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AGGIES OPEN 2019 SEASON IN ACC COUNTRY AT WAKE FOREST
Game will be televised live on ACC Network at 6 p.m. (MT).
 
(RV) UTAH STATE (0-0) vs. WAKE FOREST (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 30, 2019 • 6:05 p.m. (MT) • Winston-Salem, N.C. • BT&T Field (31,500)
 
GAME 1 INFORMATION
TV: ACC Network
• Play-by-Play: Kevin Brown
• Analyst: Andre Ware
• Reporter: Dr. Jerry Punch
• DirecTV: Ch. 612
• Other Outlets: YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu Live TV
 
RADIO: AGGIE SPORTS NETWORK
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard 
• Analyst: Kevin White
• Online: 1280thezone.com / Tunein.com
• National: Sirius 136 / XM 193 / Internet 973
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: UtahState.Statbroadcast.com
 
AGGIE RADIO NETWORKS
• Every Utah State football game can be heard live on the Aggie Radio Network. Scott Garrard serves as the play-by-play announcer, while former USU quarterback Kevin White (1988-89) will provide color analysis. Games can also be heard on the Internet (www.UtahStateAggies.com) by clicking on the 'Listen Live' link, as well as on the TuneIn App.
• Salt Lake City: KZNS (1280 AM/97.5 FM)
• Logan: KBLU-LP (92.3 FM)
• Cache Valley: KACH (1340 AM/105.5 FM)
• Price: KRPX (95.3 FM)
• Green River: KRPX (102.7 FM)
• Moab: KRPX (100.3 FM)
• Orangeville: KRPX (95.9 FM)
 
#10VEforHeisman
• Utah State is promoting junior QB Jordan Love for the Heisman Memorial Trophy, which is given annually to the most outstanding college football player utilizing the hashtag #10VEforHeisman. 
 
• During the 2018 season, Love set five school records with 32 touchdown passes, 3,567 passing yards, seven 300-yard passing games, 234 points responsible for and being named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week five times, despite not playing in 11 quarters (nearly three games) due to lopsided scores. Love also tied the single-season school record with a pair of 400-yard passing games and tied the single-game school record with five touchdown passes against both UNLV and San José State, becoming just the fifth quarterback in school history to accomplish the feat.
 
• As a sophomore, Love was 267-of-417 (.640) passing and ranks second all-time at USU for completions in a single season, while his completion percentage ranks as the fourth-highest. Love also had 3,630 yards of total offense last season to rank as the second-most at USU.
 
• For his career, Love is 396-of-652 (.607) passing for 5,198 yards and 40 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. He ranks fourth all-time in school history in touchdown passes, tied for fourth in completion percentage, and 10th all-time in passing yards, completions and total offense (5,426). 
 
• Entering his junior campaign, Love is 14-5 as Utah State's starting quarterback and is tied with Eric Hipple (1976-79) as the fourth-winningest quarterback in program history. Tony Adams (1970-72) ranks first all-time with 22 career wins, followed by Chuckie Keeton (2011-15) with 19 wins and John Pappas (1966-68) with 18 wins.
 
• Utah State is averaging 42.2 points in Love's 19 career starts and that scoring average ranks second in the nation among active quarterbacks with at least 15 career starts behind Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa (45.6 ppg) and ahead of UCF's McKenzie Milton (40.6 ppg), Oregon's Justin Herbert (38.3 ppg) and Georgia's Jake Fromm (36.8 ppg), among others.
 
UTAH STATE BEGINNING 122ND SEASON OF AGGIE FOOTBALL
• Utah State begins its 122nd season of football this weekend with a road game at Wake Forest on Friday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m. (MT), in a game that will be televised nationally on the ACC Network (DirecTV Ch. 612, YouTube TV, PlayStation TV, Hulu Live TV) with Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Dr. Jerry Punch (reporter) on the call. Live audio of the game is available on www.UtahStateAggies.com. USU is 551-542-31 (.504) in its previous 121 seasons.
 
• Utah State passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Jason Phillips played at the University of Houston with Andre Ware in 1987 and 1988, and caught 207 passes for 2,319 yards (11.2 ypr) and 18 touchdowns. Ware won the Heisman Trophy in 1989.
 
UTAH STATE RECEIVING VOTES IN BOTH PRESEASON POLLS
• Utah State is receiving votes in both preseason polls this fall as it garnered 32 votes in the Amway Coaches Poll and eight votes in The Associated Press Poll to rank 35th and 37th, respectively. The last time USU received votes in either preseason poll was in 2014.
 
UTAH STATE TRAVELING WITHOUT THE 'NIGHT RUNNER'
• Utah State's sidelines will not be the same as Steve Wiley (1950-2018) passed away last December at the age of 67. Wiley drove USU's football equipment for nearly 20 years, beginning with a trip to New Mexico State on Oct. 21, 1995. His last road trip was in 2013. Volunteering his own time and personal vehicles, Wiley drove approximately 150,000 miles on more than 100 road trips. After retiring as a machinist, Wiley spent the last six-plus years as USU Athletics' assistant equipment manager. USU will honor Wiley prior to its home opener.
 
ANDERSEN BEGINS SECOND TOUR-OF-DUTY WITH UTAH STATE
• Utah State head coach Gary Andersen is beginning his second tour-of-duty with Utah State after previously serving as the head coach from 2009-12. Andersen will be the first of 27 coaches in USU history to serve as head coach multiple times.
 
• When initially hired by Utah State on Dec. 4, 2008, Andersen inherited a program that had suffered through 11 straight losing seasons and only had two winning campaigns in 28 years. Fast forward six years and Andersen inherited a program that has now appeared in seven bowl games in the past eight years after playing in just four bowl games prior to his arrival.
 
• In just his third year at Utah State, Andersen's 2011 club became the first Aggie team to win seven games since 1993 and the first to play in a bowl game in 14 years. The following season, Andersen led USU to its best season ever with a school-record 11 wins, going undefeated in the Western Athletic Conference and capturing its first outright league title since 1936. USU also won just its second-ever bowl game that season with a 41-15 victory against Toledo in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. USU finished the 2012 campaign with an 11-2 record and was one of just two teams in school history at the time, along with the 1961 club, to finish the season nationally ranked as it was 16th in the final Associated Press poll, 17th in the final Coaches poll and 23rd in the final BCS standings.
 
• During his four years with the Aggies from 2009-12, Andersen posted a 26-24 record, including the school's first back-to-back winning seasons (7-6 in 2011 and 11-2 in 2012) since 1979-80. He was also the first coach since Phil Krueger (1973-75) to notch an overall winning record.
 
• During his final two seasons at Utah State, Andersen led the Aggies to an 18-8 record, including an 11-2 conference mark.  
 
AGGIES ON THE ROAD
• Utah State will open the 2019 season with a road game for the eighth time in the last 11 seasons and 62nd time in program history. It will be the third-ever meeting between the Aggies and Demon Deacons. All-time, USU is 1-4 against current members of the ACC.
 
• Utah State will start its season on the road at a Power 5 opponent for the third-straight year as it opened last year at No. 11 Michigan State and the 2017 campaign at No. 9 Wisconsin.
 
AGGIES ON THE ROAD UNDER ANDERSEN
• During Gary Andersen's first stint as Utah State's head coach, the Aggies won eight of their last 11 games away from home, including posting a 7-2 record in road games.
 
