|
Utah State Hosts New Mexico State Saturday In Season-Finale
Nov. 24, 2008
LOGAN, Utah - Complete New Mexico State at Utah State Football Notes in PDF Format
NEW MEXICO STATE at UTAH STATE Saturday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m. (MT) Romney Stadium (25,513) - Logan, Utah
QUICKLY -- For its home and season-finale, Utah State (2-9, 2-5 WAC) hosts New Mexico State (3-8, 1-6 WAC through Nov. 21) in a clash of the Aggies on Saturday, Nov. 29... Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. (MT) from USU's Romney Stadium... The battle between the navy-clad Aggies and their maroon-clad brethren will be broadcast by NMSU's Aggie Vision and will be on Altitude (Comcast Ch. 61 in Cache Valley)... Saturday is "Senior Day" as USU will honor its 17 seniors in a pre-game ceremony... This will be the third time in the last four years that USU ends its season against NMSU, splitting the previous two meetings... Saturday's Nov. 29 date is USU's latest home finale since at least 1913, which is not much of a surprise since the average Logan temperature for Nov. 29 is 29 degrees... However, Saturday's forecast is for temps to be balmy in the mid-40's. SENIOR DAY -- USU will recognize 17 seniors Saturday who will be making their final Romney Stadium appearance in an Aggie uniform... That group includes DT Ben Calderwood, CB Marquise Charles, DT Gregg Clark, RB Derrick Cumbee, LB Daryl Fields, RB Chris Forbes, OT Mike Green, S/LB De'von Hall, OT Derek Hoke, S Roy Hurst, LB Jake Hutton, TE Rob Myers, WR Otis Nelson, QB Sean Setzer, S Caleb Taylor, CB Joshua Taylor and OC Ryan Tonnemacher. ON TV -- Saturday's game will televised regionally by Altitude (Comcast Ch. 61 in Cache Valley) by NMSU's Aggie Vision... It will also be carried live on Fox Sports Arizona and Altitude, as well as Comcast in New Mexico and Time Warner El Paso... Jeff Mathews will handle play-by-play duties while Danny Knee will provide commentary. ON THE AIR -- All Utah State football games are carried on KVNU 610 AM and KLZX 95.9 FM in Logan; 1230 AM in Salt Lake City; on KLZX 105.3 FM in Montpelier, Idaho, and on the Internet at www.UtahStateAggies.com by clicking on "Listen Live"... Al Lewis handles the play-by-play duties and Craig Hislop provides analysis... Legendary LA Dodgers radio broadcaster Vin Scully turns 81 on Saturday. ON THE INTERNET -- USU home football are also streamed on the Internet through "Aggies All Access," by clicking on the "Live Aggies Video" link in the right hand column on the home page of www.UtahStateAggies.com. GAMETRACKER - Fans can follow all Aggie home games through the USU web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com via GameTracker, a free service, which updates play-by-play and statistics throughout the game. COACHES SHOW ON THE ROAD -- For the fourth-straight year the Brent Guy radio show will be held at different locations on campus on Thursday nights (6:05-6:45 p.m. on 610 AM KVNU). The show gives USU students an opportunity to ask questions and interact with Coach Guy and players. Food will be available at each show at a reduced rate from University Food Services. The Nov. 20 show was the final show of the year due to the Thanksgiving holiday. UP NEXT -- Utah State concludes its season. USU IN SEASON FINALES -- Utah State is 2-1 under Brent Guy in season finales, beating Idaho last year, losing to New Mexico State in 2006 after winning the 2005 finale at NMSU... The Aggies are 10-7 in their last 17 final games of the year... All-time, USU is 43-64-3 in its season finales... Here's a closer look at USU's last 10 season-finales in which the Aggies have gone 5-5, winning three of the last four: Nov. 14, 1998 - W, 28-27 vs North Texas Nov. 27, 1999 - W, 34-7 at North Texas Nov. 18, 2000 - L, 24-27 vs Idaho State Dec. 1, 2001 - L, 21-70 at #21 Fresno State Nov. 30, 2002 - L, 28-45 at Middle Tennessee Nov. 22, 2003 - L, 13-20 at Idaho Nov. 20, 2004 - W, 34-25 vs New Mexico State Nov. 26, 2005 - W, 24-21 at New Mexico State Nov. 25, 2006 - L, 20-42 vs New Mexico State Nov. 24, 2007 - W, 24-19 at IdahoAGGIES IN HOME FINALES -- USU has lost its last three home finales, but history is on the navy-clad Aggies' side as their last win in the final home game of the year was in 2004 against these same maroon Aggies from New Mexico State... Saturday is the fifth time in the last nine years that USU has concluded its season against NMSU, going 2-2 in the previous four match-ups... Saturday also is the navy-clad Aggies' latest home finale... Utah State is 4-6 in its last 10 home finales: Nov. 14, 1998 - W, 28-27 vs North Texas Nov. 6, 1999 - L, 6-14 vs New Mexico State Nov. 18, 2000 - L, 24-27 vs Idaho State Nov. 17, 2001 - W, 56-43 vs Weber State Nov. 9, 2002 - W, 32-30 vs New Mexico State Nov. 20, 2004 - W, 34-25 vs New Mexico State Nov. 19, 2005 - L 24-30 vs Nevada Nov. 25, 2006 - L, 20-42 vs New Mexico State Nov. 15, 2003 - L, 21-26 vs Troy State Nov. 10, 2007 - L 0-52 vs #19 Boise State LATE SEASON GAMES -- The Nov. 29 date is USU's latest regularly-scheduled game since 2002 when the Aggies played on Nov. 30... In 2001, USU played Fresno State on Dec. 1 after the game was postponed due to 9/11... Prior to those games, USU's latest regular-season game was 1974... Overall, USU has played later than Nov. 29 only 13 times since 1913... Saturday's Nov. 29 date is the Aggies' latest home finale game since at least 1913. BRRRRR-ING YOUR LONGJOHNS -- Saturday's Nov. 29 date is USU's latest home finale for a strategic reason as the average temperate in Logan on Nov. 29 is 29 degrees with a high of 53 in 1998 and a low of -8 in 1979... The average high is 39 degrees while the average low is 19... According to weatherchannel.com, Saturday's forecast calls for temps to balmy in the mid-40's. USU IN THE 11th MONTH / ON NOV. 29 -- Utah State