LOGAN, Utah -

Utah State Game Notes

Wake Forest Game Notes

GAME THREE INFORMATION
• Surface: AstroTurf
• Series History: First Meeting

TV: CBS Sports Network
• Play-by-Play: Matt McConnell
• Analyst: Eric Crouch
• Reporter: Cassie Gallo

RADIO: AGGIE SPORTS NETWORK
• Play-by-Play: Al Lewis
• Analyst: Craig Hislop
• Online: 610kvnu.com
• National: Sirius Ch. 92 / XM Ch. 194

TWITTER: #USUAGGIES
• Official Account: @USUFootball

ONLINE: UTAHSTATEAGGIES.COM
UtahStateAggies.com offers the most complete and comprehensive coverage of the Aggies on game day.

AGGIES HOST FIRST-EVER ACC TEAM IN WAKE FOREST
• Utah State will play its second home game in as many weeks as it hosts Wake Forest on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. USU has won four straight home games and 13 of its last 15 home games overall dating back to 2011. USU has also won 10 of its last 12 non-conference home games dating back to 2009.

• All-time, Utah State is 0-3 against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with road losses at Florida State (1975), at Miami (1978) and at Clemson (2004). Wake Forest is the first-ever ACC team to play at Utah State.

• Wake Forest is just the seventh Bowl Championship Series (BCS) team to play in Logan in the past 63 years (dating back to 1952) joining Utah (2012), Oregon (2001), Oregon State (1998), Baylor (1993), Kansas State (1992) and TCU (1984).

WHAT TO WATCH FOR SATURDAY
• Utah State has won 26 of its last 35 games and those nine losses have been by a combined 79 points (8.8 ppg) as it lost to Ohio (24-23) in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, at No. 22 Wisconsin (16-14) and at BYU (6-3) in 2012, and at Utah (30-26), at USC (17-14), against BYU (31-14), against Boise State (34-23), at No. 24 Fresno State (24-17) in 2013, and at Tennessee (38-7) to start the 2014 season. Those 25 wins are also the third-most in the West behind Oregon (29) and Stanford (27).

• Utah State returns 11 of its 22 regular starters from 2013, six on offense and five on defense. In addition, the Aggies return all three of its kickers from last season. USU also returns 38 letterwinners from a year ago, 17 on offense, 18 on defense and three specialists.

• Utah State is one of just nine Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs to win at least 20 games and record two bowl victories in the past two years joining Central Florida, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Michigan State, Oregon, Texas A&M and South Carolina.

• Utah State has won seven of its last nine games played during the month of September and is 2-5 all-time in games played on Sept. 13.

• Utah State has 45 players in its program from the state of Utah, while Wake Forest has 22 players on its active roster from North Carolina.

UTAH STATE HOSTS WAKE FOREST IN SECOND-STRAIGHT HOME GAME
Utah State (1-1, 0-0 MW) will host Wake Forest (1-1, 0-0 ACC) in its second home game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network (Comcast Ch. 269/753HD, Dish Network Ch. 158, DirecTV Ch. 221) with Matt McConnell (play-by-play), Eric Crouch (analyst) and Cassie Gallo (reporter) on the call. Live audio of the game is also available on www.UtahStateAggies.com.

AGGIES TO WEAR ALL WHITE AGAINST DEMON DEACONS
Utah State will be wearing white helmets, white jerseys and white pants in its home game against Wake Forest this weekend, marking the third time in as many years it has had a `White Out' game. USU is 1-1 in its two previous `White Outs', defeating UNLV (35-13) in 2012 and losing to Boise State (34-23) in 2013.

UTAH STATE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION
Utah State has 10 games that will be nationally televised during the 2014 season including its season-opener at Tennessee which will be on the SEC Network. USU will also have two games televised on the CBS Sports Network when it hosts Wake Forest (9/13) and plays at Colorado State (10/18). USU's game at BYU (10/3) will be on ESPN, while its game at Wyoming (11/7) and against San José State (11/21) will both be on ESPN2. Utah State has four more games that will be broadcast on one of the ESPN networks this season, including home games against Air Force (10/11), UNLV (10/25) and New Mexico (11/15), and its road game at Boise State (11/29).

UTAH STATE PLAYING 13 REGULAR SEASON GAMES IN 2014
Utah State will play 13 regular season games for the first time in school history during the 2014 season with six home games and seven road contests (teams that play at Hawai'i during the regular season have the option of playing a 13th game).

A LOOK AT UTAH STATE
Utah State is 1-1 on the season following its 40-20 home win against Idaho State last weekend. USU opened the year with a 38-7 loss at Tennessee. Offensively, USU is led by senior QB Chuckie Keeton who is 31-of-65 passing for 260 yards (130.0 ypg) with one touchdown and three interceptions. Senior RB Joe Hill leads the team in rushing with 91 yards on 24 carries (3.8 ypc) with one touchdown, while junior WR JoJo Natson has nine catches for 77 yards (8.6 ypr). Defensively, sophomore LB Nick Vigil leads the team with 23 tackles to go along with 1.0 sack and 2.0 tackles for loss, while sophomore S Devin Centers has 19 tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss, and senior LB Zach Vigil has 19 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss. As a team, USU is averaging 23.5 points and 335.5 yards of total offense (205.5-rushing, 130.0-passing) and allowing 29.0 points and 395.5 yards of total offense (290.0-passing, 105.5-rushing) per game.

UTAH STATE RECORDS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON AGAINST IDAHO STATE
Utah State recorded 427 yards of total offense, including 311 rushing yards, in its 40-20 home win against Idaho State. The 427 yards of total offense are the most for USU in its last seven games since it had 441 yards at UNLV (11/9/13), while its 311 rushing yards are its most in its last nine game since it had 337 yards at New Mexico (10/19/13).

UTAH STATE RECORDS ANOTHER WIN WHEN IT RUSHES 40 TIMES
Utah State rushed 45 times for 311 yards in its 40-20 home win against Idaho State, and has now won 14 of its last 15 games when rushing at least 40 times in a game. Conversely, USU was 0-4 during the 2013 season when it did not rush the ball 40 times in a game.

UTAH STATE INTERCEPTS THREE PASSES AGAINST IDAHO STATE
Utah State intercepted three passes against Idaho State in its last game as true freshman CB Jalen Davis had two interceptions and senior FS Brian Suite had one. The three interceptions by USU are its most in its last eight games when it had three against Hawai'i (11/2/13). In all, Utah State has now recorded 20 interceptions in its last 12 games, which has included multiple interceptions in six of those games. Furthermore, USU has intercepted at least one pass in seven of its last eight games dating back to last season.

UTAH STATE FORCES FOUR TURNOVERS AGAINST IDAHO STATE
Along with its three interceptions against Idaho State, Utah State also forced one fumble for four total turnovers, which are its most in its last four games when it forced four turnovers at No. 24 Fresno State (12/7/13) in the inaugural Mountain West Championship. In all, USU has now forced at least one turnover in 24 of its last 25 games dating back to the 2012 season.

