Previewing Utah State's Offense Ahead of the Potato Bowl

Washington State is set to square off with soon-to-be Pac-12 rival Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 22 in Boise. The Aggies will bring with them a ___ offense to Albertson's Stadium next Monday. The Cougars defense will have its hands full with several weapons on the USU side of things and, if it wants to win its first bowl game since 2018, it will have to handle those playmakers. Here's what the WSU defense will be up against on the blue turf next week.

The Passing Game

A lot of Utah State likes to do will run through dual-threat quarterback Bryson Barnes. When it comes to throwing the ball specifically, the senior Barnes is one of the more efficient passers out there. His numbers won't always pop off the page but he seldom will make a mistake and any sort of offensive ineptitude the Aggies have suffered this year usually doesn't come from him. This year he's thrown for 2,687 yards and 18 touchdowns along with just four interceptions. He's completing throws at a 60.3% clip and has a Mountain West-leading 13.3 yards per completion.

Barnes manages the game well from under center but what really has helped him out in the passing attack is having several game-changing targets to throw to, the most notable being junior wideout Braden Pegan. Pegan is the top pass-catcher and is 74 yards away from hitting 1,000 on the year. Fellow receiver Brady Boyd is also one of the primary go-to playmakers through the air. Boyd has a team-best seven touchdowns. Between the two, they have a combined 102 catches which account for over half of Barnes' completions this season. Both are great at getting behind defenders and can be home-run threats.

Guys like Anthony Garcia (who is also one of the team's QBs), running back Javen Jacobs and tight end Broc Lane are all also a consistent part of the USU ariel attack. Each has multiple receiving scores as well this fall and, although they might not be as features as Boyd or Pegan, they are complimentary pieces that have proven to be viable outlets when the matchup is right. The WSU secondary will have plenty of names to know when the ball is in flight.

MORE: A Look Back at Washington State's Brief History with Utah State

The Running Game

As good as Barnes is passing, he is equally as... if not more... effective when he calls his own number. In fact, Barnes is the leading rusher right now with 733 yards and nine scores by way of the run. He's toted the ball 50 more times than Utah State's primary back Miles Davis. He and Davis are easily the two biggest threats on the ground, having combined for 1,457 yards and 17 touchdowns. Each average over 60 yards per game. They are a true one-two punch and the Aggies use them early and often.

The aforementioned Jacobs and freshman Noah White are also key components to the rushing attack. Jacobs and White have each appeared in all 12 games this year with Jacobs carrying the ball 62 times for 405 yards. White has seen significantly fewer snaps but, now that the season is nearing its end, he may get an increased workload.

MORE: Washington State Fall Short in USC Road Battle

The Offensive Line

The one area that has been a real detriment for the Aggies this year is the trenches. The Utah State O line has struggled finding consistency this season, allowing 39 sacks to opponents, the worst mark in the Mountain West. Part of the issue has been a lack of experience. Only one senior... left tackle Trey Anderson... is on the line. Juniors George Maile and Tavo Motu'apuaka hold down the guard spots while sophomores Jimmy Liston and Jr Sia take up duties at center and right tackle respectively. That unit is still learning to gel and it has shown, especially in their protection ability.

For their struggles in keeping Barnes upright, the line still does a decent job at opening holes for the rushing attack. Utah State still boasted the conference's fifth best ground game with 171 yards per contest.

More Reading Material From Washington State Cougars On SI