It sucks for the San Diego State Aztecs that they’re making a trip to Hawaii not for a vacation but for a football game. It would suck more, though, if they would lose to the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, as they’re currently sitting on a shaky 2-3 overall record. The Rainbow Warriors, on the other hand, are looking to end a two-game slide. Will the Aztecs overpower Hawaii? Or will the Rainbow Warriors play the part of rude hosts this coming Saturday?
Read on for a preview of this matchup. You can also click here for a breakdown of the matchup between Georgia Tech and Clemson.
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San Diego State Aztecs vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Preview
Where: Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii
When: Saturday, October 10, 7:30 PM ET
Line: San Diego State Aztecs (+3) vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (-3); total: 45.0 – view all NCAA Football lines
Betting on the San Diego State Aztecs (2-3)
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Defense was the name of San Diego State’s game last week, when the Aztecs returned to the win column with a 21-7 win over Fresno State. Having prevented a four-game skid, the Aztecs fly to the pacific for a showdown with Hawaii.
Versus the Bulldogs, San Diego State allowed just 89 total yards (77 on passing and 12 on rushing). As pathetic as Fresno State’s offense has been this season, the Rainbow Warriors somehow manage to be even more miserable. On Saturday, San Diego State will face Hawaii’s offense that is last in the conference with only 271.4 total yards per game average. With such a lame job of moving the chains, Hawaii is only able to muster 15.0 points per game—second worst in the MWC. Those numbers should be encouraging enough for San Diego State’s stop unit that ranks fourth in the conference in scoring defense (23.2 PPG) and fifth in total defense (334.6 yards per game).
But of course, the Aztecs will have to put up points on the board. San Diego State’s offense isn’t anywhere near as good as their defense. The team is averaging just 317.2 total yards per game, mainly on the strength of a backfield that generates 172.80 rushing yards per contest.
Donnel Pumphrey and Chase Price are the go-to options in the Aztecs’ rushing attack. Pumphrey paces the team with 429 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Price has 317 yards thus far this year. Expect the two to run circles around a porous Hawaii defense, which is giving up a whopping 234.2 yards on the ground.
San Diego State is 3-0 SU and 2-0-1 ATS in its last three games against the Rainbow Warriors.
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Betting on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (2-3)
Perhaps all Hawaii needs right now is a game at home. After back-to-back road games, in which the Rainbow Warriors were held scoreless, Hawaii looks to get its offense going with a home game against San Diego State.
Hawaii is coming off a brutal 55-0 loss to Boise State on October 3—just a week after No. 22 Wisconsin handed the Rainbow Warriors a good ol’ beatdown in Madison via a score of 28-0. For those keeping count, that’s the third time Hawaii went kaput on offense in as many road games this season. If anything, the Rainbow Warriors have averaged 28.0 in both games in Honolulu this year.
Hawaii’s offense mostly revolves around its passing game that ranks fifth in the conference with 177.4 yards per game. Quarterback Max Wittek, however, appears to be lacking the accuracy needed to be a reliable quarterback, as he’s already thrown more picks (6) than touchdowns (5) at this point of the season. Perhaps, more activity from Hawaii’s backfield can take away some of the pressure off Wittek, who has passed for 796 yards on a poor 45.8 completion percentage (65 of 142).
Paul Harris leads the team with 296 yards and a touchdown, while Melvin Harris has 95 yards and a two scores for a lackluster Hawaii offense that averages 94.0 rushing yards per game.
Hawaii is 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS in its last three home games.
Writer’s Prediction
San Diego State (+3) wins, 24-15.
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