San Diego State vs. Utah State Odds: Spread, Total for 2021 Mountain West Championship Game

SDSU vs. Utah State Odds

San Diego State may not be your modern college football conference champion, but the Aztecs are here nonetheless — and a touchdown favorite in the Mountain West title game to boot.

SDSU relies on great defense and maybe the best punter in college football history to suffocate its opponents. In the season finale against Boise State, though, the Aztecs put up 408 total yards and 5.5 yards per play in a dominant 27-16 win.

Utah State bounced back from a rough 2020 season to win its division after entering the year at 50-1 to win the conference.

Our power ratings make San Diego State an 8.2-point favorite in this game, with the total at 52.6.

Both teams shot up our ratings early in the season, and even though Utah State took a dip in late October, they've recovered nicely.

How San Diego State Got Here

San Diego State certainly had its doubters as it continued to win despite being outgained regularly, but the Aztecs answered many of those questions with a dominant performance against Boise State in their season finale on Friday.

But there is a formula. It's not all turnover luck and fortunate finishes in close games.

Matt Araiza has been a ridiculous weapon for the Aztecs, for example. He's averaging 51.5 yards per punt and has boomed some of the longest punts in the history of the sport.

SDSU was the fourth betting choice to win the Mountain West before the season at around 12-1 (Caesars).

This is San Diego State's first time back in the conference title game since 2016, when they won their second straight MWC crown. The conference has only held a title game since 2013 — SDSU is 2-0, Utah State is 0-1 with its only appearance in that inaugural year.

How Utah State Got Here

Utah State went from a Mountain West contender, to the cellar, and back to the top all in just a few years. And this year, expectations were low. The Aggies were as long as 80-1 to win the MWC before the year. Caesars listed them at 50-1 in June — again, just to win the league.

Matt Wells departed for Texas Tech after an 11-win season in 2018. Gary Andersen returned, and the Aggies struggled for two seasons.

Enter Blake Anderson, the former Arkansas State coach who has turned things around quickly.

Utah State finished 9-3 this season with losses to only BYU, Boise State and Wyoming. The Aggies punched their ticket to the Mountain West Championship Game with a win over New Mexico in the season finale.

Mountain West Championship Game Winners

*Joint conference champions. MWC started playing a conference title game in 2013.