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AGGIES HOST NEW MEXICO STATE IN HOME OPENER SATURDAY NIGHT
Game will be first of five Utah State contests aired exclusively on Facebook.
 
NEW MEXICO STATE (0-2) vs. UTAH STATE (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018 • 6:06 p.m. (MT) • Logan, Utah • Maverik Stadium (25,100)
 
GAME 2 INFORMATION
STREAMING: Facebook (Stadium)
• Play-by-Play: Chris Hassel
• Analyst: Bruce Gradkowski
• Reporter: Kristen Balboni
• Sidelines (Social): Paige Zamora
• Internet: Facebook.com/StadiumCollegeFootball
 
RADIO: AGGIE SPORTS NETWORK
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard
• Analyst: Kevin White
• Online: 1280thezone.com / Tunein.com
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: UtahState.Statbroadcast.com
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State hosts New Mexico State in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. USU is 30-8 all-time against NMSU, including a 14-3 home record.
 
• Utah State and New Mexico State spent 26 years as league foes as both were members of the Big West Conference from 1985-2000, members of the Sun Belt Conference from 2002-03, and members of the Western Athletic Conference from 2005-12. In the Big West, USU held a 15-1 series advantage against NMSU, while the two teams split its two games as members of the Sun Belt. As members of the WAC, USU had a 6-2 series advantage, giving Utah State a 30-8 all-time series advantage against NMSU, which includes USU's 0-2 record against NMSU in bowl games.
 
• Utah State went 3-3 at home inside Maverik Stadium during the 2017 season and is 29-9 in its last 38 home games, which includes a 21-9 record under head coach Matt Wells. USU has won four-straight non-conference home games and is 16-3 in its last 19 non-conference home games, including an 8-2 record under Wells. All-time, Utah State is 141-105 (.573) in Maverik Stadium.
 
• Utah State returns 18 starters (O-9, D-9) and 47 letterwinners (O-19, D-26, S-2) from last season, which rank as the third-most in the nation behind Florida (19) and Michigan State (19). When you add in its two returning specialists, USU's 20 returning starters are tied for the third-most in the nation behind Baylor (22) and Michigan State (22), and tied with Florida (20), Michigan (20) and UAB (20).
 
• Despite returning 18 starters from last season, Utah State had seven players make their first-career start last weekend at No. 11 Michigan State in senior WR Jalen Greene, redshirt junior LB Tipa Galeai, redshirt junior DE Fua Leilua, junior RB Gerold Bright, junior CB DJ Williams, sophomore S Shaq Bond and redshirt freshman OT Alfred Edwards.
 
• Utah State is 17-12 under Wells following a loss and has not started a season 0-2 since 2009. Furthermore, USU has lost back-to-back games just seven times in six seasons under Wells.
 
• Utah State has won 14 of its last 24 games played during the month of September, including 11 straight at home, and is 1-3-1 all-time in games played on Sept. 8.
 
UTAH STATE HOSTS NEW MEXICO STATE IN HOME OPENER
• Utah State hosts New Mexico State on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. in its home opener. The game will be aired exclusively on Facebook with Chris Hassel (play-by-play), Bruce Gradkowski (analyst), Kristen Balboni (reporter) and Paige Zamora (sidelines-social media) on the call. Live audio of the game is available on www.UtahStateAggies.com.
 
UTAH STATE FOOTBALL ON FACEBOOK
• Utah State's home opener against New Mexico State, through a partnership with Stadium, will be the first of five Aggie home games that will air exclusively on Facebook this fall. Facebook is a platform that has more than 100 million video views daily.
 
STRIPE THE STADIUM
• For the third time in as many years, Utah State will be 'Striping the Stadium' when it hosts New Mexico State in its 2018 home opener. All fans sitting in even sections of Maverik Stadium are encouraged to wear white, while fans sitting in odd sections should wear navy blue.
 
USU RECORDS FIFTH-BEST ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN 2017
• For the sixth-straight season, Utah State averaged over 19,000 fans in 2017, marking the first time in school history it has accomplished that feat. During the 2017 season, USU averaged 20,108 fans (120,650) to rank fifth all-time in school history.
 
UTAH STATE WITH SIX HOME GAMES ONCE AGAIN IN 2018
• Utah State's 2018 schedule marks the ninth-straight season, the 10th time in the last 11 years, and the 11th time in the last 22 years that it will play six home games. Overall, the Aggies have had six home games on the slate just 15 times: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1978, 1952.
 
UTAH STATE HAS FIVE BOWL TEAMS ON ITS 2018 SCHEDULE
• Utah State's 2018 schedule features five teams that played in bowl games a year ago as Michigan State played in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl (W, 42-17 vs. Washington State); New Mexico State played in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl (W, 26-20 OT vs. Utah State); Wyoming played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (W, 37-14 vs. Central Michigan); Colorado State played in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl (L, 31-28 vs. Marshall); and Boise State played in the Las Vegas Bowl (W, 38-28 vs. Oregon).
 
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS FOR UTAH STATE
• According to College Football Home, Utah State is predicted to be the second-most improved team in the nation in 2018, behind only Florida. Furthermore, USU's special teams are predicted to be the fourth-best units in the nation this fall, behind only Utah, Stanford and TCU.
 
• According to West Coast College Football, Utah State has the fourth-best chance at winning the Mountain West championship in 2018, behind Boise State, San Diego State and Fresno State.
 
THOMPSON ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S MOST FREAKISH ATHLETES
• According to NFL.com, Utah State junior RB Darwin Thompson is listed as the 17th-most 'Freak-ish Athlete' in college football heading into the 2018 season. Some of the reasoning behind this ranking comes from his performances in the weight room as he has squatted 560 pounds, including seven reps at 515 pounds. Furthermore, Thompson has logged a vertical jump of 40 inches.
 
RAYMOND RANKS AS SIXTH-BEST TIGHT END IN THE NATION
• According to College Football Focus, Utah State junior Dax Raymond is ranked as the sixth-best tight end in the nation heading into the 2018 season, behind Noah Fant (Iowa), Caleb Wilson (UCLA), Albert Okwuegbunam (Missouri), Hunter Bryant (Washington) and Kaden Smith (Stanford).
 
