Oct. 7, 2003
Utah State Football In Need of a Homecoming (vs. Wyoming at Romney Stadium, Saturday, 6:05 p.m. and yes, it is officially homecoming)
USU has played:* 4 of 5 games on the road this year.* 5 of last 7 games on the road dating back to last year.* 7 of last 9 games on the road dating back to last year.* Of USU's last 20 games, seven have been at home (5-2 record) and 13 havebeen on the road (2-11). That is 2/3 of last 20 games on the road.* After this week's homecoming game against Wyoming, USU returns to the roadthe next week at North Texas to make it 5 of 7 games on the road this season.* The last time USU played back-to-back home games was Oct. 4 and Oct. 19 lastyear. USU will not do that again until Oct. 25 (Arkansas State) and Nov. 1 (Middle Tennessee) this year.
* USU's first home game this year against UL-Monroe on Sept. 27 tied for thesecond longest into the season a NCAA team played a home game this year (Louisiana Tech did not have a home game until Oct. 4 and Miami (Ohio did not have a home game until Sept. 27)).* By Oct. 18, USU's two home games will match the fewest played by a team in the NCAA at that point this year (Louisiana Tech, Navy and Stanford will have also only played two home games).
* Aggie fans have not gotten to see their team play much recently, in person or on TV, as only one of the last eight road games was televised back to Utah (this year's Nebraska game).* Yet, USU home crowds have been good in the Mick Dennehy era as three of the top five season attendance averages have come in his first three years (record in 2001, third best last year and fifth best in 2000).
* USU home games have been fun/close: * Lone home game this year against UL-Monroe provided the biggest victory margin in the Dennehy era as USU won 28-10. * The last four home games in 2002 were all decided by five points or less. * USU held off an Idaho State rally to win 38-33 with interception on final play. * BYU rallied from a 34-7 deficit to win 35-34. * USU Hail Mary on final play forced overtime in 45-44 win vs. New Mexico. * A failed two-point conversion by New Mexico State with :19 left gave USU a 32-30 win. * In 2001, USU home games included: * A 43-42 loss to Wyoming after scoring with :25 left, but missing the extrapoint. * A loss to then sixth-ranked Oregon after trailing by three at the end of three. * A 28-point rally in the game's final 21 minutes to beat Idaho State 28-27. * A three-point win against Central Florida. * A school-record 684 yards of offense in a 56-43 win against Weber State.
* USU in homecoming - 47-24-2 (.651)* USU has won two straight, three of the last four and six of its last eight homecoming games.* The last two homecoming games have come down to the wire as USU rallied with28 points in the final 21 minutes to beat Idaho State 28-27 in 2001 and completed the Hail Mary on the final play to force overtime in 45-44 win against New Mexico.
