Utah State has a healthy respect for Colorado State receiver Tory Horton, tight end Dallin Holker

Utah State (2-3) knows it will have its hands full Saturday night at home against Colorado State (2-2).

Specifically on defense.

The Rams enter the contest with the Aggies with an increasingly dynamic attack that now ranks No. 3 in the country — yeah, you read that right — in overall passing offense and No. 32 in total offense.

Aggies on the air

Utah State (2-3)
vs. Colorado State (2-2)
Saturday, 6 p.m. MDT
Maverik Stadium
TV: KJZZ
Radio: Aggies Sports Network

Among Mountain West Conference teams, CSU has the most dynamic offense by far, with Utah State’s attack ranking second in the league (No. 44 overall).

Chief to the Rams’ success this year on offense is their weapons, and Utah State coach Blake Anderson singled out a specific pair of Rams that could pose some significant problems for his team this weekend.

Those players are wide receiver Tory Horton and tight end Dallin Holker.

Horton, who has caught 45 passes for 540 yards, leads the country in receiving yards (135) and receptions (11.2) per game. He also ranks eighth in the country among receivers with six touchdown receptions thus far this season.

He has been good enough to be considered the best wide receiver in the Mountain West Conference, to say nothing of the entire FBS.

“They’ve got one of the best, if not the best, wideouts in the league,” Anderson said of Horton. “... They’re very similar to us in the fact that they really don’t care where the ball gets pushed. They are willing to spread the ball around to the backs, to the tight ends, to the other wideouts. It doesn’t have to go to Horton every time. But you better know where he’s at or he’s going to score.”

Speaking of tight ends, Anderson said Wednesday night on his weekly coaches show that Holker, who transferred from BYU during the offseason, is more or less the complete package.

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“He’s a playin’ dude,” Anderson said. “He’s got the physical ability to block, he’s got all the skills in the throw game. And typically, he’s gonna be matched up on a person that he is twitchier than. They got a good one when they brought him in.”

For the season, Holker — a former Lehi High standout — has 26 receptions for 362 yards and five touchdowns. The tight end is averaging 13.9 yards per catch.

While Horton and Holker earned specific praise, Anderson noted that the Colorado State offense on the whole will be “a huge challenge” for his defense, a defense that has struggled this season, ranking No. 112 in total defense and No. 115 in scoring defense.

“Well, you gotta change the rhythm up on them, you can’t let him (CSU quarterback  Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi) be comfortable in the pocket all day long. And we’re hoping that we can get to him and make him uncomfortable,” Anderson said.

“You got to be competitive in the back end,” he continued. “And that is a huge challenge for our (defensive backs) to match up with their wideouts. To be there at the point of attack and frustrate them. You know they (CSU) are gonna make some plays. They’re good at what to do, they’ve recruited well and they’re built well across the front. You got to frustrate them, because you don’t stop them completely and you understand that.”