Utah State Aggies vs. Colorado State Rams Picks, Prediction, Odds and Line Movement for Friday, January 23, 2026
Use Code WWWC Mountain West action on a Friday night in this Utah State vs. Colorado State prediction. This is the second meeting this season. In the first meeting, Utah State crushed Colorado State on Dec. 20 as a 10.5-point favorite, 100-58. Utah State (15-3, 6-1 MWC) faces Colorado State (11-7, 2-5 MWC) on Friday at 10pmET. The Aggies have lost two straight games, while the Rams are coming off an 81-52 home win over Air Force. Check more of these free College Basketball Picks and Predictions at Winners and Whiners.
Aggies struggle last two games
Utah State came into their game against Grand Canyon last Saturday at 15-1 and were 5.5-point favorites on the road. They were upset 84-74 and then were shocked by UNLV at home 86-76 on Jan. 20 as a 15.5-point favorite. This was a shocking loss as the Aggies were outscored by 10 in the second half and allowed the Rebels to shoot 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. They were also -14 on the boards and shot a horrific 55% (17 of 31) from the free throw line.
Mason Falslev led the Aggies with 21 points and six boards, while Aidan Elamin added 15 points. MJ Collins Jr. leads Utah State with 19.3 points per game and shoots 53.4% from the field and 42.9% from long range. Falslev adds 16.9 points and 6.3 rebounds (he's a 6-4 guard), while shooting 52.4% from the field and 38.1% from long range.
Utah State is ranked 34th on KenPom, 25th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 61st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency.
Get Free $30 Credit for Premium Picks + Exclusive Discounts
Subscribe Now
Rams have tough test
It's tough enough facing Utah State at 15-3, but coming off two straight losses is tougher. The Rams did beat Air Force by 29 as a 19.5-point favorite on Jan. 20 after losing two games at Boise State and Fresno State. That win was about taking care of business against a bad team with an interim coach. This was such a blowout that 13 players participated and 10 players scored. The Rams shot 52% from the field and 42% (10 of 24) from long range.
Brandon Rechsteiner leads the Rams with 12.7 points per game on 45.2% shooting (43% 3pt), while Kyle Jorgensen adds 12.6 points (61.5% shooting, 48.6% 3pt) and Josh Pascarelli chips in with 12.1 points per game on 49.1% shooting (44.2% 3pt).
On KenPom, the Rams are ranked 88th, 35th in Adjusted Offense and 236th in Adjusted Defense.
Spread Pick and Prediction for Utah State vs. Colorado State
Utah State vs. Colorado State Picks, Odds, and Prediction
- Utah State -4.5 (4 units)
Utah State will bounce back from their two losses with a strong victory on the road. This is a strong offensive team that shoots it very well from the field (51.3%, 9th), while the Rams have some issues on the defensive end, allowing teams to shoot 44.7% from the field (240th). CSU is a good offensive team, especially from three-point range. But the good news for the Aggies, is that they lock teams down from three-point range. They are allowing just 28.7% from three-point range on the road, which is about five percent better than their overall number. Their defense hasn't been there in the last two games, so they will focus on that end of the floor and get the victory.
- Under 148.5 (4 units)
These are two efficient teams, but Colorado State is one of the slowest teams in the nation at 364th in tempo. They don't want to get in a run-and-gun matchup and trade baskets against one of the better offenses in the nation. Colorado State has gone under in five of their last eight games. Utah State's defense is better on the road for some reason than at home.
Betting on College Basketball?
- Join Winners and Whiners premium for free and get a free $30 coupon with code FREE30
- Get started and wager on college hoops today with our favorite online sportsbooks
- Claim a CBB betting bonus offer with the best sportsbook promos
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