LOVE PROJECTED AS ONE OF THE TOP BREAKOUT QUARTERBACKS IN 2018
• According to Athlon Sports, Utah State sophomore Jordan Love is ranked 25th in the nation among quarterbacks that will have a breakout season in 2018. Other Mountain West quarterbacks to make this list include UNLV's Armani Rogers (20) and Nevada's Ty Gangi (15).
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has won 22 of its last 27 games when it has a 100-yard rusher and 26 of its last 29 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game. USU has also won 40 of its last 43 games when scoring at least 30 points.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State scored its first non-offensive touchdown of the 2018 season at No. 11 Michigan State as senior S Gaje Ferguson returned an interception 40 yards for the score. Last year, USU scored seven non-offensive touchdowns with three interception returns, two fumble returns, one blocked punt return and one kickoff return for a touchdown. Two years ago, USU had just one non-offensive touchdown.
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO STATE
• New Mexico State is 0-2 on the season following its 48-10 loss at Minnesota last weekend. NMSU began the year with a 29-7 home loss to Wyoming. The Aggies are led by junior QB Matt Romero, who is 45-of-85 (.529) passing for 373 yards (186.5 ypg) with two touchdowns and one interception. Junior RB Jason Huntley leads the team in rushing with 28 yards on 13 carries (2.2 ypc/14.0 ypg), and senior WR Johnathan Boone leads the team in receiving with 11 receptions for 88 yards (8.0 ypr/44.0 ypg). Defensively, senior DB Ron LaForce has a team-best 27 tackles, while senior LB Terrill Hanks has 20 tackles, which includes 1.0 tackles for loss. As a team, New Mexico State is averaging 8.5 points and 203.0 yards of total offense per game (188.5 passing, 14.5 rushing), and allowing 38.5 points and 485.5 yards of total offense (303.5 rushing, 182.0 rushing). New Mexico State returns 17 starters (O-8, D-9) and 45 lettermen (O-17, D-24, S-4) from last year's team that went 7-6 overall and 4-4 in Sun Belt play to finish tied for fifth. NMSU concluded its season with a 26-20 overtime win against Utah State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Doug Martin is 46-98 in his 11th season as a collegiate head coach and is 17-46 in six years as the head coach at New Mexico State.
 
UTAH STATE AND NEW MEXICO STATE SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State leads the all-time series against New Mexico State, 30-8, which includes a 14-3 home record. USU has won seven of the last 10 games played in the series, including three-straight at home. NMSU won the last meeting between the two teams as it posted a 26-20 overtime win in the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, held in Tucson, Ariz., on Dec. 29, 2017. The last time NMSU defeated USU in Logan was on Nov. 26, 2006, by a final score of 42-20.
 
UTAH STATE vs. NEW MEXICO STATE SERIES MOVING FORWARD
• Utah State and New Mexico State will conclude its series with a meeting in Las Cruces on Nov. 6, 2021.
 
UTAH STATE vs. NEW MEXICO STATE SERIES SIXTH-LONGEST
• Utah State and New Mexico State will be meeting for the 39th time this weekend in what is currently tied for the sixth-most played series in school history, trailing Utah (112), BYU (87), Colorado State (74) and Wyoming (68) and Idaho (39), and tied with San José State (38).
 
• Utah State's 30 victories against New Mexico State is the fourth-most against any opponent in school history, trailing the 38 wins versus Wyoming, the 36 victories against Brigham Young and the 33 wins against Colorado State.
 
UTAH STATE VERSUS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO
• Utah State is 41-21 (.661) all-time against Division I teams from the state of New Mexico with a 30-8 record against New Mexico State and an 11-13 record versus New Mexico.
 
WELLS VERSUS NEW MEXICO STATE
• Utah State head coach Matt Wells will be facing New Mexico State for the second time as a head coach, and owns a 4-1 record against NMSU as an assistant, posting a 2-0 record while at USU (2011-12) and a 2-1 record at New Mexico (2007-08, '10).
 
UTAH STATE AND NEW MEXICO STATE COACHING CONNECTIONS
• Utah State offensive line coach Steve Farmer coached with New Mexico State defensive line coach John Mumford at Louisiana-Monroe in 2014 and 2015.
 
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND NEW MEXICO STATE PLAYERS
• There are four connections between Utah State and New Mexico State players. USU senior OL Rob Castaneda attended Ellsworth (Iowa) CC, as did NMSU senior WR Johnathan Boone. USU junior DE Devon Anderson attended Dodge City (Kan.) CC, as did NMSU sophomore WR Caleb Mills. USU junior RB Darwin Thompson attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, as did NMSU junior OL Kris'Sean Edwards. And, USU junior CB DJ Williams attended Independence (Kan.) CC, as did NMSU junior DB Ray Buford Jr.
 
AGGIES IN OVERTIME
• Utah State is 6-6 all-time in overtime, winning three of its last five. All-time, USU is 4-3 in single-overtime games, 2-2 in double-overtime games, and 0-1 in triple-overtime games. USU's last overtime game was a 26-20 loss against New Mexico State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017. 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 36 players in its program from the Beehive State, while New Mexico State has nine players on its roster from the Land of Enchantment.
 
• Utah State returns 17 starters (O-9, D-8) and 41 players (O-17, D-22, S-2) that played against New Mexico State in the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
 
LAST MEETING vs. NEW MEXICO STATE
TUCSON, Ariz. - Senior RB LaJuan Hunt capped his Utah State (6-7) career by rushing for 133 yards – the most yardage by an Aggie this season – and one touchdown on 20 carries in Utah State's 26-20 overtime loss to New Mexico State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, held here at Arizona Stadium on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017.
               
Hunt, who finished his career with 1,846 yards rushing, the 11th-most in school history, and 18 touchdowns, which is tied for the 10th-most, scored on a 1-yard run with 13:28 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the designated home team a 20-13 lead.
               
New Mexico State RB Larry Rose III scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime on a 21-yard run after Utah State sophomore PK Dominik Eberle hit the right upright from 29 yards out.
               
New Mexico State (7-6) tied it at 20-apiece on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Rogers to Jaleel Scott with 6:31 remaining. Rogers completed 29-of-54 passes for 191 yards. Rose led the NewMags in both rushing and receiving as he had 142 yards on 16 carries on the ground, to go along with six receptions for 48 yards.
               
New Mexico State entered the game ranked fourth in the nation averaging 352.6 passing yards per game, but Utah State limited the NewMags to 191 yards – 161.6 below their season average.
               
The navy-cladded Aggies shined defensively as they forced three turnovers, including interceptions by redshirt freshman LB David Woodward and senior BS Dallin Leavitt, along with a fumble recovery by junior LB Chase Christiansen. Christiansen led USU with eight tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss. Leavitt added seven stops, while Woodward had four stops and a career-best three pass breakups.
               
Redshirt freshman QB Jordan Love was 25-of-44, both of which are career-highs, for 254 yards. His favorite target was junior WR Ron'quavion Tarver, who caught eight passes for 97 yards.
               
Utah State had numerous chances to put more points on the board, but four missed field goals and a turnover in the red zone after having a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line spelled doom.
               
The first half started with a bang as the two teams combined to score 17 points in less than a one-minute span, courtesy of a field goal and back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns.
               
New Mexico State's Dylan Brown opened the scoring with a 23-yard field goal to give the designated visitors a 3-0 lead with 11:15 remaining in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, freshman WR Savon Scarver returned the kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, making it 7-3 for USU just 14 seconds later.
               
Scarver's kickoff return for a touchdown was the first-ever in a bowl game for Utah State and tied for the sixth-longest in school history.
               