had its three-game November winning streak snapped with the loss at Boise State on Nov. 8, as the Aggies have lost their last two games in November and 13 of their last 22 games in the American Thanksgiving month... Saturday is the Aggies' first game on Nov. 29 since 1934 and New Mexico State is the only non-Utah opponent that USU has played on Nov. 29... Overall, Saturday is only the fifth time since 1913 that the Aggies have played on the Nov. 29 date, going 1-3 in that span, with all four games at Utah... Here's a closer look at USU's four previous games on Nov. 29: 1919 - L, 0-10 at Utah 1923 - W, 21-13 at Utah 1928 - L, 0-20 at Utah 1934 - L 7-14 at UtahUSU AFTER BYE WEEK -- Utah State is coming off its second bye week of the season as its last game was at Louisiana Tech on Nov. 15... USU is 1-3 in games immediately after bye weeks in the Brent Guy era, having defeated UNLV in 2005, losing to Hawai'i in 2006, losing to Nevada last year and losing to No. 8 BYU on Oct. 3 after the Aggies' first bye week this year... In the decade of the 2000's, USU is 6-6 after an off-week. 2008 RANKED OPPONENTS -- Utah State has faced four AP Top 25 opponents this season, after playing No. 18 Oregon (L, 66-24 on Sept. 6), 22nd-ranked Utah (L, 58-10 on Sept. 13), No. 8 BYU (L, 34-14 on Oct. 3) and ninth-ranked Boise State (L, 49-14 on Nov. 8)... This is the first time since 2001 and just the second time since 1957 that the Aggies face four ranked opponents in the same season. THREE OUT OF FOUR VS. RANKED OPPONENTS -- USU's game on Oct. 3 vs. No. 8 BYU was Utah State's third ranked opponent in four games after playing 18th-ranked Oregon (L, 24-66) on Sept. 6, then 22nd-ranked Utah on Sept. 13 (L, 10-58) and then unranked Idaho on Sept. 20 (W, 42-17)... This season is the first time since 2001 that USU faced three ranked opponents in a span of four games, playing at No. 13 LSU (L, 14-31), then playing unranked Wyoming on Sept. 22 (L, 42-43) before taking on 6th-ranked Oregon on Sept. 29 (L 21-38) and at No. 18 BYU on Oct. 5 (L, 34-54)... USU played at least three ranked opponent this season for the second year in a row, after not playing three in one season since 2001. OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN -- Each week Utah State will select game captains. Those selected for the New Mexico State game are USU's season captains. HUTTON, NELSON AND CALDWELL NAMED USU FOOTBALL SEASON CAPTAINS -- Utah State football selected its permanent season captains in Jake Hutton, Otis Nelson and Peter Caldwell, voted on by the team and announced by head coach Brent Guy on Nov. 18 after practice... Hutton is the defensive captain, while Nelson is the offensive captain and Caldwell is the special teams captain... The Aggies used different captains each game during the year before the team voted on the season captains this week. This trio will represent USU at the coin toss before the Aggies' home and regular-season finale game against New Mexico State on Saturday. ROAD WOE-IORS -- Life on the road has been tough for the Aggies, who have lost their last six road games and are 3-24 under head coach Brent Guy... The win at New Mexico State on Nov. 17, 2007 snapped a 13-game road losing skid, as two of USU's three road wins are at NMSU, with the 35-17 victory last year plus winning on the road in the 2005 season finale at New Mexico State, 24-21, along with the 24-19 win at Idaho on Nov. 24 of last year. SWEET HOME? -- Utah State has just three home wins in its last 17 home games, but have won two of the last four home games... USU's pair of home victories this season has matched 2005 for the most home wins under head coach Brent Guy... The win over Idaho on Sept. 20 snapped a seven-game home losing skein, after USU had last won on its home turf on Oct. 7, 2006 with a 13-12 win over Fresno State... The Aggies are 5-15 at home under head coach Brent Guy. ABOUT UTAH STATE -- GENERAL -- The Aggies take a 2-9 overall and 2-5 WAC ledger into Saturday's season-finale... USU has matched last year's season and conference win totals and can have a three-spot in the win column for the first time since 2005... It would also be the first time in the Aggies' four seasons in the WAC that they've won more than two league games... A victory would also be the first time since 2003 that USU has won three conference contests and just the third time in the 2000's, when the Aggies were in the Big West Conference and went 3-4 and were 4-1 in Sun Belt play in 2000. PLAYERS TO WATCH -- USU sophomore QB Diondre Borel ranks fifth in the WAC and 59th in the NCAA in passing efficiency (124.6) as well as ranking fifth in the league and 67th in the nation in total offense (196.9)... Defensively, senior LB Jake Hutton is second in the WAC and tied for 24th in the NCAA tackles with 9.1 pg (100 total) and is 19th in the conference in TFL's with .6 pg (7.5 total)... Sophomore P/PK Peter Caldwell has the fifth-best punting average in the WAC and the 30th-best in the NCAA with 42.0 ypp... He also is sixth in the conference and tied for 76th in the country in field goals (0.8 pg)... Caldwell leads the WAC in field goal percentage (.818/9-of-11)... Junior K Chris Ulinski has boomed 16 touchbacks on the season and his kickoffs have kept opponents inside the 25 a total of 26 times. HOT BOREL -- Sophomore QB Diondre Borel has played in all 11 games, but played just over half of the offensive plays the first three games, but has started the last eight... Borel has 1,743 yards of total offense in the last eight games that he started, an average of 217.9 per game, which would rank fourth in the WAC season stats... In the last five games in which he was the signal-caller for the majority of the game, he has 1,196 yards, an average of 239.2 per game, which would rank fourth in the WAC season stats. QB LEADING