UTAH STATE NOT ALLOWING TOUCHDOWNS IN THE FIRST QUARTER
Utah State's defense has been very stingy over the past three seasons as it has not allowed a first quarter touchdown in 25 of its last 31 games and has held 17 of its last 27 opponents without a first half touchdown. With its solid defensive play, USU has led at the end of the first quarter in 21 of its last 30 games and is 19-2 in those contest, and has led at the half in 23 of its last 30 games and is 20-3 in those contests.

Jalen Davis NAMED CFPA HONORABLE MENTION NATIONAL DB OF THE WEEK
True freshman CB Jalen Davis was named an honorable mention national Defensive Back of the Week by College Football Performance Awards as he recorded his first two career interceptions, in just his second-ever collegiate game, against Idaho State as he returned one 44 yards for his first career touchdown. Overall, Davis had 65 return yards on his two interceptions to go along with one tackle and one pass breakup for three passes defended in the game. Overall, Davis' two picks are the most by a true freshman in a single game in school history, according to available records, while his two picks are already the most by an Aggie freshman since Terrance Washington had five in 2003. Davis' interception return for a touchdown is also the first by an Aggie since junior LB Kyler Fackrell returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown against Hawai'i (11/2/13). And finally, Davis' two interceptions are the most in a game by an Aggie since senior FS Brian Suite had two interceptions at No. 24 Fresno State (12/7/13) in the inaugural Mountain West Championship game.

Jalen Davis STARTS GAME ONE AS A TRUE FRESHMAN
True freshman CB Jalen Davis started his first collegiate game at Tennessee, marking the first time Utah State has started a true freshman in a season opener since Chuckie Keeton did so at Auburn in 2011. According to available records, Davis is the first true freshman in school history to start the season opener at cornerback.

JoJo Natson NAMED CFPA NATIONAL PUNT RETURNER OF THE WEEK
Junior WR JoJo Natson was named the College Football Performance Awards National Punt Returner of the Week as he returned two punts for 58 yards against Idaho State, including one 52 yards for his first punt return for touchdown this season and the third of his career, which ranks second all-time in school history behind Kevin Robinson (2004-07) who had four punt returns for touchdown. Natson also had a team-high six catches for 59 yards against the Bengals to go along with one rush for 29 yards.

AGGIES HAVE THREE PLAYERS RUSH FOR 69-PLUS YARDS AGAINST BENGALS
Utah State had three players rush for at least 69 yards in its last game against Idaho State as senior QB Chuckie Keeton rushed for 74 yards on eight carries with one touchdown (his 15th career rushing touchdown), while senior RB Joe Hill rushed for 69 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown (his 10th career rushing touchdown) and junior RB Rashad Hall rushed for a career-high 69 yards on a career-best 11 carries and scored his first career touchdown. The last time USU had three players rush for at least 69 yards in the same game was 31 games ago at New Mexico State (12/3/11) when Michael Smith rushed for 121 yards, Robert Turbin rushed for 98 yards and Adam Kennedy rushed for 95 yards. In fact, USU had four players rush for at least 68 yards against NMSU as Kerwynn Williams had 68 yards in that game. Furthermore, the last time USU had three players rush for a touchdown in the same game was 18 games ago against Idaho (11/24/12) when Hill, Keeton and Williams all had rushing touchdowns.

Chuckie Keeton NOW RANKS 18TH ALL-TIME IN RUSHING AT UTAH STATE
Senior QB Chuckie Keeton rushed for 74 yards on eight carries against Idaho State to give him 1,239 career rushing yards to move him ahead of David Fiefia (1,193, 2000-03), Profail Grier (1,194, 1993-94), Archie Gibson (1,235, 1972-73) and Joey DeMartino (1,235, 2010, 2012-13) and into 18th-place all-time in school history. Keeton, who also had a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the game for his first this year and 15th of his career, also moved into sixth-place all-time in school history with 843 pass attempts ahead of Anthony Calvillo (829, 1992-93) after attempting 31 passes against Idaho State.

Zach Vigil NOW 22ND ALL-TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN CAREER TACKLES
Senior LB Zach Vigil recorded nine tackles against Idaho State to give him 252 tackles in his career moving him ahead of Donald Dicko (249, 1996-99), Jake Doughty (250, 2010-13) and Spencer Waggoner (250, 1994-96) and into 22nd-place all-time in school history.

Brian Suite INTERCEPTS SEVENTH CAREER PASS
Senior FS Brian Suite intercepted his first pass of the season and the seventh of his career in his last game against Idaho State, including his fourth in his last four games dating back to the 2013 season, as he had two interceptions at No. 24 Fresno State (12/7/13) in the inaugural Mountain West Championship game and one interception against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Suite also had a season-high six tackles against the Bengals to go along with half a tackle for loss.

Torrey Green HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST IDAHO STATE
Junior LB Torrey Green had his best game as an Aggie against Idaho State as he tied his career-high with four tackles, while forcing and recovering his first career fumble.

DID YOU KNOW?
Utah State's defense has scored four touchdowns in its last 10 games as Nevin Lawson returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown against Boise State (10/12/13), junior LB Kyler Fackrell returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown against Hawai'i (11/2/13), Jake Doughty returned a fumble 86 yards for a touchdown at No. 24 Fresno State (12/7/13) in the inaugural Mountain West Championship game, and freshman CB Jalen Davis returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State (9/6/14).

Nick Diaz MOVES INTO NINTH-PLACE ALL-TIME IN SCORING AGAINST BENGALS
Senior PK Nick Diaz was 2-of-2 on field goals (31, 24) and 4-for-5 on extra points against Idaho State for 10 points as he moved ahead of Kevin Robinson (2004-07) who had scored 182 career points and into ninth-place all-time in school history in scoring with 183 points. With his two made field goals, Diaz is now 29-of-38 all-time in field goals, including 12-of-15 from 20-29 yards and 8-of-10 from 30-39 yards.

LT Filiaga RECORDS FIRST CAREER DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLE OUTING
Junior LB LT Filiaga started his first career game against Idaho State and recorded his first career double-digit tackle outing as he had 10 stops against the Bengals, which included a half a tackle for loss. His previous career-high was eight tackles against Utah State (9/7/12) while playing at Utah. During his two years at Utah, Filiaga played in 20 games with one start and had 35 career tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss, to go along with two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defended.

Devin Centers RECORDS CAREER TACKLES IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES
Sophomore S Devin Centers has recorded career-highs in tackles in each of his last two games as he had nine tackles in his first career start at Tennessee and then recorded his first career double-digit tackle outing in his last game against Idaho State with 10 stops. Center also had his first career sack and first career pass breakup against the Bengals. His previous career-high for tackles was one in three separate games.