However, USU's lead was short-lived as NMSU returned the next kickoff 100 yards, giving the white-cladded Aggies a 10-7 lead.
               
Those were the only touchdowns of the first half, though. Eberle tied the score at 10-all with a 35-yard field goal, then New Mexico State regained the lead on a 33-yard field goal.
               
Brown booted a 33-yard field goal to give the NewMags a 13-10 lead with 11:35 left in the half, but Eberle countered with a 30-yard field goal as time expired on the second quarter, sending the two teams into the break deadlocked at 13-apiece.
 
LAST HOME MEETING vs. NEW MEXICO STATE
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State (6-2, 2-0 WAC) became bowl eligible for the second-straight year with a 41-7 rout against New Mexico State (1-6, 0-2 WAC) at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium on Oct. 20, 2012.
               
Utah State becomes bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1960 and 1961. USU has also now won seven-straight Western Athletic Conference games, its longest conference winning streak since the 1979 and 1980 teams won seven Big West games in a row, and its 6-2 start is its best since the 1978 team won seven of its first nine.
               
Sophomore QB Chuckie Keeton was 16-of-26 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns, the first on a 76-yard screen pass to senior RB Kerwynn Williams on USU's first play from scrimmage. Williams ended the day with three catches for 94 yards, while adding 13 carries for 82 yards with a touchdown.
               
Keeton also rushed seven times for 81 yards with two touchdowns, including a career-long 76 yard run on USU's first possession of the second quarter to give the home team a 21-0 lead as USU amassed 256 rushing yards with three touchdowns.
               
Utah State also totalled 260 yards through the air as sophomore QB Craig Harrison completed his lone pass of the afternoon for three yards.
               
Senior WR Chuck Jacobs had four catches for 94 yards, with 49 yards coming on a scoring strike from Keeton for USU's second touchdown of the first quarter.
               
Junior LB Jake Doughty led the USU defense with 10 tackles, while senior CB Will Davis tallied eight stops, including two tackles for loss and also snared his first career interception that he returned out of NMSU's end zone for 35 yards. Redshirt freshman LB Kyler Fackrell also had eight tackles and blocked a 42-yard New Mexico State field goal attempt, USU's fourth blocked kick this season.
               
Utah State connected on two field goals, as sophomore PK Nick Diaz boomed a career-long 53-yarder early in the third quarter and added a 48-yarder at the start of the fourth stanza. The 53-yard field goal was USU's longest since a 56-yarder by Chris Ulinski in 2008, which also came at home against New Mexico State. Diaz's field goal is tied for the eighth-longest in school history.
               
New Mexico State QB Andrew Manley was 19-of-37 for 177 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Manley connected with Austin Franklin for a 6-yard touchdown at the 8:15 mark of the third quarter for the visitor's only score of the afternoon.
               
New Mexico State finished with 321 yards of total offense (189-passing, 132-rushing).
               
Davis Cazares posted a game-high 12 tackles and blocked a Diaz field goal attempt in the fourth quarter to pace the visitor's defense.
               
Williams and Jacobs' long catch and run scoring plays gave USU the early 14-0 lead as the navy Aggies have now out-scored their opposition, 82-3, in the first quarter.
               
Utah State took a 28-0 lead into halftime, as Williams added a 3-yard run with 39 seconds before intermission to improve the northern Aggies to a 144-42 first-half scoring advantage this season.
               
Diaz's 53-yarder put USU ahead 31-0 before NMSU got on the board with the scoring pass. Keeton's 9-yard run came with 1:01 to go in the third quarter and Diaz capped the scoring with his 48-yard upright split with 12:13 left in the game.
 
FROM THE RECORD BOOKS
Here is a look at some of the top Utah State team and individual statistical performances against New Mexico State over the years.
 
• Emmett White set a school and NCAA record with 578 all-purpose yards, and a school-record 322 rushing yards (34 att.) against New Mexico State in 2000.
 
• Brent Snyder set school records for passing yards per attempt (14.1) and passing yards per completion (19.9) against New Mexico State in 1988, as he was 17-of-24 for 339 yards.
 
• Chris Pella set school records for extra points made (9) and attempted (10) against New Mexico State in 1964.
 
• Dene Garner made a school-record 59-yard field goal against New Mexico State in 1986. Garner also made a 51-yard field goal against NMSU in 1986, which is tied for the 18th-longest in school history.
 
• Chris Ulinski made a 56-yard field goal against New Mexico State in 2008, which is tied for the third-longest in school history.
 
• Sean Jones made a 54-yard field goal against New Mexico State in 1992, which is tied for the sixth-longest in school history.
 
• Nick Diaz made a 53-yard field goal against New Mexico State in 2012, which is tied for the eighth-longest in school history.
 
• Roger Grant rushed for 205 yards against New Mexico State in 1991, which is tied for the 24th-most in a single game in school history.
 
• Demario Brown rushed for 204 yards against New Mexico State in 1998, which ranks as the 25th-most in a game in school history.
 
• Matt Sauk passed for 371 yards against New Mexico State in 1997, which ranks as the 19th-most in a single game in school history.
 
• Kevin Alexander had 205 receiving yards against New Mexico State in 1995, which ranks as the 14th-most in a single game in school history.
 
• Utah State committed a school-record 19 penalties against New Mexico State in 1972.
 
• Utah State produced 619 yards of total offense against New Mexico State in 2000 and 605 yards against NMSU in 1996, which ranks as the ninth- and 10th-most yards in a single game in school history.
 
• Utah State had 393 passing yards against New Mexico State in 1997, which ranks as the 15th-most in a single game in school history.
 
• Utah State limited New Mexico State to 100  yards of total offense in 1964, which ranks as the eighth-fewest in a single game in school history.
 
• Utah State limited New Mexico State to 18 passing  yards in 1964 and 21 passing yards in 1958, which ranks as the seventh- and 10th-fewest in a single game in school history.
 
• Utah State limited New Mexico State to minus seven yards rushing in 2008 and 1 yard rushing in 1985, which ranks as the eighth- and 15th-fewest in a single game in school history.
 
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND NEW MEXICO STATE
The following are series notables between Utah State and New Mexico State dating back to 1960 and encompassing the last 38 meetings.
 
• In 38 games in series history, Utah State has scored 563 more points than New Mexico State, 1,219-656, for an average score of 32.1-17.3.
 
• Four of the last five games in the series, and 13 overall, have been decided by one score. Of New Mexico State's eight wins, only two have been by double digits, while 21 of Utah State's wins have been by double digits.
 
• The winning team has scored at least 20 points in each of the 13 previous meetings,  and in 34 of the 38 meetings overall. USU has scored at least 40 points 13 times in series history, while NMSU has scored at least 40 points just once.
 
• In seven of Utah State's last 12 wins in the series, it has lost the time of possession.
 
• The team with fewer turnovers is 10-3 in the last 16 meetings.
 