IN BOTH RUSHING AND PASSING -- With 1,587 yards passing and 579 yards rushing, USU sophomore QB Diondre Borel is one of seven quarterbacks in the country who lead their team in both passing and rushing, and Borel is the only sophomore on the list: Name School YR Julian Edelman Kent State SR Juice Williams Illinois JR Colt McCoy Texas JR Dan LeFevour Central Michigan JR Joe Webb UAB JR Matt Grothe South Florida JR Diondre Borel UTAH STATE SOTOPPING 2000 -- Sophomore QB Diondre Borel became just the 17th Aggie player in the program's history to reach the 2,000 yards of total offense plateau... With 2,166 yards, Borel is the first USU player under Aggie head coach Brent Guy and the first USU player since Travis Cox with 2,844 in 2003... Borel is currently 15th on USU's single-season total offense list, passing former USU QB and current USU Asst. AD/Business Operations Jeff Crosbie. USU TOP TOTAL OFFENSE NUMBERS RNK NAME YARDS YEAR 1. Anthony Calvillo 3,260 1993 2. Jose Fuentes 3,164 2002 3. Brent Snyder 2,154 1988 4. Tony Adams 2,953 1972 5. Jose Fuentes 2,920 2001 6. Matt Sauk 2,898 1997 7. Travis Cox 2,844 2003 8. Brent Snyder 2,774 1987 9. Patrick Mullins 2,678 1995 10. Jose Fuentes 2,622 2000 11. Anthony Calvillo 2,578 1992 12. Matt Sauk 2,568 1996 13. Bob Gagliano 2,335 1980 14. Tony Adams 2,195 1971 15. Diondre Borel 2,166 2008 16. Jeff Crosbie 2,122 1999 17. Eric Hipple 2,101 1978 PERFECT PETE -- Sophomore PK/P Peter Caldwell now has 52 career PAT's, (52-of-52), remaining in a tie for first with Willie Beecher (64-of-64, 1981-84) and Russ Moody (44-of-44, 1988-89) as the only three USU kickers with a perfect career PAT percentage (1.000). AGGIE TIDBITS -- Utah State has 10 different receivers with a TD catch compared to five different players last year... The 10 are the most since at least 1957... The USU defense's streak of at least one interception in a game came to an end at six in the Fresno State game, but they have a pick off in 16 of the last 22 games dating back to last season... The La Tech game was the USU defense's sixth multi-turnover game this season and 10th in the last 12 games and 16th time in the last 21 games dating back to last season... Eight different USU defenders have an INT, compared to nine total last season... Redshirt freshman RB Robert Turbin's 40-yard rush in the BYU game was USU's fourth rushing TD of over 20 yards after having no rushing TD's of over 20 yards last season... Overall, the Aggies have 12 offensive TD of 20 yards or more this season compared to six all of last year... Turbin now leads USU with seven rushing TD's this season, topping last season's most by a running back (three - Derrvin Speight) and are the most by a USU individual since David Fiefia's seven rushing scores in 2003... The 62-yard TD pass from sophomore QB Diondre Borel to junior WR Nnamdi Gwacham in the Hawai'i game was USU's longest offensive TD this season... Borel now has 11 TD passes on the season, single-handedly topping last season's total of 11, while the Aggie now have 15 TD passes on the season (four by Sean Setzer)... The 15 passing TD's are the most by USU since 19 in 2004... In the SJSU game, USU's defense held an opponent scoreless in the opening quarter for the first time since the last time the Aggies played at San Jose State, on Oct. 14, 2006, a span of 23 games... Sophomore P Peter Caldwell punted five times in the first quarter of the SJSU game, matching his combined punts from the previous two games (four vs. BYU, one vs. Idaho)... The Aggies' 10 punts in the SJSU game were the most since 11 at Clemson on Oct. 16, 2004... Utah State was shutout in the first quarter in the Boise State game, marking the first time in the last three games but USU had been blanked in the opening stanza five in the previous seven games and a total of seven times this season... The 10 points in the first quarter of the La Tech game were USU's most in the opening stanza this quarter and the most since 10 in the Hawai'i game last season, a span of 18 games... USU has now been outscored, 96-27, in the first frame. STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- According to the NCAA, Utah State has the toughest schedule in the WAC for both games against Football Bowl Subdivision teams (tied for 25th overall) and for all games including games against FBS and Football Championship Series teams (tied for No. 30 overall)... New Mexico State is sixth in the WAC for FBS (90th overall) and seventh for FBS and FCS (179th overall): FBS Only: WAC NCAA Rank Rank Team Cumulative Opposition Record Win Pct. 1 T-25 Utah State 65-52 / .556 6 90 New Mexico State 49-59 / .454ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE -- GENERAL -- The maroon-clad Aggies are 3-8 overall and 1-6 in WAC action after losing to Louisiana Tech on Saturday at home... NMSU was down 28-10 late in the second quarter after LTU blocked a punt and recovered for a touchdown... The Aggies scored a TD right before half and later took a 31-28 lead early in the fourth quarter, but La Tech scored on a 68-yard TD pass play with 3:52 left in the game and NMSU couldn't respond... NMSU has lost six in a row after winning three of the previous four games... NMSU is 2-3 on the road this season, having lost its last two road games, averaging just 15.5 points per game in those two losses - 20-14 at Idaho on Oct. 25 and 24-17 at Fresno State on Nov. 15. PLAYERS TO WATCH -- Senior QB Chase Holbrook is second in the WAC and 20th in the NCAA in passing efficiency (145.4), as he leads the league in passing average per game (290.7), but has averages 275.9 ypg in total offense (third in the WAC and 20th in the NCAA), because he averages -14.6 ypg rushing... Holbrook's primary target has been senior WR Chris Williams, who leads the WAC and is third in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (113.9 