Wake Forest @ Utah State preview

It would be difficult to consider 2014 anything but a rebuilding year for Wake Forest, which has been picked to finish last in the ACC by league coaches and visits Utah State on Saturday. First-year coach Dave Clawson is short on experience as Wake Forest returns 10 starters - five on offense and five on defense - and four of the 10 didn’t start more than nine games last season. It’s the first time the Deacons will play a Mountain West school and the first visit by an ACC team to Logan.

Utah State's defense was ranked among the top 15 in the nation in 2012 and 2013 and has remained tough this year against the run, holding Tennessee to 110 yards on 39 carries in a season-opening loss. That doesn’t bode well for a Wake Forest offense that has struggled to score. The Demon Deacons did not score an offensive touchdown in a season-opening loss at Louisiana-Monroe and didn’t reach the end zone until the third quarter of a 23-7 victory over FCS member Gardner-Webb last week.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Utah State -14

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (1-1): Eight freshmen have played this season, including starting quarterback John Wolford, who has only been on campus since May. Wolford was 30-of-38 for 291 yards and two touchdowns - both to receiver E.J. Scott - against Gardner-Webb but also had three interceptions. Wake has struggled running the ball with Orville Reynolds leading the backs with 91 yards on 33 carries.

ABOUT UTAH STATE (1-1): The Aggies counter Wake Forest’s youth at quarterback with senior Chuckie Keeton, who figures to end his career as one of the school’s best at his position despite missing eight games last season with a knee injury. Keeton was 136-of-196 for 1,388 yards and 18 touchdowns against just two interceptions in six games before his season-ending injury. The long layoff has shown in a slow start as Keeton is 31-of-65 for 260 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Wake Forest is tied with ACC rival North Carolina State for the third-youngest team in the country with 70.5 percent of the roster being freshmen or sophomores.

2. Wolford’s 78.9 percent completion percentage against Gardner-Webb was a school record for a freshman with at least 20 attempts.

3. Keeton needs three touchdown passes to tie Jose Fuentes for the Aggies’ all-time record of 60.

PREDICTION: Utah State 28, Wake Forest 10