• The team that has more rushing yards has won nine of the last 11 games in the series.
 
• The team that scores first is just 10-6 in the last 16 meetings, while the team that leads at the half is 8-4 in the last 16 meetings, with four of those games being tied at the half.
 
• All-time against New Mexico State, Utah State has had 18 100-yard rushers, which ranks as the second-most against any opponent in school history, 13 100-yard receivers, which ranks as the second-most against any opponent in school history, and four 300-yard passers, which ranks as the sixth-most against any opponent in school history.
 
• In the past 16 meetings with Utah State, New Mexico State has had seven 100-yard receivers, five 100-yard rushers, and one 300-yard passer.
 
• Utah State's 76-0 win against New Mexico State in 1964 ranks as the fifth-largest margin of victory in school history. Overall, there have been just two shutouts in series history as USU posted a 34-0 home win against NMSU in 1971, to go along with its 76-0 home win in 1964.
 
• Utah State has played in 12 overtime games in school history, including a 29-26 road win against New Mexico State in 1998 and a 26-20 loss in 2017. In fact, New Mexico State is one of only two opponent USU has had multiple overtime games against, with the other being New Mexico.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State head coach Matt Wells posted a banner day against New Mexico State as a sophomore in 1994, throwing for a career-high 247 yards on 20-of-39 passing with three touchdowns, in leading USU to a 47-20 win.
 
• Utah State assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Frank Maile played in three games against New Mexico State during his USU career as a defensive end and recorded six tackles, which included 0.5 tackles for loss, to go along with one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. His best game against NMSU was as a junior, as he recorded 5.0 tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss.
 
• Utah State director of football operations Waqa Damuni was a tight end for Utah State from 1996-98 and played against New Mexico State all three seasons.
 
GAME 1 RECAP vs. #11 MICHIGAN STATE
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Sophomore QB Jordan Love passed for a career-high 319 yards and junior RB Darwin Thompson scored the first two rushing touchdowns of his career to help Utah State in its season-opening 38-31 loss at No. 11 Michigan State on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018.
               
Thompson's second touchdown of the night, a 1-yard run with 5:05 remaining in the game, gave Utah State a 31-30 lead.
 
However, the Spartans (1-0) took the ensuing kickoff and marched it down the field, getting a 13-yard touchdown run with 2:00 remaining, followed by a successful two-point conversion to give the hosts their final margin of victory.
               
Utah State (0-1) then moved the ball across midfield to the MSU 46, but the Spartans' Joe Bachie sealed the game with an interception.
               
Utah State finished the game with 344 yards of offense (319-passing, 25-rushing) as compared to 452 yards for MSU (287-passing, 165-rushing). Both teams had two turnovers in the game and the Spartans controlled the time of possession, 37:44 to 22:16.
               
Junior TE Dax Raymond finished the game with a game-high-tying seven receptions – also a career best – for a career-high 76 yards. Love completed a career-high 29 passes (on a career-high-tying 44 attempts) to 10 different receivers on the night.
               
Sophomore LB David Woodward led Utah State's defensive effort with a career-high 16 tackles, to go along with two quarterback hurries. It is the most tackles by an Aggie since Nick Vigil had 20 against Air Force in 2015.
               
Senior LB Chase Christiansen, senior S Jontrell Rocquemore and sophomore S Shaq Bond all added nine stops apiece. The Aggies also forced two turnovers, including a 40-yard interception return by senior S Gaje Ferguson that pulled USU to within 27-24 with 1:41 left in the third quarter.
               
Redshirt junior LB Tipa Galeai caused the other turnover when he sacked Michigan State QB Brian Lewerke and forced a fumble that was recovered by junior DE Devon Anderson.
               
Lewerke completed 22-of-33 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked three times on the night, including twice by Galeai and once by Rocquemore.
               
Utah State took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Love, to give the Aggies a 7-0 lead with 12:58 to go in the first quarter.
               
A couple of field goals by Michigan State's Matt Coghlin pulled the hosts to within 7-6 before they took their first lead of the night at 13-7 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Lewerke to Cody White with 10:49 left in the opening half.
               
Utah State regained the lead on the ensuing possession after Thompson scored the first of his two touchdowns, this one from two yards out. The Aggies marched 72 yards on nine plays, highlighted by a pair of catches – an 18-yarder and a 25-yarder – from Raymond.
               
The Spartans led 20-14 at the break, though, when they answered Utah State's touchdown with one of their own. Lewerke threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Davis with just 28 seconds remaining in the half.
               
Michigan State parlayed that touchdown into another seven points as the Spartans took the second-half kickoff and marched 81 yards in 10 plays, to open their largest lead of the night at 27-14 courtesy of a 17-yard touchdown run by Heyward.
               
The Aggies weren't done, though, as they scored 10 points in just a 14-second span. Junior PK Dominik Eberle kicked a 40-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 27-17. On the very first play of Michigan State's ensuing possession, Ferguson recorded his pick-six to silence the crowd of 73,114.
 
UTAH STATE GOES TOE-TO-TOE AGAINST POWER 5 OPPONENT AGAIN
• Utah State has made a habit of playing well against Power 5 opponents over the years, and last weekend's 38-31 loss at No. 11 Michigan State was no exception. Over the past 10 seasons, USU has had eight games against Power 5 schools that have been decided by one score. In 2009, USU lost at Texas A&M, 38-30. In 2010, USU lost at No. 7 Oklahoma, 31-24. In 2011, USU lost at No. 19 and defending national champion Auburn, 42-38. In 2012, USU defeated Utah in overtime, 27-20. Also in 2012, USU lost at No. 22 Wisconsin, 16-14. In 2013, USU lost at Utah, 30-26. Also in 2013, USU lost at USC, 17-14. In 2014, USU defeated Wake Forest, 36-24. And in 2018, USU lost at No. 11 Michigan State, 38-31.
 
FIRST-TIME STARTERS AND FIRST-TIME APPEARANCES
• Utah State had seven players make their first-career start last weekend at No. 11 Michigan State in senior WR Jalen Greene, redshirt junior LB Tipa Galeai, redshirt junior DE Fua Leilua, junior RB Gerold Bright, junior CB DJ Williams, sophomore S Shaq Bond and redshirt freshman OT Alfred Edwards.
 
• Utah State had 14 total players appear in their first-ever Aggie game last weekend at No. 11 Michigan State in senior WR Jalen Greene, redshirt junior LB Tipa Galeai, redshirt junior DE Fua Leilua, junior PK Taylor Hintze, junior RB Darwin Thompson, junior CB DJ Williams, sophomore NG Caden Andersen, sophomore S Shaq Bond, sophomore LS Brandon Pada, redshirt freshman OT Alfred Edwards, redshirt freshman CB Jarrod Green, redshirt freshman CB Zahodri Jackson, redshirt freshman S Chase Nelson and freshman WR Deven Thompkins.
 