Jaron Bentrude PUNTS WELL AGAINST IDAHO STATE
Senior P Jaron Bentrude had six of his seven punts downed inside the 20-yard line during his last game against Idaho State giving him 37 punts downed inside the 20 during his career. He also had one punt downed inside the 10-yard line against the Bengals for his 12th punt downed inside the 10 during his career. Bentrude, who had a season-long 50 yard punt against ISU for the seventh of his career, had 31 punts downed inside the 20-yard line to rank 11th in the nation as a junior, and 11 punts downed inside the 10-yard line to rank 16th nationally.

PLAYER NOTABLES AGAINST IDAHO STATE
• Sophomore TE Wyatt Houston tied his career-high with two receptions for the second-time this year and third time in his career... Redshirt freshmen WR's Tyler Weese and Hayden Weichers both had their first career receptions... Freshman RB LaJuan Hunt had a season-best seven carries for a season-high 28 yards, and caught his first career pass for 19 yards... Sophomore RB Kennedy Williams had a career-high 43 rushing yards, including a career-long rush of 34 yards... Junior CB Bryant Hayes had a season-high three pass breakups to go along with a season-high six tackles... Senior DE B.J. Larsen had a season-high six tackles and tied his career-high with 2.0 tackles for loss... Senior CB Rashard Stewart had a career-high four tackles.

FIRST TIME STARTERS
Utah State has had 10 players make their first career start this season as sophomore S Devin Centers, senior TE Jefferson Court, freshman CB Jalen Davis, junior OG Taani Fisilau, junior CB Bryant Hayes, sophomore OT Jake Simonich, sophomore OC Austin Stephens and senior OG Bill Vavau all made their first career starts at Tennessee, while junior LB LT Filiaga and junior WR Hunter Sharp both made their first career starts against Idaho State.

TWENTY AGGIES GET FIRST DIVISION I EXPERIENCE IN FIRST TWO GAMES
Utah State had 18 players play in their first-ever Division I game against Tennessee in freshman CB Jalen Davis, redshirt junior S Marwin Evans, junior CB Tyler Floyd, redshirt junior RB Rashad Hall, junior CB Bryant Hayes, junior CB Deshane Hines, freshman RB LaJuan Hunt, redshirt freshman OL Tyshon Mosley, sophomore CB Jentz Painter, freshman WR Damoun Patterson, junior WR Hunter Sharp, redshirt sophomore OC Austin Stephens, sophomore DE Siua Taufa, junior DE John Taylor, freshman LB Ian Togia, redshirt fresman WR Hayden Weichers, redshirt freshman WR Tyler Weese and junior LB Anthony Williams. USU also had two players get their first-ever Division I experience against Idaho State in redshirt freshman OL Brandon Taukeiaho and redshirt freshman WR Braelon Roberts.

AGGIES TOP TWO QUARTERBACKS ARE 24-12 AS STARTERS
Utah State has plenty of experience with its top two quarterbacks in senior Chuckie Keeton and sophomore Darell Garreston. Keeton is 18-11 all-time as a starter, while Garretson went 6-1 as a starter last season including setting the school record with five-straight wins to start a career. Those 18 career wins by Keeton rank third all-time in school history for a starting QB behind only Tony Adams (1970-72) and John Pappas (1966-68) who had 22 and 18 wins, respectively.

DID YOU KNOW?
Utah State's coaching staff had just two changes during the off-season, and both were on the defensive side of the ball. Second-year head coach Matt Wells hired Joe Lorig as the linebackers coach and Ikaika Malloe as the defensive line coach. Lorig replaces Kevin Clune who was named the defensive coordinator at Hawai'i, while Malloe replaces Frank Maile who was named the defensive line coach at Vanderbilt.

UTAH STATE IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
Following the first two weekends of the 2014 season, Utah State ranks tied for first in the Mountain West and tied for 24th in the nation at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level in sacks allowed with 1.0 per game. USU also ranks fifth in the MW and 49th in the nation in rushing offense (205.5 ypg) and seventh in the MW in scoring offense (23.5 ppg). Defensively, USU ranks fourth in the MW and 72nd in the nation in defensive passing efficiency (126.7), fifth in the MW and 37th in the nation in rushing defense (105.5 ypg), tied for fifth in the MW and tied for 75th in the nation in sacks (1.5 pg), fifth in the MW and 76th in the nation in total defense (395.5 ypg), seventh in the MW and tied for 89th in the nation in scoring defense (29.0 ppg), and seventh in the MW in passing defense (290.0 ypg). On special teams, USU ranks fourth in the MW and 56th nationally in punt returns (8.7 ypr), sixth in the MW and 84th in the nation in turnover margin (-0.5 pg), seven in the MW and 48th in the nation in net punting (39.1 ypk), and seventh in the MW and 86th in the nation in kickoff returns (19.0 ypr).

AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
Junior WR/PR JoJo Natson ranks tied for first in the nation with one punt return for touchdown, first in the Mountain West and 12th in the nation in punt return average (21.3 ypr), and eighth in the MW and 90th in the nation in all-purpose yards (108.5 pg). Freshman CB Jalen Davis ranks tied for first in the nation with his two interceptions and is tied for third in the MW and tied for 20th in the nation in passes defended (1.5 pg). Junior CB Bryant Hayes ranks tied for third in the MW and tied for 20th in the nation in passes defended (1.5 pg). Junior LB Torrey Green ranks tied for first in the nation with one fumble recovered, and tied for third in the MW and tied for 20th in the nation in fumbles forced (0.5 pg). Sophomore LB Nick Vigil ranks second in the Mountain West and tied for 16th in the nation in tackles (11.5 pg). Senior FS Brian Suite ranks tied for fourth in the MW and tied for 39th in the nation in interceptions (0.5 pg). Junior NG Travis Seefeldt ranks tied for fifth in the MW in sacks (0.5 pg), while senior DE B.J. Larsen ranks tied for fourth in the MW and tied for 45th in the nation in tackles for loss (1.5 pg). Senior LB Zach Vigil and sophomore S Devin Centers both rank tied for eighth in the MW and tied for 65th in the nation in tackles (9.5 pg), while junior LB LT Filiaga ranks 39th in the MW in tackles (5.5 pg). Senior QB Chuckie Keeton ranks eighth in the MW in total offense (173.0 ypg), ninth in the MW in passing (130.0 ypg) and 11th in the MW in passing efficiency (77.1). Sophomore RB Kennedy Williams ranks seventh in the MW and 76th nationally in kickoff return average (19.6 ypr). Senior P Jaron Bentrude ranks eighth in the MW and 64th in the nation in punting (39.1 ypk). And senior PK Nick Diaz ranks tied for first in the nation in field goal percentage (1.00), tied for fourth in the MW and tied for 51st in the nation in field goals (1.0 pg), and tied for ninth in the MW in extra point percentage (.833).