• In Andersen's four years as Utah State's head coach, the Aggies opened the season at a pair of Power 5 opponents as they lost at No. 7 Oklahoma, 31-24, in 2010 and lost at defending national champion and No. 19 Auburn, 42-38, in 2011. In fact, USU was competitive in each of its last five games against Power 5 opponents under Andersen as it lost at Texas A&M, 38-30, in 2009, defeated Utah, 27-20, at home in overtime in 2012, and lost at No. 22 Wisconsin, 16-14, in 2012, along with its games at Oklahoma and at Auburn.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State head coach Gary Andersen ranks tied for sixth all-time in school history with his 26 wins, while his .520 winning percentage (26-24) ranks as the eighth-best all-time in school history. Andersen is also one of just four head coaches in school history to lead the Aggie to multiple bowl games.
 
SCOUTING WAKE FOREST
• Wake Forest returns 11 starters (O-6, D-5) and 42 letterwinners (O-22, D-17, S-3) from last year's team that went 3-5 in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference to tie for fifth place and finished the season with a 7-6 record after posting a 37-34 win against Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl. Wake Forest returns two players that earned all-ACC honors last season in senior CB Essang Bassey (second team) and senior LB Justin Strnad (honorable mention). Sophomore QB Sam Hartman led the team in passing last season as he was 161-of-291 (.553) for 1,984 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Senior RB Cade Carney led the ground attack for the Demon Deacons as he carried the ball 188 times for 1,005 yards (5.3 ypc) and eight touchdowns, while sophomore WR Sage Surratt is the leading returning receiver for Wake Forest as he caught 41 passes for 581 yards (14.2 ypr) and four touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB Justin Strnad had a team-best 105 tackles a year ago, which included 8.5 tackles for loss, while Bassey ranked third on the team last season with 74 tackles. In 2018, Wake Forest averaged 32.8 points and 449.8 yards of total offense per game (236.1 passing, 213.7 rushing) and allowed 33.3 points and 458.6 yards of offense (266.1 passing, 192.5 rushing). Dave Clawson has a 28-35 record in five seasons as Wake Forest's head coach and a 118-115 mark in 19 years as a collegiate head coach.  
 
AGGIES AND DEMON DEACONS SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State and Wake Forest will be meeting for the third time in series history with each team winning on its home field. USU won the first meeting in Logan, 36-24, on Sept. 13, 2014, while Wake Forest posted a 46-10 win in Winston-Salem on Sept. 16, 2017. 
 
UTAH STATE CONNECTIONS WITH WAKE FOREST
• Former Utah State head coach Chuck Mills (1967-72) was also the head coach at Wake Forest (1973-77). Mills is USU's third-winningest coach (41-22-1) and went 11-43-1 as head coach at Wake Forest. USU assistants that went to Wake Forest with Mills included Mike Ellison, Garth Hall, Gene McKeehan, Paul Wargo and Cliff Yoshida. Additionally, Dennis Darnell coached tight ends at Wake Forest in 1980 and at Utah State in 1981.
 
AGGIES FROM NORTH CAROLINA
• According to available records, Utah State has had just two football players from the state of North Carolina all-time 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 1-4 against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference with road losses at Florida State (L, 8-17 - 9/20/75), at Miami (L, 16-17 - 10/21/78) at Clemson (L, 6-35 - 10/16/04) and at Wake Forest (L, 10-46 - 9/16/17), along with its home win against Wake Forest (W, 36-24 - 9/13/14).
 
ANDERSEN AGAINST THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
• Utah State's Gary Andersen is 0-0 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference teams.
 
HOMETOWN PLAYERS
• Utah State has 38 players in its program from the Beehive State, while Wake Forest has 26 players on its roster from the Old North State.
 
CURRENT AGGIES vs. WAKE FOREST
• Utah State has three players on its current roster that started in its game at Wake Forest in 2017, while 16 other Aggies played in the game. Senior CB Cameron Haney started and had four tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss, to go along with one pass breakup. Junior WR Jordan Nathan started and had two receptions for 13 yards, one punt return for 20 yards and one rush for minus two yards. Redshirt junior DE Justus Te'i started and had five tackles. Senior DE Devon Anderson had three tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss. Senior DE Dalton Baker had two tackles. Senior RB Gerold Bright caught a 77-yard touchdown, which was his first-career touchdown reception. Redshirt senior P Aaron Dalton punted nine times for an average of 40.8 yards with a long of 54, while four of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. Senior PK Dominik Eberle made a 30-yard field goal and kicked off three times for an average of 65.0 yards. Senior DE Jacoby Wildman had four tackles and carried the ball one time for 11 yards. Junior S Braxton Gunther had one tackle. Junior TE Logan Lee had four tackles as a defensive end. Junior QB Jordan Love was 6-of-13 passing for 171 yards, including his first-career touchdown pass of 77 yards in his second-career game. Junior WR Savon Scarver returned four kickoffs for 69 yards, including a long of 20 yards. And, redshirt sophomore LB Maika Magalei had two tackles.
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
• Utah State sophomore RB Pailate Makakona will celebrate his 19th birthday on Friday, Aug. 30.      
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State will be playing a game during the month of August for just the 12th time in program history, and is 3-8 in its previous 11 games. USU is also 2-2 all-time in games played on Aug. 30 and 22-30-1 (.419) all-time in games played on Friday.
 
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND WAKE FOREST
The following are series notables between Utah State and Wake Forest. 
• In each of the previous two meetings, the home team has posted a double-digit win.
 
• Wake Forest has scored first in both games.
 
• The team that has led at halftime has won both games.  
 
• Neither team has scored in the fourth quarter in the previous two meetings.
 
• Wake Forest had a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver in the last meeting between the two teams, while Utah State had a 100-yard receiver in its first meeting. Neither team has had a 300-yard passer in the series.
 
• The team that has controlled the time of possession has won each game in the series.
 
• The winning team in each of the first two games in the series has had more rushing yards and total yards, has converted more third downs and has had more first downs.
 
AGGIES IN THE EASTERN TIME ZONE
• Utah State is playing a game in the Eastern Time Zone for the first time since playing at Wake Forest on Sept. 16, 2017. This will also be USU's second-ever football game played in the state of North Carolina, both in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest. The last time USU won a game on the east coast was during the 2001 season when it posted a 38-31 road win at Connecticut.
 
UTAH STATE HAS SIX BOWL TEAMS ON ITS 2019 SCHEDULE
• Utah State's 2019 schedule features six teams that played in bowl games a year ago as Wake Forest played in the Birmingham Bowl (W, 37-34 vs. Memphis); San Diego State played in the DXL Frisco Bowl (L, 27-0 vs. Ohio); LSU played in the Fiesta Bowl (W, 40-32 vs. UCF); Nevada played in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl (W, 16-13 OT vs. Arkansas State); BYU played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (W, 49-18 vs. Western Michigan); and Boise State played in the First Responders Bowl (Canceled vs. Boston College). Furthermore, Stony Brook played in the NCAA Division I Football Championship (L, 28-14 vs. Southeast Missouri).
 
UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 30 of its last 35 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including an 8-0 record last year, and 33 of its last 36 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 7-0 record last year. USU has also won 49 of its last 52 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 9-1 record last season.
 
• Utah State has had a 100-yard rusher in eight of its last 12 games and in 13 of its last 19 games overall. Between the 2014 and 2016 seasons, USU had a total of nine 100-yard rushers over a 39-game span.
 
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 six players on its current roster who transferred from Power 5 programs in senior DE Tipa Galeai (TCU), senior DT Fua Leilua (Oklahoma State), graduate CB Terin Adams (Arizona State), graduate WR Siaosi Mariner (Utah), graduate TE Caleb Repp (Utah), and graduate DE Nick Heninger (Utah). USU has two more players on its roster that began their careers at Power 5 programs as junior S Cash Gilliam and junior DE Jaylin Bannerman both began their collegiate careers at Kentucky.
 