AGGIES UP-TEMPO OFFENSE BY THE NUMBERS
• Utah State's up-tempo offense was very productive in its first game of the 2018 season at No. 11 Michigan State. On its first drive of the game, USU went 75 yards in seven plays and took just 2:02 off the clock. Of those seven plays, five were up-tempo with USU snapping the ball on average just 11.5 seconds into the 40-second play clock.
 
AGGIE OFFENSE PERFECT IN THE RED ZONE AGAINST THE SPARTANS
• Utah State's offense had three possessions in the red zone in its season opener at No. 11 Michigan State last weekend and scored touchdowns on all three of those possessions.
 
AGGIES PERFORM WELL ON THIRD DOWNS AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE
• Utah State's offense converted 53.8 percent (7-of-13) of its third downs in its season opener at No. 11 Michigan State last weekend, including all four of its third downs during a 12-play, 63-yard drive in the fourth quarter that gave USU a 31-30 lead with 5:05 remaining in the game. Last season, USU converted just 34.3 percent (69-of-201) of its third downs.
 
LOVE HAS CAREER GAME AT MICHIGAN STATE
• Sophomore QB Jordan Love had a career game at No. 11 Michigan State last weekend as he passed for a career high 319 yards, while completing a career-high 29 passes and tying his career-high with 44 attempts. Overall, it is Love's second-career 300-yard passing game, toping his 316 passing yards at UNLV last season.
 
• Love began his sophomore season locked in as he completed 11 of his first 14 passes against No. 11 Michigan State, including 4-of-5 attempts on the opening drive of the season as Utah State drove 75 yards in seven plays for the touchdown. On the night, Love was also 6-of-10 on third-down plays, converting four of those passes into first downs.
 
• Love also scored his third career rushing touchdown in the game against No. 11 Michigan State on a 1-yard run to cap USU's opening drive of the season that went 75 yards in seven plays and took just 2:02.
 
RAYMOND RECORDS CAREER HIGHS AT MICHIGAN STATE
• Junior TE Dax Raymond had a career game at No. 11 Michigan State last weekend as he caught a career-high seven passes for a career-best 76 yards, including three receptions for 55 yards in the first half alone. Of Raymond's seven catches in the game, six resulted in a first down for USU, with three of those receptions occurring on third down.
 
• Overall, it is the sixth time in his career that Raymond has caught at least five passes in a game and the fourth time he has had at least 50 receiving yards in a game.
 
THOMPSON SCORES TWO RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS IN FIRST AGGIE GAME
• Junior RB Darwin Thompson rushed for a pair of touchdowns (2,1) in his first-ever Aggie game as he gained 28 yards on 10 carries against No. 11 Michigan State last weekend. Thompson is the first Aggie to score multiple touchdowns in his first-ever Aggie game since QB Chuckie Keeton had a pair of rushing touchdowns as a true freshman in his first career start at defending national champion and 19th-ranked Auburn in 2011.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State had 10 different players catch a pass against No. 11 Michigan State last weekend in its season opener, including seven players who caught at least three passes. One of those players was senior WR DJ Nelson, who caught a career-high three passes for 17 yards, in his first season at the position after spending his first four years in the program as a quarterback.
 
AGGIE DEFENSE PLAYS WELL IN THE RED ZONE AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE
• Utah State's defense did a good job in the red zone against No. 11 Michigan State last weekend as they forced the Spartans into a pair of field goals. On MSU's second drive of the game, they had first-and-goal at the 2-yard line, but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal to make the score 7-6 for USU. And on MSU's first drive of the fourth quarter, they had first-and-goal at the 3-yard line, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal to make the score 30-24 for MSU.
 
WOODWARD RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 16 TACKLES
• Sophomore LB David Woodward recorded a career-high 16 tackles last weekend at No. 11 Michigan State for his second career double-digiti tackle outing. Woodward also had a career-high two quarterback hurries against the Spartans. Those 16 tackles are the most by an Aggie since 2015 when Nick Vigil had 20 stops against Air Force.
 
FERGUSON INTERCEPTS FIRST-CAREER PASS
• Senior S Gaje Ferguson intercepted his first career pass last weekend at No. 11 Michigan State and returned it 40 yards for his first career touchdown. Overall, it was USU's first defensive touchdown since sophomore LB David Woodward returned a fumble 70 yards for a score at New Mexico last season. It was also USU's first pick six since Jalen Davis had a pair of interception returns for touchdowns against BYU last season.
 
GALEAI MADE A BIG IMPACT IN FIRST GAME FOR UTAH STATE
• Redshirt junior LB Tipa Galeai made a big impact in his Aggie debut last weekend at No. 11 Michigan State as he had 2.0 sacks as part of his four tackles, while adding his first career forced fumble, to go along with one quarterback hurry.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM THE MICHIGAN STATE GAME
• Senior S Jontrell Rocquemore tied his career high with 1.0 sacks, giving him 2.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss in his career. Junior DE Devon Anderson recovered his second career fumble. Junior CB DJ Williams recorded his first career pass breakup on a third-down play. Sophomore S Shaq Bond had nine tackles and one pass breakup in his first career Aggie game. And, senior DE Adewale Adeoye tied his career high with six tackles.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State returns nine starters and 26 lettermen on defense from last year's team, its most since the 2010 team also returned nine defensive starters.
 
• Utah State returns eight of its top nine tacklers from last season, including senior LB Suli Tamaivena, who led the team with 111 stops.
 
• Utah State had 26 first-time starters last season, which ranked fourth in the nation behind Ball State (33), Illinois (31) and Baylor (27), and 25 of those players return this season. USU also had 38 players play in their first-ever Aggie game during the 2017 season.
 
• Utah State is one of just 18 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs to return all five of its starters on the offensive line from the 2017 season in seniors Roman Andrus, Rob Castaneda, Quin Ficklin and Sean Taylor, and junior Moroni Iniguez. That group combined to start in 63 of a possible 65 games last season. The last time USU returned all five of its starting offensive linemen from the previous season was 2013, as that team finished with a 10-4 record, including a 6-2 mark in Mountain West play, culminating with a win in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
 
• Utah State returns five players from the 2017 season that earned various all-Mountain West honors. Senior OC Quin Ficklin, senior LB Suli Tamaivena, senior WR Ron'quavion Tarver and junior TE Dax Raymond all earned third-team all-Mountain West accolades from Phil Steele's Magazine, while senior OL Roman Andrus joined Ficklin and Raymond on the Mountain West's honorable mention team.
 
• Sophomore QB Jordan Love finished the 2017 season 129-of-235 (.549) passing for 1,631 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. Those 1,631 passing yards are a school record for a freshman, bettering the 1,446 yards Darell Garretson threw for in 2013.
 
• Utah State sophomore QB Jordan Love was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week following his performance in Utah State's 52-28 Mountain West road win at UNLV on Oct. 21, 2017. Making his first career start, Love completed 19-of-27 (.704) passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns from 70 and 75 yards. Love also scored on a 5-yard run as he rushed for 42 yards on eight carries (5.2 ypc). Love was also named the College Sports Madness MW Offensive Player of the Week.
 