UTAH STATE CONTINUES TO DO A GOOD JOB DEFENDING THE RETURN GAME
After ranking first in the Mountain West and second in the nation in punt return defense (1.30 ypr) and first in the MW and fifth in the nation in kickoff return defense (17.58 ypr) a year ago, Utah State has continued its solid play in special teams to start the 2014 season as it ranks second in the MW and 12th in the nation in punt return defense (0.00 ypr) and first in the MW and 16th in the nation in kickoff return defense (15.33 ypr) following its first two games of the season.

AGGIE DEFENSE HOLDING ITS OWN IN THE RUNNING GAME
Utah State entered the 2014 season having not allowed its last four opponents to rush for 100 yards dating back to the 2013 season. In its first two games of the 2014 season, Tennessee rushed for 110 yards on 39 carries (2.8 ypr) and Idaho State rushed for 101 yards on 32 carries (3.2 ypc), meaning USU is allowing just 3.0 yards per rush thus far this year as its two opponents have combined for 211 rushing yards on 71 carries. In 2013, USU allowed just 2.8 yards per carry and in 2012 that number was just 3.0 yards per carry.

WHAT UTAH STATE MUST REPLACE FROM 2013
Utah State lost eight players who earned all-Mountain West honors in 2013 as linebacker Jake Doughty, center Tyler Larsen and cornerback Nevin Lawson all earned first-team accolades, nose guard AJ Pataiali'i earned second-team honors, and safety Maurice Alexander, running back Joey DeMartino, guard Jamie Markosian and tackle Eric Schultz all earned honorable mention honors. In all, USU lost 28 lettermen from last year's team.

WELLS 12TH-YOUNGEST HEAD COACH IN THE NATION
Matt Wells is the 12th-youngest head coach at the FBS level at 41 years of age (8-10-73). Wells is also just the second USU graduate to be appointed its head football coach joining Chris Pella who graduated from USU in 1965 and coached the Aggies from 1983-85. Wells was a three-year letterwinner at quarterback from USU from 1994-96.

WELLS ONE OF 13 HEAD COACHES AT HIS ALMA MATER
Matt Wells is one of 13 head coaches at the FBS level who played football at the same school he is currently the head coach joining Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Bryan Harsin (Boise State), Ruffin McNeill (East Carolina), Paul Haynes (Kent State), Don Treadwell (Miami, Ohio), Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), David Shaw (Stanford), Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech), Bill Blankenship (Tulsa), Sean Kugler (UTEP) and Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech).

OFFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM 2013
• Utah State returns one offensive player who has earned all-league honors as senior QB Chuckie Keeton was a first-team all-WAC selection as a sophomore in 2012. Keeton missed the final eight games of the 2013 campaign with a knee injury.

• Utah State's offense in 2013 ended up being one of the best in school history, statistically, as it set single-season school records for pass completions (297), total offensive plays (1,073), touchdown passes (30) and first downs (310), including first downs passing (156), while its 445 points scored and 481 pass attempts both rank second all-time. Furthermore, USU's 56 touchdowns rank third and its 31.7 points per game average ranks fifth all-time in school history. USU also set a school record by playing 14 games during the season.

• Utah State converted 105-of-232 third downs (.453) to rank second in the Mountain West and 29th in the nation.

• Utah State had seven 100-yard rushers in 2013 and has now had a 100-yard rusher 37 times in the last five years, a span of 64 games. Prior to its current run, USU produced a 100-yard rusher just 23 times in its previous eight seasons.

• Utah State junior WR JoJo Natson scored two receiving touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns and two punt return touchdowns during the 2013 season and was the only player at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level to accomplish this feat. Natson earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors as a punt returner in 2013.

• Sophomore QB Darell Garretson was one of just 21 true freshmen at the FBS level to start at quarterback during the 2013 season. Overall, Garretson went 6-1 as a starter and set the school record with five-straight wins to begin a career.

• Utah State ranked first in the Mountain West and 19th in the nation with a turnover margin of plus 0.79 as it had 30 takeaways and 19 turnovers.

DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM 2013
• Utah State returns four defenders who earned all-Mountain West honors in 2013 as junior LB Kyler Fackrell, senior DE B.J. Larsen and senior LB Zach Vigil were all named to the second-team, while senior FS Brian Suite earned honorable mention honors. Junior DE Jordan Nielsen earned second-team all-WAC honors as a redshirt freshman in 2012.

• Utah State's defense finished the 2013 season by holding five of its last seven opponents to 14 or fewer points and did not give up more than 24 points in its final seven games. USU was also the only FBS team not to allow a touchdown run of 10 or more yards in 2013.

• Utah State allowed just 106.7 rushing yards, which is the fewest by an Aggie defense since the 1968 team allowed just 100.4 rushing yards per game. USU also allowed just 17.1 points per game in 2013, which is the second-fewest by an Aggie defense since the 1971 team allowed 16.6 points per game (the 2012 defense allowed just 15.4 ppg). Overall, those 17.1 points per game allowed by USU rank as the 11th-fewest in school history.

• Utah State ranked first in the Mountain West and seventh in the nation in points allowed (17.1 ppg). USU also ranked first in the MW and eighth in the nation in rushing defense (106.7 ypg), first in the MW and 12th in the nation in total defense (330.9 ypg), first in the MW and 15th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (113.2), second in the MW and 35th in the nation in sacks (2.43 pg), and second in the MW and 52nd in the nation in passing defense (224.1 ypg).

• Utah State limited its opponents to just 75 first downs on 230 third-down attempts (.326) to rank first in the Mountain West and 11th in the nation.

• Utah State ranked eighth in the nation forcing 78 three-and-outs on 173 drives, which averages out to 45.1 percent of the time and 5.57 per game.

• Utah State's defense held its opponents to just 13 points following 16 USU turnovers.

• Utah State ranked first in the Mountain West and sixth nationally as it allowed 31-of-45 (.689) scoring opportunities in the red zone. Overall, USU allowed only 19 touchdowns on 45 trips into the red zone (.422), which ranked second in the nation.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTABLES FROM 2013
• Utah State returns two players who earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors in 2013 in senior PK Nick Diaz and junior PR JoJo Natson.

• Utah State ranked first in the Mountain West and second in the nation in punt return defense as it allowed just 1.30 yards per punt return, and first in the MW and fifth in the nation in kickoff return defense as it allowed 17.58 yards per kick return.

DID YOU KNOW?
Utah State has won 15-straight games when it has a 100-yard rusher, with its last loss coming against Ohio (24-23) in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Chuckie Keeton IN THE AGGIE RECORD BOOK
Senior QB Chuckie Keeton ranks among the top 10 in school history in the following categories:

• First all-time with a career completion percentage of 65.1 percent (548-842).