ON THIS DATE IN AGGIE FOOTBALL HISTORY
• Utah State posted a 21-14 road win at Utah on Aug. 30, 1997, its second-straight win against the Utes. USU scored the first 14 points of the game on touchdown runs by QB Matt Sauk and RB Demario Brown. Sauk then scored the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter and CB Johndale Carty intercepted a pass with 1:18 to play to seal the win. Brown rushed for 153 yards on a career-high 36 carries, while Sauk completed 19-of-30 passes for 212 yards and WR Nakia Jenkins caught eight passes for 99 yards. In all, the Aggies outgained the Utes, 342-294.
 
LAST MEETING vs. WAKE FOREST
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Redshirt freshman QB Jordan Love passed for a career-high 171 yards and one touchdown in Utah State's 46-10 loss at Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon in front of 27,971 fans at BB&T Field.
               
Love, who entered the game in the third quarter, completed 6-of-13 passes and threw his first-career touchdown, a 77-yarder to sophomore WR Gerold Bright with 10:37 remaining in the quarter – tied for the 26th-longest pass play in school history.
               
That was Bright's lone catch of the day. Senior WR Ron'quavion Tarver led the Aggies (1-2, 0-0 Mountain West) with five receptions for 35 yards, while junior WR Zach Van Leeuwen added two catches for a career-best 77 yards, including a career-long reception of 64 yards.
               
Dominik Eberle accounted for Utah State's only other points on a 30-yard field goal with 53 seconds left in the third. The sophomore placekicker is now a perfect 4-for-4 on the season in field goal attempts.
               
Wake Forest QB John Wolford was 12-of-22 for 242 yards and two touchdowns as the Demon Deacons (3-0, 1-0 ACC) scored the first 36 points of the game. Arkeem Byrd led the ground attack for the hosts, amassing 120 yards and one touchdown on just 19 carries.
               
As a team, Wake Forest produced 588 yards of total offense – 297 through the air and 291 on the ground.
               
For the second consecutive week, the Aggies blocked a punt. This time, junior QB DJ Nelson was credited with the block in the fourth quarter. It proved to be the 12th blocked kick under fifth-year head coach Matt Wells.
               
Aaron Dalton also had a nice day on special teams for the Aggies. The junior punter tied his career high with four punts downed inside the 20-yard line. He punted nine times on the day and had a long of 54 yards. Furthermore, sophomore DE Jacoby Wildman rushed for 11 yards on a second quarter fake punt, picking up the first down for Utah State. Wildman also recorded a career-high four tackles on defense.
               
Senior Kent Myers started the game at quarterback and completed 9-of-23 passes for 54 yards and one interception. As a team, the Aggies recorded 267 yards of total offense, including just 42 yards on the ground as junior RB Eltoro Allen had a season-best 13 carries for 20 yards.
               
Defensively, junior BS Gaje Ferguson led the Aggies with a season-high 10 tackles, his third career double-digit tackle game. Senior CB Jalen Davis tied his career high with three pass breakups, including one in the end zone that prevented a touchdown.
               
Senior BS Dallin Leavitt had a season-high nine tackles, junior LB Suli Tamaivena had a season-high eight tackles and junior NG Gasetoto Schuster added a career-high six tackles and his first career forced fumble. Junior DE Adewale Adeoye added a career-best five stops as six different Aggie defenders posted a career-high in tackles on the day.
               
As a team, Utah State recorded seven tackles for loss, including a season-high 1.5 by junior LB Ofa Latu. He also tallied six tackles on the afternoon.
 
FIRST MEETING vs. WAKE FOREST 
LOGAN, Utah - Behind a dominant defense that scored two touchdowns and limited Wake Forest (1-2) to negative 25 yards rushing, Utah State (2-1) rallied from an early 7-0 deficit with 29 unanswered points to beat the Demon Deacons, 36-24, for its first-ever win against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent on Sept. 13, 2014.
               
Along with its two touchdowns, Utah State's defense sacked Wake Forest quarterback John Wolford a total of six times, spearheaded by three from senior DE B.J. Larsen. The Aggies also intercepted Wolford twice, including once by senior LB Zach Vigil, who returned it 35 yards for a touchdown to open Utah State's scoring after Wake Forest had scored on a 72-yard interception return of its own. Sophomore S Devin Centers also had a defensive score, scooping up a fumble and darting 47 yards to the end zone. Senior SS Frankie Sutera had the other interception, snaring a Wolford pass at midfield and returning it 24 yards to the WF 26-yard line, which set up the Aggies for a 6-yard touchdown toss from senior QB Chuckie Keeton to senior TE Jefferson Court at the 4:46 mark of the second quarter for Court's first career score.
               
Sutera and sophomore LB Nick Vigil led Utah State with nine tackles apiece, with Nick Vigil logging 2.5 tackles for loss. In all, the USU defense posted a total of 14 tackles for loss.
               
Wake Forest finished with 232 yards, gaining 257 passing, as Wolford was 20-of-50 with two interceptions and two touchdowns. The negative 25 yards rushing allowed by USU is the third-best defensive performance in school history.
               
Utah State accumulated 391 yards of total offense with 331 through the air and 60 on the ground. Keeton was 20-of-27 passing for 166 yards with one touchdown, all in the first half, before not returning to action due to an injury. Sophomore QB Darell Garretson was 11-of-16 passing for 121 yards with one touchdown in relief.
               
Junior WR Hunter Sharp had 12 catches for 138 yards, both not only game-highs but career-bests as well, and were the most receptions by an Aggie receiver since Kevin Curtis in 2002. Junior WR JoJo Natson had six receptions for 78 yards with a touchdown on a 44-yard catch from senior WR Ronald Butler with 8:21 to go in the second quarter. Natson also led Utah State's rushing attack with 49 yards on eight carries.
               
Wake Forest scored the first points of the game on a 72-yard interception return only to see the Aggies counter-attack with Zach Vigil's oskie return for a score on WF's next possession to even the score at 7-7.
               
Utah State got its first offensive touchdown in the second quarter on Butler's 44-yard pass to Natson. On the Demon Deacons' ensuing possession, Wolford was sacked by Nick Vigil and fumbled, then Centers scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 47-yards to the end zone.
               
After Sutera's snare set up USU at the WF 26, Keeton connected with Court to cap the short Aggie drive for a 26-7 Aggie advantage. Senior PK Nick Diaz then added a 26-yard field goal as time expired to give the home team a 29-7 halftime lead.
               
Wake Forest closed to 29-21 after back-to-back third quarter touchdowns. The Aggies, however, countered with a 5-yard Garretson touchdown pass to sophomore TE Wyatt Houston. 
               
Wake Forest added a 30-yard field goal with 1:01 left in the third quarter for the final scoring margin of 36-24 as neither team scored again. 
 
FINAL NOTES FROM 2018 SEASON
• Utah State's 11 wins and 11-2 record tied the 2012 team for the most wins and best record in school history, while its seven conference wins tied the 2013 team for the most league wins ever. Overall, it is just the third time that USU has won 10 or more games, along with the 2014 team that posted a 10-4 record.
 
• Utah State concluded the 2018 season ranked 21st in the Amway Coaches poll and 22nd in The Associated Press (AP) poll. For USU, it is just the fourth time in school history that it has ended a season nationally ranked, joining the 1961 team that finished its season 10th in the final AP and United Press International (UPI) polls, the 1972 team that ended its year 19th in the final UPI poll, and the 2012 team that finished its year 16th in the AP poll, 17th in the coaches poll and 22nd in the BCS standings.
 
• Utah State won its fifth bowl game in 13 appearances with its 52-13 victory against North Texas in the 2018 New Mexico Bowl, which was its seventh bowl game in the last eight seasons. USU's other bowl wins are its 42-33 victory against Ball State in the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl II, its 41-15 win against Toledo in the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, its 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, and its 21-6 win against UTEP in the 2014 Gildan New Mexico Bowl. 
 