ypg) and also leads the conference and is seventh in the country in receptions per game (7.6)... Defensively, senior FS Derrick Richardson leads the WAC and NCAA with 12.7 tackles per game... Sophomore PK/P Kyle Hughes is fourth in the league and 24th in the nation in punting (42.3 ypp) and is ninth in the conference and tied for 98th in the country in field goals (0.6 pg/7-of-11). USU-NMSU SERIES -- Utah State leads the all-time series by a 26-6 count, USU's largest advantage against a WAC opponent... USU holds an 11-3 margin in games played at Logan and 15-2 at Las Cruces as well as 0-1 at a neutral site... USU ran up 19 consecutive wins from 1968-98 before the southern Aggies posted a 14-6 win at Logan in 1999... Since then USU has won five of seven meetings, losing only 26-21 at Las Cruces in 2003 and 42-20 at home in 2006... Last year's large win of 35-17 broke tradition, as the 18-point margin of victory was the same as the combined scoring difference in the previous four match-ups... The two teams met in the 1960 Sun Bowl, with New Mexico State rallying from a 13-7 Utah State halftime lead to win, 20-13, in one of Utah State's six bowl games. New Mexico State Overall: 26-6-0 / Home: 11-3-0 / Away: 1-2-0 / Neutral: 0-1-0 12-31-60 L 13-20 N 11-16-63 W 7-6 A 9-26-64 W 76-0 H 10-1-66 L 7-23 H 9-30-67 L 9-10 A 9-14-68 W 28-12 H 11-28-70 W 45-21 A 9-18-71 W 34-0 H 9-9-72 W 48-14 A 11-10-73 W 30-12 A 11-23-85 W 40-23 A 10-4-86 W 42-9 H 11-7-87 W 25-6 A 9-24-88 W 32-20 H 11-21-89 W 28-13 A 11-3-90 W 55-10 H 11-23-91 W 46-21 A 9-26-92 W 48-21 H 11-20-93 W 20-17 A 11-19-94 W 47-20 H 10-21-95 W 27-14 A 10-12-96 W 53-21 A 10-18-97 W 38-7 H 10-31-98 W 29-26** A 11-6-99 L 6-14 H 11-4-00 W 44-37 A 11-9-02 W 32-30 H 11-6-03 L 21-26 A 11-20-04 W 34-25 H 11-26-05 W 24-21 A 11-25-06 L 20-42 H 11-17-07 W 35-17 A UTAH STATE-NEW MEXICO STATE LAST TIME --
For the first time in 17 games, Utah State had the bigger number on the scoreboard, as the navy and white clad Aggies beat their fellow Aggies of New Mexico State, 35-17, at NMSU's Aggie Memorial Stadium in Western Athletic Conference football action. USU's first win of the season snapped a 16-game losing streak. Utah State's last win was a 13-12 victory over Fresno State on Oct. 7, 2006. The Aggies also snapped a 13-game road losing streak, as Utah State's last road win was also against New Mexico State, 24-21, on Nov. 26, 2005. USU has now won five of the last seven match-ups with NMSU and the navy Aggies lead the all-time series, 26-6, including 15-2 at Las Cruces, winning the last two and 14 of the last 15. The 35 points scored in the win were the most points scored in a USU win under head coach Brent Guy, topping the 31 in a 31-24 win over UNLV on Sept. 24, 2005, Guy's first season, and the second game of his tenure. It was the most points scored in an Aggie win since a 41-20 win over Middle Tennessee on Nov. 1, 2003. Junior TE Rob Myers had four catches for 117 yards and two TD's, a 26-yarder and a 24-yarder. Senior QB/P Leon Jackson III was 14-of-20 for 189 yards and fellow senior, WR/KR Kevin Robinson had a kick return for a TD after NMSU had pulled to 21-17 at the 11:45 mark of the fourth quarter. Robinson's 82-yard kick return for TD was his 28th career TD overall, tying Kendal Smith (1985-88) for No. 5 on USU's career TD list. Robinson now leads the NCAA this season with three kick returns for a TD and now has four returns for a TD (three kick returns + one punt return) and is the only player in the country with that many. Freshmen tailbacks Derrvin Speight and Curtis Marsh combined for 145 yards with 78 and 67 yards respectively, as Marsh scored on a 7-yard scamper in the first quarter. Utah State was out-gained by New Mexico State in total offense, 455-355, but USU had a plus-one advantage in turnovers, with two interceptions compared to only losing one fumble. Junior CB Marquise Charles and sophomore DL Alan Bishop made the interceptions, as Bishop recorded his first career oskie. Junior LB Jake Hutton had a career-high 16 tackles while sophomore LB Paul Igboeli also had a career-high with 15. Freshman LB Kyle Gallagher added 10 stops. Score By Quarters Utah State 0 7 7 21 - 35 New Mexico State 3 7 0 7 - 17 CLASH OF THE AGGIES' LAST TIME AT LOGAN --
New Mexico State scored 28 first quarter points en route to a 42-20 win at Utah State in the home team's season finale. USU was led by quarterback Leon Jackson, who came off the bench to throw for 146 yards and two scores in relief of Riley Nelson. Jackson connected with Kevin Robinson on a 27-yard scoring strike in the second quarter and then hit Otis Nelson from four yards out six minutes later to pull the northern Aggies to within 28-12 after a pair of missed two-point conversions. The teams traded touchdowns and USU trailed 35-20 with 4:18 left in the third quarter. Both of USU's final two possessions ended in downs, while NMSU added its final score with 4:24 left in the game. Robinson caught four passes for 101 yards and a score, while Jackson led the team in rushing with 48 yards on eight carries. The Aggies played without starting tailback Marcus Cross, who was injured. USU started wide receiver Aaron Lesue at tailback and he responded by rushing 11 times for 34 yards. Defensively linebacker Paul Igboeli and safety Terrance Washington each recorded 10 tackles. Igboeli had a tackle for loss, while Washington, a senior who was playing in his final game, forced a fumble. Caleb Taylor and Devon Hall each registered nine tackles. New Mexico State, which entered the game with the fifth-ranked offense in the country produced 491 yards, including 324 passing. USU had 332 yards of total offense, including 197 passing, its third-most this year. While jumping out to a 28-0 first quarter lead, NMSU gained 229 yards on just 15 offensive plays.