• First all-time with an interception percentage of 0.019 as he has thrown just 16 interceptions in 842 pass attempts.

• Second all-time with 57 career touchdown passes. Jose Fuentes (1999-2002) holds the school record at 60.

• Second all-time with 548 career completions. Fuentes holds the school record with 704.

• Third all-time with 7,460 yards of total offense (6,221-passing, 1,239-rushing). Fuentes holds the school record with 8,791 yards, while while Diondre Borel (2007-10) is second with 8,096 yards.

• Fourth all-time with 6,221 passing yards. Fuentes holds the school record with 9,168 yards.

• Sixth all-time with 842 career pass attempts. Fuentes holds the school record with 1,270.

• 18th all-time with 1,239 career rushing yards (268 carries, 4.6 ypc). Demario Brown (1996-99) holds the school record with 4,053 yards, while Borel holds the school record with 1,398 yards by a quarterback. Overall, Keeton is just the 25th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards and just the second quarterback.

• Set single-season school records as a sophomore in 2012 for touchdown passes (27), passing yards (3,373), total offensive yards (3,992), completions (275) and completion percentage (.676), and broke his own completion percentage record as a junior (.694).

• Is the only quarterback in school history to have five touchdown passes in three games as he tied the single-game school record against both Air Force (9/7/13) and Weber State (9/14/13) during his junior season, as well as against Wyoming (10/8/11) as a freshman.

• Set a single-game school record with an 88.0 percent completion percentage against Southern Utah (8/30/12) during his sophomore season as he was 22-of-25 passing.

• Tied the single-game school record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 121 yards on a career-high tying 17 carries in a 48-41 overtime win at No. 19 Louisiana Tech (11/17/12) during his sophomore season. Tony Adams set the record in 1972.

Chuckie Keeton AMONG ACTIVE FBS QUARTERBACKS
In just 30 career games, senior Chuckie Keeton ranks among the top 12 FBS quarterbacks in the following 12 categories:
• 5th among QBs with 6,000 Passing Yards & 1,000 Rushing Yards - 6,221 passing /1,239 rushing
• 5th in Completion Percentage - 65.1%
• 7th in TD Passes - 57
• 7th in Passing Efficiency - 145.68
• 8th in Total TDs Responsible For - 72
• 8th in Rushing Yards by a QB - 1,239
• 10th in Total Offense - 7,460 yards (6,221 passing + 1,239 rushing)
• 10th in Pass Completions - 548
• 10th in Completions Per Game - 18.27
• 11th in Pass Attempts - 842
• 12th in Passing Yards - 6,221
• 12th in Passing Yards Per Game - 207.4

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOR KEETON IN 2013
Senior QB Chuckie Keeton was putting up some gaudy numbers during his junior season before missing the final eight games with a knee injury suffered against BYU on Oct. 4. Through his first five games, Keeton ranked second in the nation with 17 touchdown passes, while also ranking first in the Mountain West and second in the nation in points responsible for (22.8 pg), second in the MW and 22nd in the nation in passing efficiency (161.6), third in the MW and eighth in the nation in completions (26.4 pg), third in the MW and 11th in the nation in completion percentage (.710), third in the MW and 18th in the nation in total offense (317.2 ypg), and fourth in the MW and 25th in the nation in passing (272.4 ypg). Keeton concluded his junior campaign completing 136-of-196 passes for 1,388 yards (231.3 ypg) with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing for 241 yards on 55 carries (40.2 ypg/4.4 ypc) with two more scores. Those 18 touchdown passes rank tied for ninth all-time at USU, while his completion percentage of 69.4 percent ranks first all-time.

DID YOU KNOW?
Senior QB Chuckie Keeton is one of just eight active quarterbacks at the FBS level who holds their school's single-season passing record along with Shane Carden (East Carolina), Garrett Grayson (Colorado State), Jard Goff (California), Connor Halliday (Washington State), Brett Hundley (UCLA), Sean Mannion (Oregon State) and Brandon Doughty (Western Kentucky). Keeton set the USU record with 3,373 passing yards during his sophomore season in 2012.

Nick Diaz IN THE AGGIE RECORD BOOK
Senior PK Nick Diaz ranks among the top 10 in school history in the following categories:

• Second all-time in extra points made with 96. Brad Bohn (1997-2000) holds the school record with 107.

• Second all-time in field goal percentage at 76.3 percent (29-38). Moody holds the school record at 84.6 percent (22-26).

• Third all-time in extra point attempts with 98. Bohn holds the school record with 119, while Steve Steinke (1977-80) is second at 95.

• Fourth all-time in extra point percentage at 98.0 percent. Willie Beecher (1981-84) and Russ Moody (1988-89) are tied for first as neither missed an extra point during their careers as Beecher was 64-of-64 and Moody was 44-of-44.

• Seventh all-time with 29 field goals made. Bohn holds the school record with 59.

• Eighth all-time with 38 field goal attempts. Bohn holds the school record with 89.

• Ninth all-time in scoring with 183 points. Robert Turbin (2007-11) holds the school record with 308 career points.

• Ranked second following the 2013 season in both extra points made (51) and attempted (52), while his extra point percentage (.980) ranked ninth for a single-season in school history.

• Ranked fifth following the 2013 season with 17 made field goals and seventh with his 23 field goal attempts.

Kyler Fackrell IN THE AGGIE RECORD BOOK
• Junior LB Kyler Fackrell has intercepted four passes during his career for 125 return yards, which ranks tied for ninth all-time in school history along with Rob Fuhriman (1972-74). Fackrell is the only linebacker among USU's top 10 career leaders in this category. The school record for career interception return yards is 373 set by Henry King (1965-66).

• Fackrell's 99-yard interception return for a touchdown against Hawai'i in 2013 ranked as the third-longest in school and Mountain West history. Those 99 interception return yards also rank Fackrell 10th on USU's single-season lists.

JoJo Natson IN THE AGGIE RECORD BOOK
Junior WR/PR JoJo Natson ranks third all-time in school history with a punt return average of 12.2 yards as he has returned 34 punts for 415 yards during his career. The school record for career punt return average is 18.8 yards set by Tom Larscheid (1959-61).

Zach Vigil IN THE AGGIE RECORD BOOK
Senior LB Zach Vigil ranks 22nd all-time in school history with 252 career tackles. As a junior, Vigil recorded 124 tackles (47-solo, 77-assist) marking the 60th time in school history that a player has recorded 100 or more tackles in a single-season. Vigil concluded the 2012 season with 105 tackles and is one of just 15 players in school history to record 100 or more tackles multiple times during a career. Overall, Vigil had six double-digit tackle outings last year and has 12 in his career.

ZACH AND Nick Vigil RANK FIRST AMONG ACTIVE BROTHERS IN TACKLES
Senior LB Zach Vigil has recorded 252 tackles during his career and sophomore LB Nick Vigil has recorded 80 career tackles. Overall, the two brothers have combined for 332 career tackles to rank first at the FBS level as far as active brothers ahead of Duke's Kelby and Kyler Brown who have combined for 317 career tackles.