• Utah State set 36 school records and tied six others during the 2018 season. Overall, USU set school records with its 10 consecutive wins (9 in 1960), 10-1 start to the season (9-1-1 in 1961), being nationally ranked in The Associated Press poll for four straight weeks (3 in 2012), four 60-point games (2 in 1961), seven 50-point games (3 in 2017), nine 40-point games (6 in 2012), 60-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time in school history, 50-plus points in three-straight games (twice in 2013 and 2015), 30-plus points in six straight games to start a season (3 in 2011), 40-plus points in five straight games at any point in a season (3 in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1971, 1990, 2012), 10 wins by double-digits (9 in 2012 and 2014), seven wins by 30-plus points (5 in 2012), 700-plus yards of total offense twice in a season for the first time ever, 600-plus yards of total offense four times in a season (twice in 1996), 600-plus yards of total offense in three straight games for the first time ever, 52 first-half points versus New Mexico (49 vs. Weber State in 2013), 20 players with touchdowns (18 in 2015), 79 touchdowns (60 in 2011), 618 points (454 in 2012), 47.5 points per game (38.7 in 1961), 497.4 yards of total offense per game (469.8 in 2012), 32 touchdown passes (30 in 2013), 6.07 touchdowns per game (5.5 in 1961), 6,466 yards of total offense (6,108 in 2012), 3,825 passing yards (3,493 in 1996), 303 completions (297 in 2013), 6.84 yards per attempt (6.83 in 2012), 75 extra points (57 in 2011), 30.3 kickoff return yards per attempt (25.6 in 2007 and 2015), 164 passing first downs (163 in 2011), 10 sacks allowed (11 in 2014), six interception returns for touchdowns (3 in 1961 and 1991), 475 interception return yards (423 in 1948), 10 non-offensive touchdowns (7 in 2014 and 2017), 29 scoring drives under one minute (16 in 2012), and 804 yards of total offense in a single game versus San José State (704 vs. New Mexico in 2018, 684 vs. Nevada in 1992 and 684 vs. Weber State in 2001). USU also tied single-season school records with 11 wins (2012), seven conference wins (2013), 18 all-conference honorees (1997), eight wins by 20-plus points (8 in 2012), six home wins (1907, 2012, 2014) and an undefeated home season (31st time).   
 
• Utah State finished the 2018 season ranking among the top 20 teams in the nation in 24 statistical categories and led the nation in five of those, including scoring drives under one minute (29), turnovers forced (32), passes intercepted (22), kickoff returns (30.30 yards per return) and three-and-outs forced (5.69 per game). USU was also second in the nation in scoring (47.5 points per game) and non-offensive touchdowns (10), third in average margin of victory (25.3 points per game), turnover margin (+1.08) and defensive touchdowns (6), fourth in sacks allowed with 10 (0.77 per game), eighth in winning percentage (.846), 10th in blocked kicks (4), 11th in total offense (497.4 yards per game), 12th in third down conversion percentage (.473), 14th in passes had intercepted (6) and team passing efficiency (154.39), 16th in third down conversion percentage defense (.330), 17th in passing offense (294.2 yards per game) and tackles for loss allowed (4.69 per game), 19th in team passing efficiency defense (113.76), and 20th in completion percentage (.652).
 
A FINAL LOOK AT UTAH STATE 
• Utah State ended the 2018 season ranked 21st in the final Amway Coaches poll and 22nd in the final Associated Press poll as it tied the school record for wins and best record with an 11-2 mark following its 52-13 win against North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl. USU, which tied for first place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 7-1 record, was led offensively by sophomore QB Jordan Love, who was 267-of-417 (.640) passing for 3,567 yards (274.4 ypg) with 32 touchdowns and six interceptions. Junior RB Darwin Thompson led the team in rushing with 1,044 yards on 153 carries (6.8 ypc/80.3 ypg) with 14 touchdowns, and senior WR Ron'quavion Tarver had a team-best 66 receptions for 709 yards (10.7 ypr/54.5 ypg) with eight touchdowns. Defensively, sophomore LB David Woodward led the team with 134 tackles, which included 5.0 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, while senior LB Chase Christiansen had 100 tackles, which included 0.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss. As a team, Utah State averaged 47.5 points and 497.4 yards of total offense (294.2 passing, 203.2 rushing), and allowed 22.2 points and 379.5 yards of total offense (236.5 passing, 143.0 rushing).
 
• Utah State assistant head coach/tight ends coach Frank Maile served as the interim head coach in the bowl game and has a 1-0 all-time record.
 
UTAH STATE AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE
• Utah State's average margin of victory last year was 25.3 points (618-289), which was the third-highest in the nation behind Clemson at 31.2 points (664-197) and Alabama at 27.5 points (684-271).
 
• Utah State was one of just 14 teams in the nation with at least 11 wins last season, joining Alabama (15), Clemson (14), Ohio State (13), Fresno State (12), Oklahoma (12), Notre Dame (12), UCF (12), Appalachian State (11), Army (11), Cincinnati (11), Georgia (11), UAB (11) and Washington State (11).
 
UTAH STATE SETS MOUNTAIN WEST RECORD FOR POINTS SCORED 
• Utah State scored 618 points in 13 games during the 2018 season to set the Mountain West record, which was previously held by BYU, which scored 608 points in 14 games in 2001.
 
MORE SCHOOL RECORDS SET IN 2018
• Utah State's 10-1 start to the 2018 season was its best in school history, topping Merlin Olsen's 1961 team that finished with a 9-1-1 record. USU also won 10 straight games for the first time in school history last year, topping Olsen's 1960 team that won its first nine games.
 
AGGIES RUSH FOR 2,000 YARDS FOR 10TH STRAIGHT SEASON 
• Utah State rushed for 2,641 yards on 480 carries (5.5 ypc/203.2 ypg) during the 2018 season, marking the 10th-straight year that USU has gained at least 2,000 yards on the ground. Prior to its current run, USU went 33 years without rushing for 2,000 yards in a season. Overall, the 2,641 rushing yards last season are the sixth-most in school history. The school record is 3,675 yards set in 2011.
 
UTAH STATE AT MAVERIK STADIUM
• Utah State went 6-0 at Maverik Stadium last season and is 35-9 (.795) in its last 44 home games. USU has won seven straight home games and is 147-105 (.583) in Maverik Stadium. USU tied the 1907, 2012 and 2014 teams for the most home wins (6) in a single season last year, and recorded just the sixth undefeated home season in the 51-year history of Maverik Stadium, along with the 1968 (4-0), 1972 (5-0), 1982 (4-0), 2012 (6-0) and 2014 (6-0) teams. Overall, USU has now had 31 teams record undefeated home seasons.
 
• Utah State was unstoppable at home in 2018 as it posted double-digit wins and scored at least 40 points in all six games, and won each game by an average margin of 38.2 points (59.5-21.3) as it out-scored its opponents 357-128. In fact, USU scored 50-plus points five times last year and 60-plus points four times. On the season, USU averaged 59.5 points and 608.0 yards of total offense (370.3 passing, 237.7 rushing) during its six home games, while allowing 21.3 points and 345.2 yards of total offense (201.3 passing, 143.8 rushing).
 
UTAH STATE VERSUS THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State is 157-180-8 (.469) all-time against current members of the Mountain West with a 39-26-4 record vs. Wyoming, a 34-39-2 record vs. Colorado State, a 17-7 record vs. UNLV, an 18-20-1 record vs. San José State, a 12-17-1 record vs. Fresno State, a 12-13 record vs. New Mexico, a 10-6 record vs. Hawai`i, a 6-18 record vs. Nevada, a 5-18 record vs. Boise State, a 3-4 record vs. Air Force, and a 1-12 record vs. San Diego State.
 