• Utah State senior WR DJ Nelson was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 9, 2017, as he scored his first career touchdown, returning his own blocked punt 20 yards for a score in the second quarter against Colorado State. Nelson, who played on special teams for the first time in 2017, also blocked a punt at Wake Forest.
 
UTAH STATE 29TH IN THE NATION IN PASSING OFFENSE
• Utah State ranks sixth in the Mountain West and 29th in the nation with an average of 319.0 passing yards per game. USU also ranks fifth in the MW and 46th in the nation in completion percentage (.659), eighth in the MW and 69th in the nation in scoring offense (31.0 ppg), ninth in the MW and 66th in the nation in sacks allowed (2.0 ppg), ninth in the MW and 87th in the nation in passing efficiency (117.7), 10th in the MW and 93rd in the nation in total offense (344.0 ypg) and 12th in the MW in rushing offense (25.0 ypg).   
 
AGGIE DEFENSE 24TH NATIONALLY IN SACKS
• Utah State recorded 3.0 sacks in its season opener and ranks third in the Mountain West and 24th nationally in that category. USU also ranks seventh in the MW and 90th in the nation in total defense (452.0 ypg), seventh in the MW and 93rd in the nation in passing defense (287.0 ypg), eighth in the MW and 72nd in the nation in rushing defense (165.0 ypg), ninth in the MW and 96th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (156.7), and ninth in the MW and 99th in the nation in scoring defense (38.0 ppg).
 
AGGIES RANK 29TH IN THE NATION WITH TWO FORCED TURNOVERS
• Utah State forced two turnovers (1 fumble, 1 interception) in its season opener at No. 11 Michigan State last weekend to rank tied for fourth in the Mountain West and tied for 29th in the nation. With its two forced turnovers last weekend, USU has now forced 141 turnovers in its last 76 games, including at least one turnover in 59 of its last 76 games. USU has also recorded 67 interceptions in its last 63 games, including at least one pick in 34 of its last 63 games and multiple interceptions in 20 of its last 63 games. Overall, USU has forced three or more turnovers in 17 of its last 51 games. 
 
• Utah State forced 29 turnovers (16 fumbles, 13 interceptions) last season, which ranked second in the Mountain West and tied for sixth in the nation. USU also ranked tied for second in the nation with its 16 fumble recoveries, and was fourth in the Mountain West and 45th in the nation with its 13 interceptions on the season. In 2016, USU forced just 10 turnovers the entire season.
 
UTAH STATE SCORES FIRST DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN OF 2018
• It only took Utah State one game to score its first defensive touchdown of the 2018 season as senior S Gaje Ferguson returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown at No. 11 Michigan State. USU scored five defensive touchdowns in 2017 to rank fourth in the nation. Overall, USU has scored 17 defensive touchdowns in its last 60 games.
 
UTAH STATE 24TH IN THE NATION IN PUNT RETURNS
• Utah State ranks second in the Mountain West and 24th in the nation in punt returns (13.00 ypr), second in the conference and 36th in the nation in kickoff returns (24.0 ypr), ninth in the MW and 82nd in the nation in kickoff return defense (22.3 ypr), and 12th in the MW in net punting (25.67 ypp).
 
AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
• Redshirt junior LB Tipa Galeai is tied for first in the Mountain West and tied for second in the nation in forced fumbles (1.0 pg), tied for first in the MW and tied for third in the nation in sacks (2.0 pg), and tied for third in the MW and tied for 27th in the nation in tackles for loss (2.0 pg). Sophomore LB David Woodward ranks first in the MW and tied for second in the nation in tackles (16.0 pg). Sophomore WR Savon Scarver ranks first in the MW and 30th in the nation in kickoff returns (24.0 ypr). Junior DE Devon Anderson is tied for second in the MW and tied for fourth in the nation in fumbles recovered (1.0 pg). Senior S Gaje Ferguson is tied for second in the MW and tied for fourth in the nation in interceptions (1.0 pg), and tied for 29th in the MW in tackles (6.0 pg). Senior S Jontrell Rocqumore is tied for third in the MW and tied for 25th in the nation in sacks (1.0 pg), and tied for 11th in the MW in tackles (9.0 pg). Junior RB Darwin Thompson is tied for fourth in the MW and tied for 23rd in the nation in points scored (12.0 pg), and tied for seventh in the MW and tied for 19th in the nation in touchdowns (2.0 pg). Junior TE Dax Raymond is tied for fifth in the MW and tied for 22nd in the nation in receptions (7.0 pg). Those seven receptions are the second-most in the nation by a tight end, trailing only San José State's Josh Oliver. Sophomore QB Jordan Love ranks fifth in the MW and 19th in the nation in passing (319.0 ypg), sixth in the MW and 31st in the nation in total offense (317.0 ypg), sixth in the MW and 51st in the nation in completion percentage (.659), and ninth in the MW and 87th in the nation in passing efficiency (117.7). Senior LB Chase Christiansen is tied for 11th in the MW in tackles (9.0 pg). Sophomore S Shaq Bond ranks tied for 11th in the MW in tackles (9.0 pg). Senior DE Adewale Adeoye is tied for 29th in the MW in tackles (6.0 pg). And junior PK Dominik Eberle is tied for first in the nation in field goal percentage (1.000) and tied for third in the MW and tied for 33rd in the nation in field goals made (1.0 pg).    
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State produced 500 yards of total offense four times during the 2017 season, which tied the 2013 team for the most in a single season in school history. In fact, prior to the 2013 and 2017 seasons, Utah State had never produced 500 yards of total offense in more than two games. Under head coach Matt Wells, USU has had a school-record 11 games with at least 500 yards of offense. 
 
• Utah State set a single-season school record last year by scoring 50-plus points in three games.
 
• Utah State ranked fourth in the nation with four blocked punts in 2017. On the season, USU blocked punts against Idaho State, Wake Forest, San José State and Colorado State, returning the one against CSU for a touchdown. The school record for blocks is six set in 2012 (3 FGs, 2 punts, 1 PAT). Overall, USU has blocked 14 kicks under head coach Matt Wells.
 
EBERLE NAMED ALL-AMERICAN AND FINALIST FOR LOU GROZA AWARD
• Utah State junior Dominik Eberle was named a third-team All-American by Phil Steele's Magazine and an honorable mention All-American by SB Nation in 2017. Eberle is the first-ever USU placekicker named an All-American and just the second-ever specialist, joining Steve Mullins, who was named an honorable mention All-American punter by Football News in 2001.
 
• Eberle was also named a finalist for the 2017 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl. Eberle was one of three finalists to land on the list, joining Daniel Carlson of Auburn and Matt Gay of Utah, who won the award. Eberle and Gay are just the second and third players from the Beehive State (Utah's Louie Sakoda in 2008) to be named a Lou Groza finalist, and Eberle is the fifth player from a current Mountain West institution.
 