FROM WALK-ON TO ALL-LEAGUE
Utah State has had great success with its walk-on program recently and currently has nine former walk-ons who appear on its depth chart including senior P Jaron Bentrude, junior LB Torrey Green, senior QB Craig Harrison, redshirt freshman LB Alex Huerta, senior DE B.J. Larsen, junior DE Jordan Nielsen, senior SS Frankie Sutera, sophomore K Jake Thompson and senior LB Zach Vigil. In fact, Harrison, Larsen, Sutera and Vigil have all started at least one game for Utah State, while Larsen and Vigil were both named second-team all-Mountain West in 2013, while Vigil and Nielsen both earned all-league honors in 2012. Another former walk-on for USU is Jake Doughty who was a two-time first-team all-conference selection.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Aggies who are celebrating birthdays this week include sophomore CB Austin Cheney (Sept. 8) and junior DE Jordan Nielsen (Sept. 8).

AGGIES DEFENSE AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION THE LAST TWO YEARS
Utah State's defense has been among the best in the nation during the past two seasons as it has ranked among the top 15 teams each year in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and pass efficiency defense.

• Utah State is one of just three teams to rank among the top seven nationally in scoring defense in each of the past two seasons along with Alabama and Florida State as USU allowed just 15.4 points per game in 2012 and just 17.1 points per game in 2013. During the past two seasons, USU ranks fourth nationally allowing an average of just 16.26 points per game trailing only Alabama (12.37 ppg), Florida State (13.43 ppg) and Michigan State (14.70 ppg). Overall, it is the first time USU has allowed less than 18.0 points per game in consecutive seasons since 1965 and 1966.

• Utah State is one of just five teams to rank among the top 13 nationally in rushing defense in each of the past two seasons along with Alabama, Michigan State, Rutgers and Stanford as USU allowed just 113.8 rushing yards per game in 2012 and just 106.7 rushing yards per game in 2013. During the past two seasons, USU ranks fifth nationally allowing an average of just 110.1 rushing yards per game trailing only Alabama (90.7 ypg), Michigan State (92.4 ypg), Stanford (93.2 ypg) and Rutgers (99.0 ypg).

• During the 2013 season, Utah State allowed just two 100-yard rushers, just nine rushing touchdowns and just six rushes of 20 or more yards in 14 games, while its longest rushing touchdown allowed was from seven yards. USU ended the 2013 season by holding five of its last six opponents to less than 100 yards rushing, including each of its last four.

• Utah State is one of just six teams to rank among the top 14 nationally in total defense in each of the past two seasons along with Alabama, Bowling Green, Florida, Florida State and Michigan State as USU allowed just 322.1 yards of total offense per game in 2012 and just 330.9 yards of total offense per game in 2013. During the past two seasons, USU ranks eighth nationally allowing an average of just 326.6 yards of total offense per game trailing only Michigan State (262.9 ypg), Alabama (267.6 ypg), Florida State (267.8 ypg), Florida (300.3 ypg), Virginia Tech (308.4 ypg), Bowling Green (309.5 ypg) and Wisconsin (314.1 ypg).

MORE DEFENSIVE NOTES DURING THE PAST TWO SEASONS
• Utah State has led at the half in 22 of its last 29 games dating back to 2011 and is 19-3 in those contests. USU has also led or been tied at the end of the first quarter in 20 of its last 29 games and is 18-2 in those contest, but 1-5 during its last 29 games when trailing at the end of the first period and 2-5 during its last 29 games when trailing at the end of the first half.

• Utah State has not allowed a first quarter touchdown in 24 of its last 30 games dating back to the 2011 season as USU was the only Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team in the nation not to allow a first quarter touchdown during the 2012 season. Furthermore, USU has held 16 of its last 26 opponents without a first half touchdown, while six of those 26 opponents have been held scoreless in the first-half.

UTAH STATE STARTED THREE DIFFERENT QB's IN 2013
Utah State started three different quarterbacks last year in juniors Chuckie Keeton and Craig Harrison, along with freshman Darell Garreston, which ranked tied for the second-most in the nation along with Hawai'i, Nevada, Temple, Western Kentucky and West Virginia. Air Force led the nation in most quarterbacks started with four. Of those seven schools who started at least three quarterbacks last year, Utah State had a 9-5 record, Western Kentucky was 8-4, West Virginia was 4-8, Nevada was 4-8, Air Force was 2-10, Temple was 2-10 and Hawai'i was 1-11.

AGGIES THREW JUST 10 INTERCEPTIONS IN 2013
Utah State threw a total of just 10 interceptions in 2013 to rank fourth in the Mountain West and 35th in the nation. Freshman quarterback Darell Garretson threw seven interceptions in 209 attempts, junior quarterback Chuckie Keeton threw two picks in 196 attempts and junior quarterback Craig Harrison threw one pick in 74 attempts.

AGGIES IN OVERTIME
With its 48-41 overtime win at No. 19 Louisiana Tech on Nov. 17, 2012, Utah State improved to 6-4 all-time in overtime, including winning each of its last three. All-time, USU is 4-2 in single-overtime games, 2-1 in double-overtime games, and 0-1 in triple overtime games.

DID YOU KNOW?
Along with all of its success on the field, Utah State has also excelled in the classroom as it had 22 football players earn academic all-Mountain West honors in 2013, including five Mountain West Scholar-Athletes, both of which ranked second in the league. Over the past five years, USU has had 106 players earn academic all-league honors and 129 players have graduated from Utah State.

AGGIES IN THE NFL
Utah State currently has nine players on NFL rosters and has had eight players drafted into the NFL in the past four years. According to Emory Sports Marketing Analytics, USU is the fifth-most efficient program in the nation at converting high school talent into NFL draft picks during the past three years.

LOOKING BACK ON 2013
Utah State ended the 2013 season with a 9-5 record, which is tied with the 1960 and 1961 teams for the second-most wins in school history, and trailing the 2012 team that set the single-season school record with 11 wins. USU ended the 2013 season with two votes in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches' polls to rank tied for 37th in the nation in both polls. Overall, Utah State recorded back-to-back-back winning seasons for the first time since 1978-80 as it went 7-6 in 2011, 11-2 in 2012 and 9-5 in 2013.