UTAH STATE BOWL HISTORY
• Utah State has a 5-8 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; lost to New Mexico State, 26-20 in overtime, in the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl; and defeated North Texas, 52-13, in the 2018 New Mexico Bowl.
 
WHAT'S RETURNING IN 2019
• Utah State returns nine starters (O-2, D-7) as part of 31 letterwinners (O-13, D-16, S-2), including two All-Americans and eight players that earned various all-Mountain West honors, from last year's team that ended the 2018 season ranked 21st in the final Amway Coaches poll and 22nd in the final Associated Press poll as it tied the school record for wins and best record with an 11-2 mark following its 52-13 win against North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl. USU also tied for first place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 7-1 record. 
 
• Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2019 are two players who earned All-America honors a season ago in junior WR Savon Scarver and junior LB David Woodward. Scarver, who is just the third consensus All-American in school history, was named a first-team All-American from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele's Magazine, and earned second-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association as a kick returner, while Woodward was named a first-team All-American by ProFootballFocus.com and a third-team All-American by The Associated Press. Six other returning Aggies earned various all-Mountain West honors a year ago as senior DE Tipa Galeai and junior QB Jordan Love were both named to the second team, while senior PK Dominik Eberle, senior DT Fua Leilua, senior DT Christopher 'Unga and senior CB DJ Williams all garnered honorable mention honors. Additionally, Utah State returns three other starters in senior DT Devon Anderson, junior S Shaq Bond and sophomore OL Alfred Edwards.
 
WHAT UTAH STATE MUST REPLACE FROM 2018
• Utah State must replace 11 starters, including 10 players who earned various all-Mountain West honors in 2018, including OL Quin Ficklin, who earned first-team honors and OL Roman Andrus, S Jontrell Rocquemore and RB Darwin Thompson, who were all named to the second team, while DE Adewale Adeoye, OL Rob Castaneda, S Gaje Ferguson, TE Dax Raymond, WR Ron'quavion Tarver and OL Sean Taylor were all named to the honorable mention team. USU also must replace LB Chase Christiansen to graduation.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 47 freshman, which includes 16 redshirts, on its 2019 roster. Those 47 freshman represent 43.12 percent of its total roster, which ranks as the 29th-most in the nation.
 
UTAH STATE THIRD IN THE NATION IN SCORING OFFENSE
• Utah State averaged 47.5 points per game last season to rank second in the nation behind Oklahoma (48.4 ppg). USU also ranked first in the MW and 11th in the nation in total offense (497.4 ypg), second in the MW and fourth in the nation in sacks allowed with 10 (0.77 ppg), third in the MW and 14th in the nation in passing efficiency (154.4), third in the MW and 17th in the nation in passing offense (294.2 ypg), third in the MW and 20th in the nation in completion percentage (.652), and third in the MW and 31st in the nation in rushing offense (203.2 ypg). USU also ranked second in the MW and 12th in the nation with a third down conversion percentage of 45.3 (85-181), and third in the MW and 30th in the nation with a fourth down conversion percentage of 60.0 (6-10). 
 
AGGIE DEFENSE RANKED 23RD NATIONALLY IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
• Utah State ranked second in the Mountain West and 23rd in the nation last season with an average of 7.3 tackles for loss per game. USU also ranked second in the MW and 19th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (113.8), third in the MW and 42nd in the nation in sacks with 32 (2.46 pg), fifth in the MW and 33rd in the nation in scoring defense (22.2 ppg), sixth in the MW and 51st in the nation in total defense (379.5 ypg), seventh in the MW and 41st in the nation in rushing defense (143.0 ypg), and seventh in the MW and 77th in the nation in passing defense (236.5 ypg). USU's defense also averaged 5.69 three-and-outs per game to rank first in the nation, and ranked third in the MW and 16th in the nation in third down conversion percentage allowed at 33.0 (71-215).  
 
AGGIES FIRST IN THE NATION WITH 32 FORCED TURNOVERS
• Utah State forced 32 turnovers (22 interceptions, 10 fumbles) last year to lead the nation. USU also led the nation with 22 interceptions, was fourth in the MW and 36th in the nation with 10 fumble recoveries, and first in the MW and third in the nation in turnover margin (+1.08).
 
• With 32 turnovers last season, USU has now forced 173 turnovers in its last 88 games, including at least one turnover in 70 of its last 88 games. USU has also recorded 88 interceptions in its last 75 games, including at least one pick in 44 of its last 75 games and multiple interceptions in 26 of its last 75 games. Overall, USU forced three or more turnovers five times this year and in 22 of its last 63 games. 
 
 
UTAH STATE THIRD IN THE NATION WITH SIX DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
• Utah State was second in the Mountain West and third in the nation with its six defensive touchdowns last season. Returning players in 2019 that had defensive touchdowns last season include senior LB Tipa Galeai, who returned an interception 56 yards for a touchdown at BYU, and junior S Shaq Bond, who returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against New Mexico. Overall, USU has scored 22 defensive touchdowns in its last 72 games. 
 
UTAH STATE FIRST IN THE NATION IN KICKOFF RETURNS
• Utah State finished last season first in the nation in kickoff returns at 30.3 yards per return. USU also ranked fifth in the MW and 63rd in the nation in punt returns (9.1 ypr), ninth in the MW and 92nd in the nation in kickoff return defense (21.7 ypr), and 10th in the MW in net punting (35.2 ypp). 
 
AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS IN 2018
• Junior WR Savon Scarver led the nation in 2018 in kickoff returns (33.7 ypr) and tied for second in the nation with his two kickoff returns for touchdowns (0.15 pg). Senior PK Dominik Eberle led the Mountain West and was fourth in the nation in scoring (10.8 ppg), first in the MW and ninth in the nation in field goals made (1.69 pg), third in the MW and 37th in the nation in field goal percentage (.786), as he was 22-of-28 on the season, and seventh in the MW and 69th in the nation in points responsible for with 141 (10.8 pg). Junior WR Jordan Nathan tied for first in the MW and tied for sixth in the nation with one punt return for touchdown (0.07 pg), and was third in the MW and 32nd in the nation in punt returns (8.3 ypr). Junior LB David Woodward was first in the MW and 11th in the nation with 134 tackles (11.2 pg), eighth in the MW in forced fumbles with two (0.15 pg), ninth in the MW in tackles for loss with 12.5 (1.0 pg), and 10th in the MW in sacks with five (0.4 pg). Junior QB Jordan Love finished the season first in the MW and 10th in the nation in passing efficiency (158.3), second in the MW and eighth in the nation in passing touchdowns with 32 (2.5 pg), second in the MW and 10th in the nation in points responsible for with 234 (18.0 pg), third in the MW and 31st in the nation in completion percentage (.640), fourth in the MW and 13th in the nation in passing (274.4 ypg), fifth in the MW and 20th in the nation in total offense (279.2 ypg), and fifth in the MW and 26th in the nation in completions (20.5 pg). Senior DE Tipa Galeai was first in the MW and 12th in the nation in sacks with 10.5 (0.81pg), tied for fourth in the MW in forced fumbles with three (0.23 pg), tied for eighth in the MW in tackles for loss with 14.0 (1.1 pg), and 47th in the MW in tackles with 64 (4.9 pg). Senior RB Gerold Bright was third in the MW and 25th in the nation in yards per carry (6.3), fourth in the MW and 57th in the nation in rushing touchdowns with 10 (0.8 pg), fifth in the MW and 40th in the nation in total touchdowns with 13 (1.0 pg), sixth in the MW and 88th in the nation in rushing (68.3 ypg), and ninth in the MW in all-purpose yards (91.1 ypg). And, senior CB DJ Williams tied for first in the MW and tied for 16th in the nation with four interceptions (0.31 pg), and tied for third in the MW and tied for 30th in the nation in passes defended with 15 (1.2 pg). 
 
