Feb. 9, 2005
LOGAN, Utah -
Six home games and eight Western Athletic Conference games dot Utah State's 2005 football schedule that was announced on Wednesday.
The Aggies, who are entering their first season in the WAC after two years in the Sun Belt, will host four league home games and six overall at Romney Stadium. USU will not play consecutive home or road games during the year, alternating sites each week.
"I am very excited about our home and away schedule," said USU director of athletics Randy Spetman. "There is some good balance, but there is a very tough stretch in the middle."
That three-game stretch, which begins Oct. 15, includes at Fresno State, home against Boise State and at Alabama. All three opponents have the potential to be nationally ranked at game time.
On USU's schedule are three ranked opponents and five bowl teams from a year ago. Included in that group are Utah, which finished the year ranked fourth and won the Fiesta Bowl, Boise State, which was ranked 12th and played in the Liberty Bowl and Fresno State, which was 22nd and won the MPC Computers Bowl. Other 2004 bowl opponents include Alabama and Hawai'i. In fact, the Aggies will meet seven teams that were .500 or better a year ago.
The Aggies open the season hosting Nicholls State on Sept. 3 before visiting Utah on Sept. 10. After a bye, the Aggies will host Nevada-Las Vegas on Sept. 24 before playing their first WAC game when they travel to Idaho on Oct. 1.
USU will host its first home league game against San Jose State on Oct. 8. Other home league games include Boise State on Oct. 22, Louisiana Tech on Nov. 5 and Nevada on Nov. 19.
USU's road league games include at Idaho on Oct. 1, at Fresno State on Oct. 15, at Hawai'i on Nov. 12 and at New Mexico State to close the season on Nov. 26.
"We have six home games, which is great for our fans because they are mostly against opponents that our fan base is familiar with," said USU head coach Brent Guy. "I also like that we are not away from home for a long time. We have two home games in September, two in October and two in November."
USU's six home games are its most since 1998 as the Aggies hosted five games every year since then until last season when USU had just four games in Romney Stadium.
USU's eight conference games will match its most league games in school history as the 1930 Aggies played eight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games. USU's 12 regular season games match the 2003 team for the most games played in a regular season as well.
Game times and television schedule will be announced at a later date.
2005 Utah State Football Schedule
Sept. 3 NICHOLLS STATE
Sept. 10 at Utah
Sept. 17 Bye
Sept. 24 NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
Oct. 1 at Idaho*
Oct. 8 SAN JOSE STATE*
Oct. 15 at Fresno State*
Oct. 22 BOISE STATE*
Oct. 29 at Alabama
Nov. 5 LOUISIANA TECH*
Nov. 12 at Hawai'i*
Nov. 19 NEVADA*
Nov. 26 at New Mexico State*
* -- Western Athletic Conference