Score By Quarters
1 2 3 4 FINAL
New Mexico State 28 7 0 7 --- 42
Utah State 0 12 8 0 --- 20
AGGIE-AGGIE NOTE-ABLE -- USU's 26 victories in the series are its fifth most against any opponent trailing only the 34 wins vs. Wyoming, 33 vs. Brigham Young, 30 vs. Colorado State and 28 vs. Utah... USU's 81.3 winning percentage in the series is its best against any Division I opponent it has faced more than two times in history... USU does not have any players on its active roster from the state of New Mexico, the only state in the WAC union that the Aggies don't have a player from... New Mexico State does not have any Utah natives on its roster, but maroon Aggie junior DT Chris Romero went to Snow College, where he was teammates with navy Aggie junior DT Casey Davis, who is out for the season with a leg injury... USU sophomore OG Ty Rogers and NMSU sophomore OL Joel Buschmann were high school and offensive line teammates at Columbine HS in the Denver, Colo, area, leading the Rebels to a 10-2 record in 2005, losing in the second round of the playoffs to eventual state champion Douglas County HS... USU senior QB Sean Setzer and NMSU freshman DE Donte Savage are both from Portland, Ore., but Setzer went to Wilson HS while Savage went to a different presidential-named HS in Jefferson HS... Navy Aggie senior OC Ryan Tonnemacher and maroon Aggie senior S Derrick Richardson are both from Chandler, Ariz., but Tonnemacher went to Hamilton HS while Richardson went to Chandler HS... USU sophomore S Maxim Dinka and redshirt-freshman OL Carlos Cuevas are both from Plano, Texas, as is NMSU freshman K Jordan Davenport, but Dinka and Cueava went to Plano HS while Davenport went to Plano West HS... USU redshirt freshman OL Robert Hill played against NMSU freshman WR #14 LaVorick Williams when Hill played for Southlake Carroll (Texas) and Williams was a junior at Permian HS (Odessa, TX) during the Texas 5A playoffs in December 2006, and Hill's team won. WHITE'S NCAA RECORD BREAKING DAY CAME VS. NMSU - On Nov. 4, 2000, Utah State running back Emmett White produced one of the greatest single-game performances in NCAA history. The then Aggie junior not only broke the NCAA single-game all-purpose yardage record, he demolished it. The national record of 435 yards held by Brian Pruitt of Central Michigan vs. Toledo in 1994, was broken by an astonishing 143 yards as White accumulated 578 yards against New Mexico State. White rushed 34 times for a school-record 322 yards, added 134 yards on seven receptions (only player in USU history to have 100 yards rushing and receiving in one game), had one punt return for two yards and four kickoff returns for 120 yards. That added up to 578 yards on 46 touches of the football that November night in Las Cruces. Not only did White amass all of those yards, he scored four touchdowns, including the game-winner, a nine-yard run, with just :28 left in the game as USU won the contest 44-37. OTHER USU BESTS VS. NEW MEXICO STATE -- Here is a look at some of the other top USU statistical individual performances against the southern Aggies besides White's NCAA performance, over the years: Roger Grant has 205 yards rushing in 1991 for the 21st-best rushing performance, while Demario Brown has the No. 22 spot with 204 yards against NMSU in 1998 and Abu Wilson is tied for 23rd with 203 yards in the 1994 meeting with NMSU... Kevin Alexander has the 14th-best receiving total with 205 yards in 1995... Glen Crawford has the 12th-longest rushing play in school history with a 78-yarder in 1985... As a team, USU had its seventh and eighth-best total offense outings with 619 and 605 yards against NMSU in 2000 and 1996, respectively, as well as tied for the 19th-best outing with 544 in 1964... The navy-clad Aggies had the 12th-best passing offense day against their maroon counterparts in 1997 with 393 yards... In 1991, USU had its 19th-best rushing total with 332 yards... Defensively, USU had its eighth-best total defense total in the 1964 meeting with NMSU with 100 yards... That same year USU only allowed 18 passing yards to NMSU, the seventh-best total... In 1985, the maroon Aggies had one yard rushing, good for No. 11 on the navy Aggies' best rushing defense performances... The 1964 USU win over NMSU, a 76-0 rout, is the fifth-biggest winning margin in school history... Last season, Rob Myers had four catches for 117 yards with two TD's, and is USU's last 100-yard receiver. LAST TIME LISTS -- Rob Myers was USU's last 100 yard receiver vs. NMSU last season with 117 yards on four catches with two TD's, earning National Tight End of Week honors... The last USU QB with 100 yards rushing was Jerod Walker with 102 yards against NMSU in 2005... Emmett White is the last Aggie running back with 100 yards receiving with 134 at NMSU in 2000 and is the only USU player with 100 yards rushing and receiving as part of his previously-mentioned NCAA record-setting day with 322 rushing and 134 receiving... The last Aggie player with 200 yards all purpose was Kevin Robinson with 202 last year at NMSU... Robinson also is the last USU player with a kickoff return for a TD with an 82-yard return for TD last season at NMSU... Utah State is referenced on NMSU's "Last Time" list once: The last time that an NMSU kicker booted four field goals in a game was Nick Cecava vs. USU on Oct. 31, 1998. HEAD COACH Brent Guy -- Brent Guy (Oklahoma State, 1983) is in his fourth year as head coach after coming to Utah State from Arizona State where he was the defensive coordinator for four years. Guy was an assistant coach (linebackers) at Utah State from 1992-94 under then head coach Charlie Weatherbie. During that time, USU posted its only bowl victory in school history, claiming the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl. Guy was involved in eight bowl games in 19 years as a collegiate assistant coach. Previous stops include Oklahoma State (1986-91 - graduate assistant 1986-87, recruiting coordinator 1988, linebackers 1989-91), Utah State (1992-94 - linebackers), Oklahoma State (1995-97 - linebackers), Boise State (1998-2000 - defensive coordinator) and Arizona State (2001-04 - defensive coordinator) before being named the Aggies' 25th head coach in December of 2004. In his first year at USU, the Aggies were 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the Western Athletic Conference.
Utah State Head Coach
All WAC
2005 3-8 2-6
2006 1-11 1-7
2007 2-10 2-6
2008 2-9 2-5
Total 8-38 7-24
GUY VS. NEW MEXICO STATE -- Navy Aggie head coach Brent Guy has coached against New Mexico State nine times in his career and is 8-1 vs. the maroon Aggies, including 2-1 as head coach, as the loss in 2006 was his first-ever. Here is a closer look:
1992 - USU Assistant - W 48-21 at Logan 1993 - USU Assistant - W 20-17 at Las Cruces 1994 - USU Assistant - W 47-20 at Logan 1998 - BSU Assistant - W 55-51 at Las Cruces 1999 - BSU Assistant - W 45-26 at Boise 2000 - BSU Asst. - W 34-31 at Las Cruces 2005 - USU Head Coach - W 24-21 at Las Cruces 2006 - USU Head Coach - L 20-42 at Logan 2007 - USU Head Coach - W 35-17 at Las CrucesDID YOU KNOW? -- Utah State offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey was 6-1 against New Mexico State while head coach at North Texas, winning in 1998, losing in 1999, then winning five in a row from 2000-2004... Dickey was also 1-2 vs. NMSU while an assistant coach at UTEP from 1994-96, winning in 1996 after losing in '94 and '95. AGGIE ASSISTANT COACHES -- Utah State had one change on its coaching staff from last year, as Thomas Dunson joined the staff.