SCARVER NAMED CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICAN 
• Utah State junior Savon Scarver was named a consensus All-American as a returner/all-purpose player in 2018, joining Merlin Olsen (1961) and Phil Olsen (1969) as the only consensus All-Americans in school history. Scarver was also just the 16th player in Mountain West history to be named a consensus All-American. Scarver received first-team All-America honors from two of the five outlets that comprise the NCAA Consensus All-America team in the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Scarver was also named a first-team All-American by Phil Steele's Magazine and was named a second-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.
 
• Scarver was also named the Johnny 'The Jet' Award winning in 2018 as the nation's most outstanding return specialist as he led the nation in kickoff returns (33.7 ypr) and tied for second in the nation with his two kickoff returns for touchdowns. 
 
WOODWARD NAMED FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN 
• Utah State junior LB David Woodward was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and a third-team All-American by The Associated Press in 2018. Woodward was also named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year by PFF. 
 
SCARVER EARNS FIRST-TEAM ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST HONORS
• Utah State junior KR Savon Scarver earned first-team all-Mountain West honors in 2018, becoming the first Aggie kickoff returner to earn the accolade since Kevin Robinson in 2007.
 
UTAH STATE FIRST IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST IN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
• Utah State ranked first in the Mountain West in all-conference honorees in 2018 as it had eight offensive players, eight defensive players and two specialists recognized for a total of 18 all-conference awards. Fresno State had the second-most all-MW honorees with 14, followed by Boise State (11), San Diego State (10), Nevada (9), Hawai'i (7), San José State (7), Wyoming (6), New Mexico (5), UNLV (4), Air Force (3) and Colorado State (3). 
 
• Returning Utah State players to earn all-Mountain West honors last season include junior KR Savon Scarver (first team), senior DE Tipa Galeai (second team), junior QB Jordan Love (second team), junior LB David Woodward (second team), senior PK Dominik Eberle (honorable mention), senior DT Fua Leilua (honorable mention), senior DT Christopher 'Unga (honorable mention) and senior CB DJ Williams (honorable mention).
 
LOVE SEMIFINALIST FOR DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD 
• Junior QB Jordan Love was one of 16 semifinalists for the 2018 Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best college quarterback.
 
EBERLE NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR LOU GROZA AWARD
• Utah State senior PK Dominik Eberle was a semifinalist for the 2018 Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award. Eberle was one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award in 2017.
 
LOVE NAMED OFFENSIVE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER OF NEW MEXICO BOWL 
• Junior QB Jordan Love was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the 2018 New Mexico Bowl as he was 21-of-43 passing for 359 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. Love also carried the ball two times for three yards and scored on a 9-yard run.
 
 • Love set Utah State bowl game records with his four touchdown passes, 359 passing yards and 362 yards of total offense, breaking Anthony Calvillo's records of three touchdown passes, 286 passing yards and 336 yards of total offense against Ball State in the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl II.
 
WILLIAMS NAMED DEFENSIVE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER OF NEW MEXICO BOWL 
• Senior CB DJ Williams was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the 2018 New Mexico Bowl as he intercepted a career-high two passes in the game, which tied Donald Toomer's two interceptions against Ball State in the Las Vegas Bowl II for the most in a bowl game in school history. On the season, Williams led the team with 11 pass breakups and tied for the team lead with four interceptions.
 
DID YOU KNOW? 
• Utah State tied with New Mexico State for the most special teams touchdowns in the nation last year with four. Junior WR Savon Scarver had two of those touchdowns as he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against New Mexico State and another 99 yards for a touchdown at Wyoming. Junior WR Jordan Nathan returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown against Tennessee Tech, and Baron Gajkowski returned a blocked punt 16 yards for a touchdown against UNLV.
 
LOVE SETS FIVE SCHOOL RECORDS IN 2018 
• Junior QB Jordan Love set five school records in 2018, including 32 touchdown passes (27 by Chuckie Keeton in 2012), 3,567 passing yards (3,373 by Keeton in 2012), seven 300-yard passing games (6 by Anthony Calvillo in 1993), 234 points responsible for (210 by Keeton in 2012) and being named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week five times (four by Keeton in 2012). Love also tied the single-season school record with a pair of 400-yard passing games (Tony Adams in 1972 and Jose Fuentes in 2000). Furthermore, Love also tied the single-game school record for touchdown passes with five against both UNLV and San José State, becoming just the fifth quarterback in school history to accomplish the feat.
 
• On the season, Love was 267-of-417 (.640) passing and ranks second all-time at USU for completions in a single season (Keeton, 275 in 2012), while his completion percentage ranks as the fourth-highest in a single season in school history. Love also had 3,630 yards of total offense in 2018 to rank as the second-most at USU in a single season (Keeton, 3,992 in 2012).
 
• Love is 396-of-652 (.607) passing for 5,198 yards and 40 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions during his career.  For his career, Love ranks fourth all-time in touchdown passes, tied for fourth in completion percentage, and 10th all-time in passing yards, completions and total offense (5,426).
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH LOVE 
• Junior QB Jordan Love threw for at least 400 yards in a game twice last season and has eight career 300-yard passing games, including seven last season. He has also thrown five touchdown passes in a game twice, four or more touchdown passes in a game five times, three or more touchdown passes in a game six times, and multiple touchdown passes in a game eight times last year and nine times in his career.
 
LOVE DIDN'T FINISH MANY GAMES LAST SEASON 
• Junior QB Jordan Love put up some impressive numbers in 2018 and did so without playing entire games. Of his 13 games played, Love did not play in the fourth quarter in six of those contests (New Mexico State, Tennessee Tech, UNLV, New Mexico, Hawai'i, San José State), and did not play in the entire second half twice (Tennessee Tech and Hawai'i). Furthermore, Love played just one series in the third quarter against New Mexico, meaning he sat on the sidelines for over 11 quarters, which translates to nearly three games missed during the season. 
 
LOVE NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK FIVE TIMES LAST YEAR 
• Junior QB Jordan Love was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week five times last year and six times in his career. Those five MW Player of the Week honors are tied with two other players for the third-most in a single season in the 20-year history of the conference.  
 
• Love's most recent conference honor came following his performance in Utah State's 62-24 home win against San José State. Love was 32-of-42 (.762) passing for a career-high 491 yards and a school-record-tying five touchdowns (42, 24, 7, 37, 88). His 32 completions are a career high and tied for the second-most in a single game in school history, while his 491 passing yards are the third-most in school history. Love, who also scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, did not play in the fourth quarter.
 
• One of Love's school-record-tying five touchdown passes in the SJSU game was to Darwin Thompson, as the duo connected on an 88-yard completion, which is the sixth-longest pass play in school history and the longest since 1990.
 
• Love is now the fourth quarterback in school history to throw five touchdown passes in multiple games, along with Chuckie Keeton, who did it three times, and Anthony Calvillo and Tony Adams, who both did it twice. Overall, it is the 10th time in school history that an Aggie quarterback has thrown five touchdown passes in a game. 
 
• Love's five player of the week honors last year are the most by an Aggie in a single season in school history, bettering Chuckie Keeton, who was named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week four times during the 2012 campaign. Love's six player of the week honors overall are tied with Keeton for the third-most in school history, trailing Demario Brown, who was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week eight times, and Brad Bohn, who was named the Big West Special Teams Player of the Week seven times. In fact, Brown and Bohn rank first and second, respectively, in Big West history for player of the week honors. San Diego State's Rashaad Penny was named the MW Offensive Player of the Week five times in 2017.
 
