Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – Georgia State vs Utah State Free Picks
First Meeting Between Georgia State and Utah State Has Moved Into Pick'Em Territory
Georgia State To Be Missing Two Of Its Offensive Stars In Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
There are plenty of bowl matchups between former conference rivals. That is not the case in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl with Georgia State and Utah State set to meet for the first time. The Georgia State vs Utah State free picks has the game currently too close to call.
Georgia State heads into the bowl game on a five-game losing streak after allo
wing Old Dominion to score 11 points in the final 1:37 in the regular-season finale. Utah State needed to beat New Mexico in overtime in the final game of the regular season to become bowl-eligible.
The college football betting lines opened with Georgia State favored by 3.5 points but it is now listed as a Pick’em.
Georgia State did not play in a CFB bowl game in 2022 but has won its last two bowl games. Utah State will be playing in a bowl game for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons. The Aggies are 2-4 in their last six bowl games.
Georgia State was priced at +130 to go over 5.5 regular-season wins during the regular season with Utah State opening the season at +120 to top five victories.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Information
Georgia State vs Utah State 
Records: Georgia State (6-6) vs Utah State (6-6)
Location: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Day/Time:
Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
Georgia State To Miss Top Rusher and Receiver
It might save time listing the Georgia State players not in the transfer portal.
Receiver Robert Lewis (70 catches, 877 yards) has committed to Auburn, and running back Marcus Carroll (1350 rushing yards) is headed to Missouri. That leaves the Panthers without two of its best offensive players.
Linebackers Jordan Jones (13 tackles), offensive linemen Montavious Cunningham and Cameron Dye, cornerback Bryquice Brown (35 tackles, one interception), and safety Jalen Tate (13 tackles) are also among the Georgia State players in the transfer portal. Keep that in mind when it comes to the Georgia State vs Utah State free picks.
Tight end Kris Byrd and receiver Ja’Cyais Credle (13 catches) are questionable.
That leaves more questions than answers for Georgia State going into this game.
Aggies Look For A Rare Quick Start
The main goal for Utah State should be to get off to a good start.
Utah State allows 9.92 points per game in the opening quarter and that could be an issue in the bowl game and factor into the Georgia State vs Utah State free picks.
Utah State allowed 17 points in the first quarter to James Madison, 14 to Iowa, and 22 to Air Force.
The Aggies didn’t lead after one quarter of play until the 11th game of the season. However, Utah State was outscored 45-3 by Boise State in the final three quarters in that college football game.
Linebacker Joshua Williams, defensive lineman Adam Tomczyk, and kicker William Testa are in the transfer portal for the Aggies but the bigger concern could come in the injury department.
Running back Robert Briggs (401 yards) and quarterback McCae Hillstead (1005 passing yards) are questionable.
Utah State Looks To Reverse A Troubling Trend
Georgia State has covered against the college football odds in four of the last five games. Can the Panthers do it again without their top rusher and receiver?
The total has gone over in eight of Utah State’s last 11 games with the total currently at 62 in this matchup after opening at 63.5. Still, go with this game to finish under the total.
Utah State is 1-9 outright in its last 10 games when listed as the underdog and has lost 11 of its last 13 games against teams from the Sun Belt.
The Panthers went 3-3 against the spread this season as the favorite while Utah State has covered in just three of its seven games during the 2023 season as the underdog.
A high-scoring game could benefit Utah State since eight of the Aggies’ 12 games finished over the total compared to just five for Georgia State. Six of Georgia State’s last nine games went under the total.
This is such a tough game to call since there is no history between the teams. The missing stars for Georgia State are enough to go with Utah State to win and cover. The teams were a combined 10-15 a season ago so there could be plenty of motivation for both teams to finish strong in this matchup.
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