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Boise • Utah State has lost twice this season to teams with nationally-ranked rushing defenses.

The Aggies get another chance Tuesday.

Akron enters the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium with the country's No. 3 defense against the run. The Zips allow 89.9 yards per game. Only Alabama and Boston College are better.

"They've got a strong defensive line," Utah State coach Matt Wells said. "Their defensive ends get up the field and are very aggressive. They also have very good linebackers who tackle well in open space. So right there, you can see why they've done a nice job stopping the run."

Utah State, which is 6-6, has already faced two of the top six teams in the country when it comes to rushing defense.

The Aggies lost to No. 5 San Diego State (48-14) and No. 6 Utah (24-14). USU ran for 144 yards against the Aztecs. They rushed for only 117 yards against the Utes.

"We need to find a way to run the ball," Aggie quarterback Chuck Keeton said. "In the wins we've had, we've been able to move the ball on the ground a tremendous amount. That's something we need to focus on. … Just like every game this year, it will come down to how we execute on offense."

Akron head coach Terry Bowden credits veteran coordinator Chuck Amato for making the Zips' defense so difficult to dent.

Amato, who turns 70 next summer, spent most of his career at Florida State and North Carolina State. He was the Wolfpack's head coach from 2000-06.

"We have a defense along the lines of southern football," Bowden said. "We play fast and aggressive."

Akron's defense is led by senior linebacker Jatavis Brown, who is from Belle Glade, Fla. He stands only 5-foot-11. He weighs only 222 pounds. But he's had 108 tackles in 12 games, including 10 1/2 quarterback sacks. He was recently named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-American Conference.

"He's a little undersized," Bowden said, "but he can flat-out run. … He represents the style we play very well."

According to Keeton, Brown was easy to spot when he watched video of Akron's defense.

"He definitely flies around the ball a whole lot," Keeton said. "With that defense, they work so well off of each other and it's kind of like an assist. The defensive line plugs everybody up and he's always free to make a play.

"It's a defense that's kind of weird to see because they do a couple of things that are pretty unique. But for the most part, they line up and try to stay gap sound and stay in their zones and coverages. That's how he's been able to make so many plays."

Along with the play of quarterbacks Kent Myers and Keeton, the key to Utah State's ability to run the ball against Akron might be junior Devante Mays.

He rushed for over 100 yards in wins over Nevada and Wyoming. Only seven players in school history have averaged more yards per carry (5.5) over an entire season.

Mays was "a little banged up" toward the end of the season, Wells said, so the 3 1/2-week break between the regular-season finale against BYU and the bowl game should help him.

"We've gotten a chance to rewind," Keeton said. "… We've never played [Akron], so it's going to be a different type of challenge. But we're ready to meet that challenge head-on and come out of Boise with a win."

Twitter@sluhm —

Tough to run on

The top 10 rushing defenses in the country:

Rank Team G Att. Yds. Avg. YPG

1. Alabama 13 404 962 2.38 74.0

2. Boston Col. 12 416 994 2.39 82.8

3. Akron 12 381 1,077 2.83 89.8

4. Wisconsin 12 368 1,175 3.19 97.9

5. San Diego St. 13 450 1,445 3.21 111.2

6. Utah 12 405 1,341 3.31 111.8

7. Michigan St. 13 414 1,470 3.55 113.1

8. Nebraska 12 363 1,361 3.75 113.4

9. La. Tech 12 401 1,374 3.34 114.8

10. Iowa 13 435 1,494 3.43 114.9 —

Idaho Potato Bowl

P Utah State vs. Akron

Tuesday, 1:30 p.m.

TV • ESPN