• Overall, Utah State won Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors six times last season, a Love won the award five times and Thompson won the award once. In all, USU has now won MW Player of the Week accolades 24 times in its six years in the league.
 
INTERESTING AGGIE NOTABLE
• Utah State will be returning its starting quarterback for the eighth-straight season this fall. The last time USU did not return its top signal-caller, statistically, from the previous season was the 2011 campaign.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State only threw six interceptions last season to rank third in the Mountain West and 14th in the nation. Those six interceptions are the fewest by an Aggie team since the 2011 club also threw six.
 
EBERLE SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE EXTRA POINTS MADE 
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle is a perfect 122-for-122 on extra points in his career, which is a school record. The previous record for consecutive PATs made was 64 by Willie Beecher (1981-84). Overall, Eberle is one of just three kickers in school history with a minimum of 30 PATs made to have never missed an extra point, joining Beecher, 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. Overall, Eberle ranks second all-time in school history in extra points made and attempted. Nick Diaz (2010-14) was 136-of-140 for his career in extra points and holds the career school record in both categories.
 
• Eberle also set the single-season school record for extra points made and attempted last year as he was 75-for-75.
 
• 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 SETS SINGLE-SEASON SCHOOL RECORD FOR POINTS SCORED 
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle scored 141 points last season with 75 extra points and 22 field goals, which is a single-season school record. The previous record of 138 points was set by Robert Turbin in 2011. Eberle also averaged 10.8 points per game last season to set the school record that was held by Jack Hill, who averaged 10.5 points per game in 1956.
 
• Eberle was 22-of-28 (.786) on field goal attempts last season, ranking second in made field goals and tied for first in field goal attempts for a single season with Brad Bohn (1998), while his conversion percentage is eighth. Bohn was 24-of-28 on field goal attempts in 1998 to set the single-season record for made field goals, while Russ Moody made 86.7 percent of his field goals in 1988 to set the single-season record in that category. 
 
EBERLE THIRD ALL-TIME IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE 
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle is 43-of-57 on field goals in his career and his 75.4 conversion percentage ranks third all-time in school history. Russ Moody (1988-89) holds the school record at 84.6, as he was 22-of-26 all-time on field goal attempts.
 
• Eberle has now scored 251 career points to rank fourth all-time in school history, including third all-time among kickers. The school record is 308 career point scored by Robert Turbin (2007-09, '11), while Brad Bohn (1997-2000) holds the record for most points scored by a kicker with 284. 
 
• Eberle ranks second all-time in school history in field goals made with 43 and fourth all-time in field goals attempted with 57. Bohn was 59-of-89 on field goals in his career, to rank first all-time in school history in both categories.
 
• Eberle was 1-of-1 last year and in his career from 10-19 yards, 8-of-10 last year and 18-of-21 in his career from 20-29 yards, 4-of-5 last season and 9-of-11 in his career from 30-39 yards, 6-of-7 last year and 11-of-18 in his career from 40-49 yards, and 3-of-5 last year and 4-of-6 in his career from 50+ yards. His three 51-yard field goals against New Mexico State were season longs and tied for the 18th-longest in school history. In fact, Eberle is the only kicker in school history to have four or more 50-yard field goals in a career as he made a career-long 52-yarder last year.
 
EBERLE NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK TWICE 
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week twice last season, earning the award after tying the NCAA record for points scored by a kicker with 24 against New Mexico State and against Colorado State as he was 3-of-3 on field goals (23, 26, 37) and made both of his extra points.  
 
EBERLE TIES TWO NCAA RECORDS
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle tied two NCAA records in Utah State's 60-13 home win against New Mexico State (9/8) last year. First, Eberle tied the NCAA record for points scored in a game by a kicker with 24, a record that was set by Western Michigan's Mike Prindle in 1984. Eberle also tied an NCAA record with his three 51-yard field goals, becoming just the sixth player ever to kick three 50-plus yard field goals in a game. Eberle was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week and the College Football Performance Awards Honorable Mention National Performer of the Week for his performance against NMSU. For Eberle, it is the first time in his career he has garnered MW Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Eberle was also recognized as a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week.
 
• Eberle also set school and Mountain West records with his six made field goals, while his six field goal attempts tied his own school record that was set in 2017. In all, Eberle made field goals from 44, 32, 51, 21, 51 and 51 yards, as those six made field goals are tied for the third-most in a single-game in NCAA history.
 
EBERLE TOP THREE IN THE NATION IN KICKOFFS AND TOUCHBACKS 
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle kicked off 108 times last season (62.8 yards per kickoff) with 69 touchbacks. On the season, he was third nationally in both kickoffs and touchbacks.
 
BRIGHT RANKS 24TH ALL-TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN RUSHING YARDS
• Senior RB Gerold Bright has rushed for 1,224 yards during his Aggie career and ranks 24th all-time in school history in rushing yards. Overall, Bright is one of 32 players in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a career.
 
• Bright had four 100-yard rushing games last season and five in his career. He also had 10 rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns on the season, giving him 13 career rushing touchdowns and five career receiving touchdowns.
 
• Bright had multiple rushing touchdowns in three games last season, including a career-high three at Hawai'i. Bright also had eight rushes of at least 20 yards last season, which were the second-most on the team, including two over 50 yards. He also had two receptions over 20 yards, including a career long of 83 yards at Boise State, which is the 13th-longest pass play in USU history. 
 
• For his career, Bright averages 6.8 yards per carry, which is tied for the fourth-best yards per carry average in school history.
 
WOODWARD NAMED NATIONAL DEFENDER OF THE WEEK 
• Junior LB David Woodward was named the College Sports Madness National Defensive Player of the Week following his performance in Utah State's 29-24 Mountain West road win at Colorado State last season. Against the Rams, Woodward recorded a career-high 20 tackles, which included 1.5 tackles for loss, while adding one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
 
• Woodward was one of just 17 players at the FBS level last season to record 20-plus tackles and just the fourth Aggie to do it since 2000. In fact, Woodward's 20 stops are the most by a USU player since Nick Vigil had 20 stops at Air Force in 2015, and are tied for the most by a Mountain West player in 2018.
 
• Woodward was one of just 20 players in the nation last season to have double-digit tackles in at least six games, including one of just six players from the Mountain West. Overall, Woodward had eight double-digit tackle outings last season.
 
• Woodward also had 12 tackles, including 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, against UNLV last season and was the only player in the nation last year to record at least 3.0 sacks and 10 or more tackles in the same game.
 
• Overall, Woodward led the team with 134 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss last year, while ranking second on the team with his 5.0 sacks. He also had two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
 
• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Woodward graded out as the top linebacker in the nation last year with a grade of 91.6. According to their system, he ranked fourth among linebackers with a 92.4 grade against the run and fourth in coverage at 90.5. He also broke up four passes, had two interceptions and only missed two tackles all season.
 
GALEAI HAD A TEAM-BEST 10.5 SACKS AND 14.0 TACKLES FOR LOSS LAST SEASON  
• Senior DE Tipa Galeai had a team-best 10.5 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss last season. In fact, those 10.5 sacks are the most by an Aggie since John Chick had 12.5 sacks in 2005, while his 14.0 tackles for loss are the most by an Aggie since Kyler Fackrell had 15.0 tackles for loss in 2015.
 
SCARVER SECOND ALL-TIME IN KICKOFF RETURNS FOR TOUCHDOWNS AT UTAH STATE
• Junior WR Savon Scarver returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last season (100 yards vs. New Mexico State, 99 yards vs. Wyoming), to rank as the second-most in school history, behind Kevin Robinson, who returned three kickoffs for touchdowns during the 2007 season. In fact, Robinson and Scarver are the only Aggies in school history to have multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single season. Scarver also has three career kickoff returns for touchdowns, which also ranks second all-time in school history behind Robinson, who had four from 2004-07.
 
