Line: Utah State by 1 1/2
Series record: Utah State leads 1-0
What’s at stake: Ohio has gotten to the postseason three straight seasons but has a six-game bowl losing streak. For Utah State, a victory would cap a remarkable turnaround in a season that started 2-5, and be its first postseason win since 1993.
Key matchup: Utah State’s running game against the Ohio defense. The Aggies and TB Robert Turbin have set a handful of school rushing records this season. Turbin, the WAC offensive player of the year, has 1,416 yards on 229 carries. The Bobcats have a strong front seven. Linebacker Noah Keller leads the team in tackles with 105.
Players to watch:
Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton. The sophomore became the first quarterback in school history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season.
Utah State LB Bobby Wagner. The Aggies modified their scheme to get Wagner more involved, and he’s responded with a team-high 140 tackles.
Facts & figures: Utah State won the only meeting, 5-0 in 1994. … A victory would give Frank Solich his 50th win since coming to Ohio seven years ago. … Bobcats junior kicker Matt Weller is four points shy of becoming the school’s all-time single-season points leader. The Associated Press