WELLS NAMED 2013 MOUNTAIN WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
Second-year head coach Matt Wells was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year in 2013 as he led Utah State to a 9-5 record and a Mountain Division Championship with a 7-1 league record, despite losing five offensive starters to season-ending injuries including junior QB and Heisman Trophy candidate Chuckie Keeton. Wells also set the single-season school record for wins by a first year head coach with nine, bettering Tony Knap whose Aggies went 8-2 in 1963. Overall, Wells became just the fifth coach in school history and second in as many years to earn conference coach of the year honors as Gary Andersen earned WAC Coach of the Year accolades in 2012, while Bruce Snyder (1978), Chuck Shelton (1991) and John L. Smith (1997) all earned Big West Coach of the Year honors. Wells is also just the fourth individual to earn Mountain West Coach of the Year honors in his first season joining BYU's Gary Crowton (2001), Utah's Urban Meyer (2003) and Air Force's Troy Calhoun (2007).

AGGIES WIN BACK-TO-BACK BOWL GAMES FOR FIRST TIME EVER
Utah State played in its third-straight bowl game for the first time ever as it posted a 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Overall, USU has now won back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history and is 3-6 all-time in nine bowl game appearances.

AGGIES WIN MOUNTAIN DIVISION, PLAY IN MW CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Utah State finished its first season in the Mountain West by going 7-1 in league play to win the Mountain Division title and advance to the inaugural Mountain West Championship game, where it lost at No. 24 Fresno State, 24-17. USU's seven league wins in 2013 are a school record, bettering the six league wins set in 1936 and 2012. Overall, USU has won 18 of its last 19 league games dating back to 2011, including a school record 11 straight on the road, and won a school record 13 straight conference games before falling to Boise State, 34-23, at home on Oct. 12, 2013.

AGGIES LOOKING FOR FOURTH-STRAIGHT 1,000-YARD RUSHER
Utah State recorded its third-straight 1,000-yard rusher in 2013 as Joey DeMartino rushed for 1,2221 yards on 221 carries. In 2012, Kerwynn Williams rushed for 1,512 yards on 218 carries, and in 2011 Robert Turbin rushed for 1,517 yards on 249 carries. USU also had three 1,000-yard rushers from 1999 to 2001 and from 1973 to 1975, but never has Utah State had four-straight 1,000-yard rushers.

AGGIE TIGHT ENDS SET SCHOOL RECORD WITH NINE TD CATCHES IN 2013
Utah State's tight ends set the single-season school record for touchdown receptions in 2013 with nine as D.J. Tialavea and Keegan Andersen each had three, sophomore Wyatt Houston had two, and junior Kyler Fackrell had one. The previous record was seven set in 1993.

UTAH STATE HAS 13 PLAYERS ON ITS ROSTER WITH BACHELORS DEGREES
Entering the 2014 season, USU has 13 players who have already graduated from USU in senior P Jaron Bentrude, senior QB Craig Harrison, senior WR Shaan Johnson, senior NG Elvis Kamana-Matagi, senior DE B.J. Larsen, junior LB Michael Okonkwo, senior CB Rashard Stewart, senior FS Brian Suite, senior OC Joe Summers, senior SS Frankie Sutera, senior LB Zach Vigil, senior OL Bryce Walker and senior OT Kevin Whimpey. Those 13 graduates on an active roster ranks tied for third at the FBS level with Cincinnati and Minnesota and behind Alabama (15) and Boston College (15).

AGGIES WHO ARE MARRIED
Utah State has 10 players on its active roster who are married in sophomore OL Austin Albrecht, sophomore DE Ricky Ali'ifua, senior TE Jefferson Court, junior LB Kyler Fackrell, junior LB LT Filiaga, senior QB Craig Harrison, senior OC Joe Summers, redshirt freshman OL Brandon Taukeiaho, freshman WR Zach Van Leeuwen and senior OT Kevin Whimpey.

A QUICK LOOK AT WAKE FOREST
Wake Forest is 1-1 on the season following its 23-7 home win against Gardner-Webb last weekend. Wake Forest began the year with a 17-10 loss at Louisiana-Monroe. The Demon Deacons are led by freshman QB John Wolford who is 42-of-60 passing for 388 yards (194.0 ypg) with two touchdowns and four interceptions. Senior RB Orville Reynolds has rushed for 91 yards on 33 carries (2.8 ypc), and senior WR Matt James has caught eight passes for 100 yards (12.5 ypr). Defensively, junior LB Brandon Chubb has a team-best 22 tackles, while sophomore LB Marquel Lee has 20 tackles, including a team-best 3.0 tackles for loss. As a team, WF is averaging 16.5 points and 240.5 yards of total offense per game (194.0-passing, 46.5-rushing) and allowing 12.0 points and 241.5 yards of total offense (121.5-passing, 120.0-rushing). Wake Forest returns 13 starters (O-5, D-5, S-3) and 52 lettermen (O-27, D-22, S-3) from last year's team that went 4-8 and finished sixth in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 2-6 mark. The Demon Deacons are coached by Dave Clawson who is in his first season at WF and has a 91-81 career record in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach.

AGGIES AND DEMON DEACONS SERIES HISTORY
Utah State and Wake Forest will be playing for the first time ever this weekend.

UTAH STATE-WAKE FOREST CONNECTIONS
Utah State defensive coordinator/safeties coach Todd Orlando coached Wake Forest defensive coordinator/safeties coach Mike Elko when Orlando was a linebackers coach at Pennsylvania from 1996-98, helping the Quakers win an Ivy League title in 1998.

UTAH STATE AGAINST BCS SCHOOLS
Utah State is 46-177-5 (.213) all-time against BCS schools with 111 of those games against Utah. However, USU has been very competitive in games against BCS schools during the last five years. In 2009, USU lost at Texas A&M, 38-30. In 2010, USU lost at then No. 7 Oklahoma, 31-24. In 2011, USU lost at defending national champion and No. 19 Auburn, 42-38, after leading for the majority of the game. In 2012, USU defeated Utah at home, 27-20 OT, and lost at No. 22 Wisconsin, 16-14. And in 2013, USU lost at Utah, 30-26, and at USC, 17-14.

AGGIES FROM NORTH CAROLINA
According to available records, Utah State has had just two football players from the state of North Carolina in Ferrante Grantham (1982-83) who was from Goldsboro and Mike Hudson (1995-96) who was from Tarboro.

UTAH STATE AGAINST THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
Utah State is 0-3 against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with road losses at Florida State (L, 8-17 - 9/20/75), at Miami (L, 16-17 - 10/21/78) and at Clemson (L, 6-35 - 10/16/04). Wake Forest is the first-ever ACC team to play at Utah State

WELLS AGAINST THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
Utah State head coach Matt Wells will be facing an Atlantic Coast Conference team for the first time as a head coach this weekend. However, Wells has coached against several ACC teams during his time as an assistant at the United States Naval Academy from 19997-2001 as the Midshipmen played at Duke in 1997, at Wake Forest in 1998 and against Georgia Tech three-straight seasons from 1999-2001.