DID YOU KNOW? -- USU head coach Brent Guy and offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey played against each other when Guy was a linebacker at Oklahoma State and Dickey was a quarterback at Kansas State... Oklahoma State won all four meetings during Guy and Dickey's tenures, winning 42-15 in 1979, 10-0 in 1980, 31-10 in '81 and 24-16 in '82... Oct. 20 marked the 25th anniversary of Guy and Dickey's last meeting of 1982 when Oklahoma State hosts Kansas State... In the 1982 Cowboy-Wildcat clash, Guy had 18 tackles, including one TFL and two pass break-ups while Dickey was 17-of-35 passing for 185 yards with two TD's and one INT. USU NOTE-ABLE -- OFFENSIVE NOTES -- Utah State now has 10 different receivers with a TD catch compared to five different players last year... The 10 are the most since at least 1957... The Aggie offense did not have a turnover in the Oregon game, marking the first time since Oct. 7, 2006 vs. Fresno State that USU did not have a turnover... The USU offense has had 10 different players rush the ball (five different ball-carriers at UNLV, six at Oregon, five vs. Utah, eight vs. Idaho, six vs. BYU, six at SJSU, five at Nevada, six vs. Fresno St., seven vs. Hawai'i, five at Boise St. and three at La Tech), as well as 15 different players with a reception (seven at UNLV, 10 at Oregon, seven vs. Utah, including OL Tariq Polley making the rare offensive lineman reception on a deflected pass, eight vs. Idaho, seven vs. BYU, eight at SJSU, seven at Nevada, seven vs. Frenso St., eight vs. Hawai'i, a season-high 12 at Boise St. and six at La Tech)... The Aggies had a season-high 580 yards of total offense against Idaho, including season-bests 356 rushing yards and 224 passing yards... Individually, USU had four of its top five rushing outputs up to that point in the Idaho game at the time, led by redshirt-freshman RB Robert Turbin's 123 yards to became USU's first 100-yard rusher since Marcus Cross had 127 at BYU on Sept. 23, 2006... USU's 580 yards of total offense was the most since 684 vs. Weber State on Nov. 17, 2001... It was the most against a Division I team since 595 at Boise State, Nov. 11, 2000... The 356 rushing yards was USU's first 300-yard rushing game since 322 vs. New Mexico State on Nov. 4, 2000... The 356 rushing yards were the most since 388 at Nevada on Nov. 20, 1999... Senior WR Otis Nelson has a team-leading four TD catches on the season and six for his career after two TD catches at Nevada... Nelson has now caught a pass in 29 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak in the WAC... In the Nevada game, Nelson also surpassed his previous career high for receptions yards with 86, passing the previous mark of 72, which he had done twice this season and three times previous in his career... After back-to-back games with a 52-yard pass, sophomore QB Diondre Borel had a new career-long with the 62-yard TD pass to junior WR Nnamdi Gwacham in the Hawai'i game, which is also Gwacham's new career long, topping the 52-yard reception thre previous week vs. Fresno State... The 51-yard TD pass from senior QB Sean Setzer to sophomore TE Doug Barbour in the Boise State game was Barbour's first TD catch of his career... It was both the longest pass of Setzer's career and the longest catch of Barbour's career... Borel has 11 TD passes on the season, single-handedly matching last season's total of 11, while the Aggies now have 15 TD passes on the season (four by Sean Setzer)... The 15 passing TD's are the most by USU since 19 in 2004... Borel's two-point conversion in the Fresno State game was USU's first successful two-point conversion of the season and the first since RB Derrvin Speight's two-point rush last season at Utah, a span of 15 games... After not scoring on its opening drive in the previous 14 games, USU has scored on its initial drive in back-to-back games, with a field goal in the Hawai'i game after a TD the previous week vs. Fresno State... USU's first down on its opening drive vs. Fresno State was just the second time this season that the Aggie offense did not go three-and-out in its initial offensive drive... Utah State was shutout in the first quarter for the first time in the last three games but has been blanked in the opening stanza five in the last seven games and a total of seven times this season... The 10 points in the first quarter at La Tech were USU's most in the opening stanza this quarter and the most since 10 in the Hawai'i game last season, a span of 18 games... USU has now been outscored, 96-27, in the first frame... The Hawai'i game was Borel's second two-TD pass outing in the last three games and fourth of the season... Setzer had his first two-TD pass game in the Boise State game and USU now has five two-TD toss games... USU had four two-TD pass games last season, with Leon Jackson III having two on his own and combining with Jase McCormick for two others... Redshirt-freshman Robert Turbin caught his first career TD catch in the Hawai'i game and another in the Boise State game... Turbin's 40-yard rush in the BYU game was USU's fourth rushing TD of over 20 yards after having no rushing TD's of over 20 yards last season... Overall, the Aggies have 12 offensive TD of 20 yards or more this season compared to six all of last year... Turbin now leads USU with seven rushing TD's this season, topping last season's most by a running back (three - Derrvin Speight) and are the most by a USU individual since David Fiefia's seven rushing scores in 2003... Turbin also leads the team with nine overall TD's on the season, five ahead of senior WR Otis Nelson and sophomore QB Diondre Borel's four each for the most individual TD's on the team... The La Tech game was the third time this season that USU scored 30 or more points compared to only twice last season... The 21 unanswered points by USU at La Tech was the first time since Oct. 2, 2004 that the Aggies had such a streak... The 38 points scored by USU at La Tech were the most on the road in head coach Brent Guy's tenure. DEFENSIVE NOTES -- After forcing three turnovers in the Utah game, two against Idaho, two against BYU, four against Nevada, two against Hawai'i and three a Boise State, the Aggie defense has caused at least two turnovers 10 times in last 12 games and 16th time in the last 21 games dating back to last season... The USU defense had its interception streak in consecutive games snapped in the Fresno State game, but the Aggies have at least one interception in 16 of the last 22 games dating back to last season... Eight different USU defenders have an INT, compared to nine total last season... Junior LB Paul Igboeli snared his first career INT in the Utah game... A total of 41 different players have recorded a tackle, including 24 with double-digit stops... A total of 17 defensive players have a tackle for loss, led by senior LB Jake Hutton's seven, while 10 players have three or more... Last year 19 different Aggies had a TFL, but only seven had three or more.. Nine different players have logged a sack, while three have multi-sacks, led by redshirt-freshman DE Junior Keiaho's 2.5 sacks... Last season only six different players had a sack with only two posting multiple sacks... The Aggie defense limited Idaho to 271 yards of total offense, the