• Other than Merlin Olsen winning the Outland Trophy in 1961, this is the first time Utah State has ever had a player named a finalist for a national award.
 
• Heading into 2018, Eberle is a preseason second-team All-American by Athlon Sports.
 
EBERLE FOURTH ALL-TIME IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
• Sophomore PK Dominik Eberle is 1-of-1 on field goal attempts this season and 22-of-30 on field goal attempts in his career, and his 73.3 conversion percentage ranks fourth all-time in school history. Russ Moody (1988-89) holds the school record for field goal percentage at 84.6, as he was 22-of-26 all-time on field goal attempts.
 
• Eberle is a perfect 4-of-4 on extra points this season and 51-of-51 on extra points in his career and is one of just three kickers in school history with a minimum of 30 PAT's made to have never missed an extra point, joining Willie Beecher (1981-84), who was 64-of-64 all-time on extra points, and Russ Moody (1988-89), who was 44-of-44 all-time on extra points. Those 47 extra points made in 2017 rank third all-time at USU for a single-season, while his 47 extra point attempts rank fourth.
 
• Eberle is one of just seven kickers in school history to not miss an extra point for an entire season, joining Nick Diaz (2012), Peter Caldwell (2010, 2007), Doug Beach (1990), Willie Beecher (1982), Tom Mayes (1975) and Steve Steinke (1978).
 
EBERLE SECOND IN SINGLE-SEASON POINTS BY A KICKER
• Sophomore PK Dominik Eberle scored 101 points in 2017 with 47 extra points and 18 field goals, to rank as the second-most points scored by a kicker in a single season in school history. Nick Diaz set the school record for points scored by a kicker with 102 during the 2013 season with 17 field goals and 51 extra points.
 
• Eberle was 18-of-24 on field goal attempts in 2017 and his 75.0 conversion percentage is tied for ninth all-time in school history for a single season. Russ Moody set the school record in 1988 as he made 86.7 percent of his field goals as he was 13-of-15. Eberle's 18 made field goals in 2017 are tied for the third-most in a single-season in school history, while his 24 attempts are tied for the fourth-most.
 
• Eberle made eight straight field goals at one point in 2017, which was the longest streak for an Aggie since Nick Diaz also made eight straight in 2014.
 
• Eberle was 5-of-9 on field goal attempts of at least 40 yards in 2017, including a career long of 52 yards, which is tied for the 10th-longest in school history. The last Aggie kicker to make at least five field goals of 40-plus yards in a single season was Diaz in 2012, when he was 5-of-7. And, Brad Bohn was the last USU kicker to make more than five from that distance, when he was 6-of-10 from 40-plus yards back in 2000.
 
ACADEMICALLY SPEAKING
• Utah State earned the 2017 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis, as it recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of their freshman football student-athlete class of 2010.
 
• Utah State's football team has a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 89 percent to rank first in the Mountain West. The Aggies also rank first among the other football programs in the Beehive State, ahead of Utah (83), Southern Utah (67), Weber State (66) and BYU (52). 
 
• Over the past eight seasons, USU has had 166 players earn academic all-league honors and 156 players have graduated from Utah State.
 
• Utah State had two football players earn College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) first-team Academic All-District VIII honors in 2017 in junior DE Jacoby Wildman and sophomore S Baron Gajkowski.
 
• Utah State has one player on its current roster that has already graduated from USU with a bachelor's degree in senior OL KJ Uluave (social work), while graduate transfer Jalen Greene earned his bachelor's degree from USC (communications).
 
WHAT'S RETURNING IN 2018
• Utah State returns 18 starters (O-9, D-9) and 47 letterwinners (O-19, D-26, S-2) from last year's team that tied for fourth place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 4-4 record and finished the season at 6-7 after playing in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2018 are four players who earned various all-Mountain West honors a season ago as junior PK Dominik Eberle earned third-team All-America honors from Phil Steele's Magazine and honorable mention All-America honors from SB Nation, along with being a first-team all-MW selection and a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, while senior OT Roman Andrus, senior OC Quin Ficklin and junior TE Dax Raymond all garnered honorable mention all-MW honors. Utah State returns six other starters on offense in senior OG Rob Castaneda, senior OT Sean Taylor, senior WR Ron'quavion Tarver, junior OG Moroni Iniguez, sophomore QB Jordan Love and sophomore WR Jordan Nathan. USU also returns nine starters on defense in senior DE Adewale Adeoye, senior LB Chase Christiansen, senior S Gaje Ferguson, senior LB Suli Tamaivena, junior DE Devon Anderson, junior CB Cameron Haney, junior LB Justus Te'i, junior NG Christopher 'Unga and sophomore CB Ja'Marcus Ingram, to go along with one other specialists returning in senior P Aaron Dalton.
 
COACHING CHANGES IN 2018
• Utah State's coaching staff has two additions this season as Keith Patterson was hired as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach, replacing Kendrick Shaver, while Uani 'Unga was hired as the new 10th assistant and will coach outside linebackers after serving as a defensive administrative assistant for USU in 2017.
 
• Utah State enters the 2018 season with the same offensive coordinator, David Yost, for the first time since the 2014 season when Kevin McGiven served in that role.
 
NO SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR FOR UTAH STATE IN 2018
• Utah State will have all of its coaches working with the special teams during the 2018 season and does not have a special teams coordinator. In fact, USU is one of just three FBS programs that doesn't have a special teams coordinator in 2018, joining Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
 
WHAT UTAH STATE MUST REPLACE FROM 2017
• Utah State must replace two players who earned all-Mountain West honors in 2017, including CB Jalen Davis, who earned first-team honors, and S Dallin Leavitt, who was named to the honorable mention team. Other starters lost include RB LaJuan Hunt and WR Braelon Roberts. Along with being named first-team all-MW, Davis was also named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and earned second-team All-America honors from both The Associated Press and the Football Writers Association of America.
 
AGGIES CURRENTLY IN THE NFL AND CFL
• Utah State currently has 11 players on NFL rosters and has had 11 players drafted into the NFL in the past eight years. Former Aggies currently in the NFL include LB Kyler Fackrell (Green Bay), OG Tyler Larsen (Carolina), CB Nevin Lawson (Detroit), RB Devante Mays (Green Bay), OT Donald Penn (Oakland), LS Patrick Scales (Chicago), WR Hunter Sharp (New York Giants), RB Robert Turbin (Indianapolis), LB Nick Vigil (Cincinnati), LB Zach Vigil (Washington) and LB Bobby Wagner (Seattle). USU also has two former Aggies currently in the Canadian Football League in LB Chris Randle (Winnipeg) and DE Connor Williams (Ottawa).
 