UTAH STATE HAS FIVE BOWL TEAMS ON ITS 2014 SCHEDULE
Utah State's 2014 schedule features five teams who played in bowl games a year ago as Arkansas State played in the GoDaddy Bowl (W, 23-20 vs. Ball State); BYU played in the Fight Hunger Bowl (L, 31-16 vs. Washington); Colorado State played in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl (W, 48-45 vs. Washington State); UNLV played in the Heart of Dallas Bowl (L, 36-14 vs. North Texas); and Boise State played in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl (L, 38-23 vs. Oregon State).

UTAH STATE ENTERING SECOND SEASON IN MOUNTAIN WEST
Utah State is entering its second year as a member of the Mountain West and has been a Division I-A football playing school in each of its 116 seasons of competition. USU joined the Mountain States/Skyline Conference in 1938 until 1961. USU then played as a football independent from 1962-77 when the Aggies became members of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in 1978. The PCAA changed its name to the Big West Conference in 1988. Following the 2000 season when the Big West no longer sponsored football, USU spent two years as an independent (2001-02) and two years in the Sun Belt Conference (2003-04), before joining the Western Athletic Conference for eight seasons from 2005-12.

DID YOU KNOW?
Utah State's 2014 schedule marks the fifth-straight season, the sixth time in the last seven years, and the seventh time in the last 18 years that it will play six home games. Overall, the Aggies have had six home games on the slate a total of only just 11 times: 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1978, 1952.

RECAPPING THE IDAHO STATE GAME
Utah State (1-1) scored 27-straight points spanning the second and third quarter to pull away from a 6-6 tie and open up a 33-6 lead en route to a 40-20 win against Idaho State (0-2) Saturday night at Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium.

Utah State finished with 427 yards of total offense (rushing - 311, passing - 116) and ISU had 408 yards of total offense (passing - 307 through, rushing - 101).

Senior QB Chuckie Keeton threw for 116 yards on 13-of-30 passing, while rushing for a team-high 74 yards on eight carries with a 10-yard scoring scamper. Junior RB Rashad Hall rushed for a career-best 69 yards on 11 carries with a 5-yard touchdown run, and senior RB Joe Hill also ran for 69 yards on 15 carries with a 1-yard score.

Sophomore WR JoJo Natson led Utah State's receiving corps with 59 yards on six catches, adding a 29-yard rush that would have been a touchdown but was called back due to a penalty. Natson did find the end zone on a 52-yard punt return.

Utah State's defense was led by sophomore S Devin Centers and junior LB LT Filiaga with 10 tackles apiece, with Centers posting one sack, while Filiaga was in on half of a tackle for loss. Freshman CB Jalen Davis snared two interceptions, including returning one 44 yards for a touchdown. Senior FS Brian Suite also added an interception.

Idaho State QB Justin Arias ended 23-of-47 passing for 307 yards with two touchdowns, while Xavier Finney finished with 88 yards on the ground with 23 carries. Mario Jenkins led the Bengal defense with 16 tackles.

Utah State took the opening kickoff and marched down the field to the ISU 37 before the drive thwarted and sophomore PK Jake Thompson attempted a 54-yard field goal, but it was partially blocked by ISU's Hayden Stout.

Davis ended the Bengals' ensuing possession with his first interception, setting up the Aggies at the ISU 22. USU couldn't move the chains and settled for a 31-yard field goal by senior PK Nick Diaz for a 3-0 lead at the 10:13 mark of the first quarter. Diaz later drilled a 24-yarder with 1:16 to go in the first frame for a 6-0 Aggie advantage.

Idaho State opened the second quarter with a 21-yard field goal from Zak Johnson, and later evened the score at 6-all with another Johnson upright split, this time from 49-yards out with 9:59 to go in the half.

Hall broke up the field goal party with his 5-yard touchdown with 2:33 left in the half for a 13-6 USU lead. The score stayed that way for just over a minute, as the Aggie defense limited the Bengals to a three-and-out, then Natson took the ISU punt and returned it 52-yards for his third career punt return for a touchdown for a 20-6 USU halftime lead.

Suite snared his interception on ISU's opening possession of the second half, giving USU the ball at the Bengal 17. Three plays later Hill darted around the right side and dove into the end zone, putting the Aggies ahead 26-6 as Diaz' extra point bounced off the upright.

Idaho State's ensuing possession lasted all of two plays as Davis snared an Arias pass, and took it 44-yards to the house on the pick-six for a 33-6 Aggie advantage with 12:09 to go on the third-quarter clock.

Following ISU's first touchdown of the night, Keeton scored on a 10-yard scamper for USU's final points.

ISU ended the game's scoring with a 52-yard pass, catch and run from Arias to KW Williams with 2:35 left and USU ran out the clock to seal its first victory of the season.

HEAD COACH Matt Wells
• Matt Wells wasted little time putting his stamp on the Aggie football program in his first season as head coach, as he led Utah State to the inaugural Mountain West Championship game after winning the Mountain Division of the conference with a 7-1 record in 2013.

• Wells also led Utah State to just its third-ever bowl victory as it posted a 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

• Wells was named the 2013 Mountain West Coach of the Year as he set the school record for wins by a first-year head coach as the Aggies finished the 2013 season with a 9-5 record, tying the 1960 and 1961 teams for the second-most wins in school history.

• During his first year as Utah State's head coach, Wells mentored 14 Aggies who earned various all-Mountain West honors, including three All-Americans as Tyler Larsen was named a second-team All-American by USA Today Sports, Nevin Lawson was named a third-team All-American by College Sports Madness, and Kyler Fackrell was named an honorable mention Sophomore All-American by College Football News.

• Wells also coached a school-record four players who were invited and participated in the 2014 NFL Combine in Larsen, Lawson, Maurice Alexander and D.J. Tialavea, while a total of 11 players from the 2013 roster were invited to NFL camps, including Alexander (St. Louis Rams) and Lawson (Detroit Lions) who were both selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

• Overall, Wells is the second USU coach in as many years and fifth in school history to garner conference coach of the year honors along with Bruce Snyder (1978), Chuck Shelton (1991), John L. Smith (1997) and Gary Andersen (2012). Wells is also the fourth individual to earn MW Coach of the Year honors in his first season along with BYU's Gary Crowton (2001), Utah's Urban Meyer (2003) and Air Force's Troy Calhoun (2007).

• Wells, who is the 12th-youngest head coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level and one of just 13 coaches to lead his alma mater, is just the second Utah State graduate to be appointed its head football coach joining Chris Pella, who graduated from USU in 1965 and coached the Aggies from 1983-85.

• Prior to being named the head coach at his alma mater, Wells spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Utah State, including serving as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the 2012 campaign. In 2011, Wells coached USU's quarterbacks and was the team's recruiting coordinator.

• During his three years at Utah State, Wells has been part of a Utah State program that has played in back-to-back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history, and won consecutive bowl games for the first time ever, while posting a 27-13 record.

• As offensive coordinator in 2012, Utah State concluded its most successful season in school history with a school-best 11-2 record. USU also won its first outright conference championship since 1936.