lowest total since 234, which was also vs. Idaho on Sept. 11, 2004... USU's defense held an opponent scoreless in the opening quarter for the first time since the last time the Aggies played at San Jose State, on Oct. 14, 2006, a span of 23 games... Senior LB Jake Hutton has at least eight tackles in seven of the 11 games this season and double-digit tackle outputs in six games, including 14 stops in the Boise State game, which is a USU high this season... Hutton now has 12 double-figure tackle games for his career... The seven points allowed in the first half of the Hawai'i game matches the Idaho game for fewest points allowed in a half... Boise State became the first USU opponent to have over 400 yards passing since Hawai'i threw for 465 last season... The Broncos were the third Aggie opponent to top 500 yards of total offense this season, joining Oregon (688 on Sept. 6) and Nevada (523 on Oct. 18)... The 28 points scored in the first half by Louisiana Tech marked the fourth time this season that the opposition had scored 28 or more points in the first half and the sixth time scoring more than 21 points... USU has allowed 30 or more points eight times this season... The USU defense held the opposition without a first down on its opening possession for the fifth time this season in the La Tech game and just the third true three-and-out, joining the San Jose State and UNLV games, while forcing and recovering a fumble in the Nevada game and snared an interception in the Oregon game. SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES -- Utah State's game at Oregon marked the first time since Nov. 11, 2006 at Nevada that USU did not have a kickoff return of at least 20 yards... The Utah game was the first time that USU did not have a punt return since at Idaho last season (Nov. 24, 2007)... In the Idaho game, USU only punted once, marking the first time since 2002 that the Aggies only had to punt once... USU fumbled a kickoff for the second time in three games after fumbling in the Utah and BYU games... The blocked field goal in the BYU game was the first time since Oct. 7, 2005 vs. San Jose State that the Aggies had blocked a field goal... Sophomore P Peter Caldwell punted five times in the first quarter of the SJSU game, matching his combined punts from the previous two games (four vs. BYU, one vs. Idaho)... The Aggies' 10 punts at SJSU were the most since 11 at Clemson on Oct. 16, 2004... The 57-yard kickoff return by Murphy in the Nevada game was a career-long and USU's longest kickoff return this season and Murphy's 49-yard kickoff return in the Boise State game was his second-longest of the season and his career... Murphy also had a 15-yard punt return in the Nevada game, which also is USU's longest punt return this year... Murphy has all eight of USU's punt returns... Junior K Chris Ulinski's 42-yard field goal in the Nevada game was the first of his USU career and also ties Caldwell for USU's longest FG of the season... Caldwell's two field goals in the Fresno State game was the first time since at Fresno State last season that he had a multi-FG outing... He then made three field goals in the Hawai'i game, marking the second time in his career that he had the FG hat trick matching last season at Hawai'i... Caldwell now has two multi-FG outings this season and six for his career... The 34-yard field goal by Caldwell at the end of the half marked the second game in a row the Caldwell ended the half with a field goal... It was also the third half of play that has ended on a field goal as Caldwell's two end of first-half field goals are sandwiched around the game-winning 58-yard field goal by Fresno State... Caldwell has at least one field goal in six games this season and 14 for his career.
TONNEMACHER ON RIMINGTON TROPHY WATCH LIST -- For the second year in a row, offensive center Ryan Tonnemacher has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, given annually to the nation's most outstanding center in college football. Tonnemacher (pronounced Tawn-uh-mawker), a 6-3, 292-pound senior from Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton HS), is one of 43 players named to the Watch List. Tonnemacher is one of four centers from the WAC to be recognized, as he's joined by John Estes from Hawai'i, Adam Korby of Idaho and Nevada's Dominic Green. Tonnemacher is the only center from the state of Utah on this season's list. As a junior last season, Tonnemacher started all 12 games at center, one of eight Aggies to start every contest. His 759 offensive plays tied him with offensive guard Shawn Murphy and offensive tackle Derek Hoke for most on the offense and were the fourth-most on the team. Tonnemacher entered his senior season with a team-leading 24 consecutive starts after starting all 12 games in both 2006 and 2007. He is a three-year letterwinner after starting three games as a freshman in 2005. A total of 17 centers were repeat selections from last year's preseason Watch List, including Tonnemacher, Korby and Green, as well as last year's winner, Jonathan Luigs from Arkansas. The Rimington Trophy has not had a repeat winner in its history. HUTTON AND IGBOELI ON BUTKUS TROPHY WATCH LIST -- Utah State linebackers Jake Hutton and Paul Igboeli were both named to the 2008 Butkus Award watch list, given annually to the top linebacker in college football, announced by the Butkus Foundation. Hutton, a senior, and Igboeli, a junior, were one of 10 sets of teammates on the 66 player list. The Aggie duo were two of four Western Athletic Conference players on the watch list, joining Adam Leonard of Hawai'i and Josh Mauga of Nevada. Hutton and Igboeli are also two of the three players from Utah schools, joining Utah's Stevenson Sylvester. Hutton, a native of Pocatello, Idaho (Highland HS), earned second-team all-WAC honors last year after he led USU and ranked eighth in the WAC as well as tied for 71st in the NCAA with 102 tackles, including 58 solo stops. The 58 solo tackles ranked tied for fifth in the league. His 58 solo tackles were also the most for an Aggie since Jesse Busta had 64 in 2002. Hutton registered a USU single-game season-best 16 stops at New Mexico State. Igboeli (pronounced Ig-bo-lee), a Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie HS) native was second on the team and 13th in the WAC with 95 tackles, including 51 solo stops, which ranked among the top 15 in league. He was tied for second on the team with eight tackles for loss and also tallied three pass break-ups and one fumble recovery. Igboeli posted two of USU's top five tackle outings on the year with 15 at New Mexico State and 12 at Fresno State. In 2006, Igboeli was the WAC Freshman of the Year. MORE USU TIDBITS -- TACKLE CHART -- Senior LB Jake Hutton entered his final season in Aggie blue and white with 218 career tackles, in need of 95 more to reach USU's top 10 list... After nine tackles in the Boise State game, Hutton currently has 318 career tackles, leaving him three shy of cracking the top 10 as Toby Tyler had 321 from 1988-91 for the No. 10 spot and Al Smith is No. 9 with 327 from 1984-86. OSKIE RETURNS -- Junior S James Brindley tied for the team lead with three interceptions last season but led the Aggies with 96 return yards, a mark that ranked fourth in the WAC