total

Also...

* UTAH has won the last ten meetings SU
* UTAH is 5-3-1 ATS in the last nine meetings
* UTAH has won the last five meetings SU as the road team
* UTAH has covered four of the last five meetings as the road team

This has not not been terribly competitive, as Utah, in its last four trips to Romney Stadium, has won by margins of 48, 42, 20 and 21 points. Will this unfold any differently?

Probably not, on the basis of Utah State's performance against Oregon last time out. The Ducks blew the Aggie defense apart for 66 points, utilizing 408 rushing yards to get the job done. Through two games, USU's defense is allowing close to seven yards per PLAY, and though one must commend Aggie QB Diondre Borel for achieving some level of efficiency (3 TD's, no picks, 60% accuracy), he's obviously no match for Utah's Brian Johnson. And if Oregon's inexperienced signal-callers did such a job against this porous Utah State unit, think of how the sixth-year senior will do.

Although Utah State has offered some value as a road underdog, it has covered only one of its last six outings getting double digits at home. Utah hardly gets the shakes when it has to play in hostile territory; they've covered four of their last five road games and have already gone to Ann Arbor and won straight-up. Johnson has thrown 57 times without an interception, and he's not likely to get rattled by the nation's 116th-ranked defense.

By the way, this game is being played at Romney Stadium, which is not named after Mitt Romney but Dick Romney, Utah State's most successful football coach ever. However, if it HAD been named after Mitt, that would certainly explain why the presence of an artificial surface.

Anyway, we're going to lay the points with Utah, the 24-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college football betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: UTAH -24 **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

The 2008 NCAA college football betting season is here, and if you like to bet on college gridiron action, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The BetUS sportsbook has college football odds up on a ton of games, totals and propositions, and you will also find NCAA future lines up to the BCS Championship as well. Join BetUS today and we'll help guide you right through to the bowl games and beyond!

(Charles Jay of http://www.ebookies.com gives it more than the old college try as a contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)