CURRENT AGGIES WITH NFL TIES
• Utah State has one player on its current roster whose father played in the NFL in junior LB Mason Tobeck (Robbie Tobeck). His dad, Robbie Tobeck (OL), spent 14 seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons (1993-99) and Seattle Seahawks (2000-06).
 
AGGIES WHO HAVE SERVED LDS CHURCH MISSIONS
• Utah State has 25 players on its 2018 roster who have served two-year LDS Church Missions in senior OL Roman Andrus, senior OL Quin Ficklin, senior LB Ofa Latu, senior WR DJ Nelson, senior OL KJ Uluave, junior TE Dax Raymond, junior LB Braden Harris, junior OL Moroni Iniguez, junior S Chance Parker, junior NG Mohelika Uasike, junior DE Jacoby Wildman, sophomore DE Caden Andersen, sophomore WR Taylor Compton, sophomore DE Ritisoni Fata, sophomore S Baron Gajkowski, sophomore DE Logan Lee, sophomore OL Connor Meyers, sophomore S Chase Nelson, sophomore DE Keith Tambe, redshirt freshman WR Preston Curtis, redshirt freshman RB Sione Fehoko, redshirt sophomore S Jordan Hayes, redshirt freshman LB Daniel Langi, freshman OL Wade Meacham and freshman TE Bryce Mortenson. 
 
AGGIES WHO ARE MARRIED
• Utah State has 12 players on its 2018 roster who are married in senior LB Chase Christiansen, senior S Gaje Ferguson, senior LB Suli Tamaivena, senior OL KJ Uluave, redshirt junior DE Fua Leilua, junior DE Dalton Baker, junior OL Moroni Iniguez, junior S Chance Parker, junior DE Jacoby Wildman, sophomore DE Keith Tambe, redshirt freshman LB Daniel Langi and freshman OL Wade Meacham.
 
UTAH STATE BEGINS SIXTH SEASON IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State begins its sixth year as a member of the Mountain West in 2017 and has been a Division I-A/Bowl Championship Series football playing school in each of its 119 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.
 
UTAH STATE VERSUS THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State is 150-179-8 (.457) all-time against current members of the Mountain West with a 38-26-4 record vs. Wyoming, a 33-39-2 record vs. Colorado State, a 16-7 record vs. UNLV, a 17-20-1 record vs. San José State, a 12-17-1 record vs. Fresno State, an 11-13 record vs. New Mexico, a 9-6 record vs. Hawai`i, a 6-18 record vs. Nevada, a 5-17 record vs. Boise State, a 2-4 record vs. Air Force, and a 1-12 record vs. San Diego State.
 
UTAH STATE BOWL HISTORY
• Utah State has a 4-8 bowl record all-time as it lost to San José State, 20-0, in the 1946 Raisin Bowl (Fresno, Calif.); lost to Pacific, 35-21, in the 1947 Grape Bowl (Lodi, Calif.); lost to New Mexico State, 20-13, in the 1960 Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas); lost to Baylor, 24-9, in the 1961 Gotham Bowl (New York City); defeated Ball State, 42-33, in the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl II; lost to Cincinnati, 35-19, in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl; lost to Ohio, 24-23, in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; defeated Toledo, 41-15, in the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; defeated No. 24 Northern Illinois, 21-14, in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl; defeated UTEP, 21-6, in the 2014 Gildan New Mexico Bowl; lost to Akron, 23-21, in the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; and lost to New Mexico State, 26-20 in overtime, in the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
 
UTAH STATE PLAYS IN SIXTH BOWL GAME IN SEVEN SEASONS
• Utah State finished the 2017 season by playing in its sixth bowl game in the last seven seasons and 12th bowl game in school history as it lost to New Mexico State 26-20 in overtime in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, which was held in Tucson, Ariz. USU is 4-8 all-time in its 12 bowl game appearances.
 
• Utah State played in five-straight bowl games from 2011-15 and won three-straight bowls from 2012-14, both of which are school records.
 
COACH WELLS NOTABLES
• Utah State head coach Matt Wells' 34 wins rank as the fourth-most in school history, while his 50.7 winning percentage (34-33) ranks seventh with a minimum of 15 games coached. Wells is also 23-17 (.575) in Mountain West play in five seasons.
 
• Wells, who is entering his sixth season in charge of the Aggie football program, is the longest tenured head coach since Chuck Shelton (1986-91) also spent six seasons at USU. In fact, Wells is tied with Shelton and Chuck Mills (1967-72) as the fourth-longest tenured head coaches in 120 seasons of Utah State football.
 
• Wells has been a player (1993) or coach (2012, 2013, 2014) in all four of Utah State's bowl wins. The NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl in 2017 was his seventh bowl game as an Aggie.
 
• Wells coached his fourth bowl game in 2017 to extend the school record for most bowl games by a head coach. E. Lowell 'Dick' Romney (1946, 1947), John Ralston (1960, 1961) and Gary Andersen (2011, 2012) all coached the Aggies in two bowl games, while Charlie Weatherbie (1993) and John L. Smith (1997) each coached one bowl game at USU.
 
• In his five years as head coach, Wells has led Utah State to three wins against top 25 opponents, one more than USU had in its previous 115 years.
 
• During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Wells mentored a combined 12 players who earned all-Mountain West honors. Wells also coached Jalen Davis, who was named a Walter Camp First Team All-American, while Dominik Eberle was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, and earned third-team All-America honors.
 
• During the 2015 season, Wells mentored 12 players who earned all-Mountain West honors, which were the third-most in the conference. Wells also coached Kyler Fackrell, who was named a fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele.
 
• Wells coached three players who participated in the 2016 NFL Combine in Fackrell, Hunter Sharp and Nick Vigil, while 10 players from the 2015 roster were invited to NFL camps, including Vigil (Cincinnati Bengals) and Fackrell (Green Bay Packers), who were both selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
 
• Wells led Utah State to 10 wins in 2014 to rank as the second-most in school history behind the 2012 team that finished with an 11-2 record, including its third-straight bowl win with a 21-6 victory against UTEP in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
 
• During the 2014 season, Wells mentored 15 players who earned 16 all-Mountain West honors, which were the most in the league and tied for the third-most in school history. Wells also coached two All-Americans as Zach Vigil was named a second-team All-American by USA Today Sports, while Jalen Davis was named a True Freshman All-American by 247Sports. Vigil was also named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
 
• 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 went 9-5.
 
• Wells led Utah State to the inaugural Mountain West Championship game after winning the Mountain Division with a 7-1 record in 2013. He also led USU 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.
 
• During his first year as USU'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 coached a school-record four players who participated in the 2014 NFL Combine in Larsen, Lawson, Maurice Alexander and D.J. Tialavea, while 11 players from the 2013 roster were invited to NFL camps, including Alexander (Los Angeles 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 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 is one of just 22 FBS coaches to lead his alma mater and 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 at Utah State, including serving as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2012. That year, USU concluded its most successful season in program history with a school-best 11-2 record. USU also won its first outright conference championship since 1936.