and was good for ninth on USU's single-season list... Brindley's 32-yard interception return in the Idaho game and a nine-yard return in the Boise State game gives him 139 interception return yards for his career, moving him to No. 7 on USU's career INT return yardage list... He needs one more yard to reach No. 6, currently held by Chuck Detwiler with 140 yards from 1966-68, while Ronald Edwards (1988-91) is No. 5 with 146 and Kevin Brady (1979-81) is No. 4 with 151 yards. JUST KICKIN' IT -- Sophomore P/K Peter Caldwell is 52-of-52 (1.000) on PAT's, one of three Aggie kickers with a perfect career PAT percentage... The three field goals by Caldwell in the Hawai'i game was his second three field goal outing and the first time since last year at Hawai'i on Oct. 6, 2007 when he also had three field goals. Caldwell is now 22-of-32 for his career moves up to No. 7 on USU's career field goals made list and is No. 9 on the career field goals attempted list... He also vaults to No. 5 on the career field goal percentage list (.688). TALL HOKE -- Senior offensive tackle Derek Hoke is the tallest player on USU's roster at 6'9" - Hoke is one of seven players on the Aggie roster listed at 6'5" or taller... He is also unofficially, the second-tallest player in NCAA Division I this season, behind 6'10" Alejandro Villanueva of Army. BIG BOOKENDS -- Utah State's bookends at offensive tackle, senior Derek Hoke on the left and sophomore Spencer Johnson on the right, are two of the combined tallest tackles in the country, with Hoke towering at 6'9" and Johnson at 6'5"... The Aggie duo's combined height of 13'2" unofficially trails the 13'5" Colorado tandem of Nate Solder (6'8") and Ryan Miller (6'7") and the 13'3" Wisconsin duo of Gabe Carimi (6'8") and Eric Vanden Heuv. A CHANGE IN ALTITUDE -- There are nine Division I schools that are located in cities with an elevation of at least 4,000 feet about sea level... Utah State's home of Logan ranks seventh on the list with an elevation of 4,534 feet... This season the Aggies will play at only one of those other locations giving USU seven games this season at 4,000 feet above sea level after playing eight in 2006 and seven last year. USU will play at Reno, Nev. (#8 at 4,505 feet) against Nevada on Oct. 18... The Aggies will face two of the other teams on the list in #6 BYU (Oct. 3) and #9 Utah (Sept. 13). School City, State Elevation 1. Wyoming Laramie, Wyo. 7,220 2. Air Force Colorado Springs, Colo. 6,010 3. Colorado Boulder, Colo. 5,328 4. Colorado State Fort Collins, Colo. 5,003 5. New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. 4,957 6. Brigham Young Provo, Utah 4,550 7. UTAH STATE LOGAN, UTAH 4,534 8. Nevada Reno, Nev. 4,505 9. Utah Salt Lake City, Utah 4,262VETERAN EXPERIENCE -- USU has 17 seniors on its roster which matches last season as the biggest senior class in head coach Brent Guy's three seasons at USU and the largest Aggie senior class since 1999's 21 seniors. THREE "A" AGGIES -- Out of the 17 seniors on the roster, 12 of them are three-year letterwinners. BEEHIVE BUNCH -- Utah State has 23 players from the state of Utah on its roster. TIME TRAVELERS -- Utah State will play in three different time zones this season: Central (at Louisiana Tech on Nov. 15), Mountain (all home games, at Boise State on Nov. 8) and Pacific (at UNLV on Aug. 30, at Oregon on Sept. 6, at San Jose State on Oct. 11 and at Nevada on Oct. 18). While Utah State only plays in three different time zones this season, the Aggies have at least one player from five different time zones, Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific and Hawaiian-Aleutian. BIRTHDAY BOYS -- In all 20 Aggie players have birthdays from the time camp opened on Aug. 1 to the end of the season... Two Aggies have a birthday on a football game day: senior RB Chris Forbes (Sept. 13 vs Utah) and senior DE Gregg Clark (Oct. 11 at San Jose State). OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH -- Utah State's senior twin brother tandem of cornerback Joshua (#23) and safety Caleb Taylor (#39) are a brotherly duo that are one of just eight pairs brother teammates in Division I. The Taylors are one of three tandems who are twins... Below is the most recent listing of current brothers starting for the same college team, including San Jose State's brother tandem of Carl and Duke Ihenacho... Last Saturday's Utah State-San Jose State match-up is this season's only such regular-season occasion involving two teams from this list: School Brothers (Positions) California Eddie (Jr., LB) and Sean Young (Sr., WR) Ole Miss John (Jr., OL) and Peria Jerry (Sr., DT) Rutgers Twin brothers Devin (Jr., CB) and Jason McCourty (Sr., CB)* San Jose St. Carl (Jr., DE) and Duke Ihenacho (So., LB) Temple Twin brothers Elijah (So., OLB) and Elisha Joseph (So., DT) UTAH STATE Twin brothers Caleb (Sr., FS) and Joshua Taylor (Sr., CB) Virginia Tech Cam (Jr., OLB) and Orion Martin (Sr., DE) Wyoming Marcell (So., CB) and Tashaun Gipson (Fr., CB)*Devin McCourty redshirted his freshman season at Rutgers while his twin brother Jason did not redshirt, thus their different years in school. 2008 RANKED OPPONENTS -- There are currently three USU opponents in the Top 25... This is the first time since 2001 that the Aggies face four ranked opponents in the same season...
NUMBER CHANGES -- Utah State had several jersey number changes prior to this season and/or from the media guide:
Doug Barbour from 80 to 87 Brian Mason from 91 to 49
James Brindley from 26 to 3 Kejon Murphy from 9 to 1
Marquis Butler from 19 to 13 Emmanual Ojeriakhi from 88 to 19
Peter Caldwell from 38 to 8 Jake Poulson from 20 to 30
Marquise Charles from 3 to 26 Chris Randle from 24 to 7
Greg Clark from 93 to 91 Robert Turbin from 30 to 6
Levi Koskan from 91 to 93 Chris Williams from 10 to 9
Junior Keiaho from 92 to 59 Zac Zimmerman from 70 to 48
SEVEN 2008 OPPONENTS WENT BOWLING -- USU will face seven teams that went to a bowl game last year, including a stretch a four weeks in a row.
USU is one of four WAC teams to play three non-conference games against a team that was in bowl game last year, joining Boise State, Fresno State and Hawai'i. 2008 OPPONENTS IN THE POLLS -- Utah State will face three teams ranked in the top 25, though the four different polls have different teams, with the two constants in all four major polls, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN and AP, with BYU and Oregon the constants, while Fresno State is ranked in both the USA Today and ESPN polls but not by Sports Illustrated and is among others receiving votes in the AP poll, while Hawai'i is only in the Sports Illustrated poll and is also among others receiving votes in the AP poll... Other USU opponents in the others receiving votes list include Utah and Boise State. Utah State and Nevada are the only two WAC teams to play more than one preseason Top 25 team in the AP poll, the "official" poll of college football... The Aggies tangle with No. 16 BYU (Oct. 3) and 21st-ranked Oregon (Sept. 6), while the Wolf Pack of Nevada plays sixth-ranked Missouri and No. 12 Texas Tech... Four other conference teams play one AP Top 25 team: Boise State (No. 21 Oregon), Fresno State (No. 13 Wisconsin), Hawai'i (No. 5 Florida) and Louisiana Tech (No. 14 Kansas).
|