• Scarver also has a career kickoff return average of 28.5 yards as he returned 48 kickoffs for 1,367 yards, and that return average ranks as the third-best in school history. Last season, he averaged 33.7 yards per kickoff return to rank second all-time in school history behind Tom Larscheid, who averaged 36.1 yards per kickoff return in 1960.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH UTAH STATE'S OFFENSE
• Utah State had 37 rushing touchdowns to rank tied for the ninth-most in the nation last season. The school record for rushing touchdowns is 39 set in 1961 and its 37 touchdown runs last year are tied with the 2011 team for the second-most in school history. 
 
• Utah State led at the end of the first quarter in 12 of its 13 games last year and had a 172-53 scoring advantage in the first quarter. USU also had a 366-116 scoring advantage in the first half. On average, USU held a 28.2 to 8.9 scoring advantage at halftime.
 
• Utah State ranked second in the nation with 20 different players scoring a touchdown last season, including 10 players with multiple touchdowns. Clemson led the nation with 21 players who scored touchdowns. 
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE
• Utah State's defense only allowed 12 rushing touchdowns last season, which tied for the 12th-fewest in the nation.
 
• Utah State has forced multiple turnovers in 12 of its last 17 games and had forced a turnover in 15 straight games before not forcing a turnover against Boise State (11/24/18).
 
AGGIES CURRENTLY IN THE NFL
• Utah State currently has 17 players on NFL rosters and has had 12 players drafted into the NFL in the past nine years. Former Aggies currently in the NFL include SS Maurice Alexander (Buffalo Bills), CB Jalen Davis (Miami Dolphins), S Marwin Evans (Seattle Seahawks), LB Kyler Fackrell (Green Bay Packers), WR Jalen Greene (Los Angeles Rams),OG Tyler Larsen (Carolina Panthers), CB Nevin Lawson (Oakland Raiders), SS Dallin Leavitt (Oakland Raiders), RB Devante Mays (Jacksonville Jaguars), OT Donald Penn (Washington Redskins), TE Dax Raymond (Chicago Bears), LS Patrick Scales (Chicago Bears), WR Hunter Sharp (Cincinnati Bengals), RB Darwin Thompson (Kansas City Chiefs), LB Nick Vigil (Cincinnati Bengals), LB Bobby Wagner (Seattle Seahawks) and RB Kerwynn Williams (New Orleans Saints). 
 
AGGIES WHO HAVE SERVED LDS CHURCH MISSIONS 
• Utah State has 17 players on its 2019 roster who have served two-year LDS Church Missions in senior DE Braden Harris, redshirt junior OL Mohelika Uasike, junior DT Caden Andersen, junior WR Taylor Compton, junior DT Ritisoni Fata, junior TE Logan Lee, junior TE Mosese Manu, junior RB Chase Nelson, sophomore RB Sione Fehoko, sophomore LB Daniel Langi, sophomore OL Wade Meacham, redshirt freshman LB Dustin Mathews, redshirt freshman TE Bryce Mortenson, freshman DT Josh Bowcut, freshman OL Sione Lasike, freshman OL Logan Wood and freshman WR Kyle Van Leeuwen. 
 
AGGIES WHO ARE MARRIED 
• Utah State has six players on its 2019 roster who are married in senior DE Dalton Baker, senior DE Braden Harris, senior DT Fua Leilua, senior DE Jacoby Wildman, redshirt junior OL Mohelika Uasike and sophomore LB Daniel Langi.
 
POSITION CHANGES AND NUMBER CHANGES 
• Utah State had a number of players change positions and/or numbers from last season. Senior RB Gerold Bright has changed from No. 8 to No. 1. Bright began his career at No. 25 and was also a wide receiver to begin his collegiate career before moving to running back late in his sophomore season. Redshirt junior Mohelika Uasike changed positions from the defensive line to the offensive line and has changed from No. 99 to No. 66. Junior S Shaq Bond has changed from No. 25 to No. 4. Junior S Braxton Gunther has changed from No. 32 to No. 8. Junior Logan Lee changed positions from defensive end to tight end. Junior Chase Nelson changed positions from safety to running back. Junior WR Savon Scarver has changed from No. 81 to No. 11. Sophomore CB Andre Grayson has changed from No. 30 to No. 21. Sophomore CB Jarrod Green has changed from No. 37 to No. 25. Sophomore WR Deven Thompkins has changed from No. 19 to No. 13. And, redshirt freshman Sam Lockett changed positions from wide receiver to safety.
 
COACHING CHANGES AND HOLDOVERS 
• Utah State's coaching staff this fall has a mixture of coaches who are new to the program and returning to the program for a second stint, along with holdovers from the previous staff. Head coach Gary Andersen is on his second tour-of-duty with the Aggies and enters his fifth season overall in charge of the program. Assistant head coach and tight ends coach Frank Maile is a holdover from the previous staff and is entering his ninth season with the program. Maile also played at USU (2004-07) and graduated from Utah State in 2007. Special teams coordinator and running backs coach Stacy Collins is also a holdover from the previous staff and is entering his fourth season with the program. Offensive line coach TJ Woods is also on his second tour-of-duty with the program and enters his fifth season overall as he also coached at USU from 2009-12. Defensive ends coach Bojay Filimoeatu is in his first year coaching at USU, but was a two-year letterwinner for the Aggies (2011-12) under Andersen and graduated from USU in 2012.
 
DID YOU KNOW? 
• Utah State junior LB David Woodward was the highest-graded linebacker in the nation last season by ProFootballFocus (PFF) with an overall grade of 92.7 percent. Overall, he graded out at 92.0 percent in coverage with 55 defensive stops and a 55.6 passer rating allowed. Entering the 2019 season, Woodward is ranked as the 22nd-best returning player in the nation by PFF.
 
• Utah State senior CB DJ Williams enters the 2019 season ranked as the 10th-best returning cornerback in the nation according to CFB Focus.
 
ACADEMICALLY SPEAKING
• Utah State earned the 2018 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis.
 
• Utah State's football team has a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 92 percent to rank first in the Mountain West. The Aggies also rank first among the other football programs in the Beehive State.  
 
• Over the past nine seasons, USU has had 184 players earn academic all-league honors and 181 players have graduated from Utah State. 
 
• Utah State has six players on its current roster that have already earned their bachelor's degree in senior DE Jacoby Wildman (sociology), and five graduate transfers in CB Terin Adams (liberal arts - Arizona State), RB Riley Burt (exercise and wellness - BYU), DE Nick Heninger (business - Utah), WR Siaosi Mariner (sociology - Utah) and TE Caleb Repp (sociology - Utah).
 
HEAD COACH GARY ANDERSEN
Gary Andersen (hired on Dec. 9, 2018) makes his return to Utah State after serving as USU's head coach for four seasons (2009-12). Andersen will be the first of 27 coaches in USU history to serve as head coach multiple times. 
               
In all, Andersen is entering his 10th season as a Division I head coach, including his fifth at Utah State, and has 30 years of coaching experience. He has been involved in 12 bowl games, including four New Year's Day bowls.
               
As a head coach, he led Utah State to the 2012 Western Athletic Conference Championship and Wisconsin to the 2014 Big Ten Conference West Division title and has coached 16 NFL Draft picks, including six at USU.
               
During his career, Andersen was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award at Utah State in 2012, along with being named the WAC Coach of the Year, and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Coach of the Year Award (2013) and George Munger Coach of the Year Award (2013, 2014) as the head coach at Wisconsin. He was also a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award at Utah in 2008, which is given to the top assistant in college football.
 
Academically, three of Andersen's teams finished in the top-10 nationally in Academic Progress Rate, in addition to 160 academic all-conference honorees.
               
During his four-year tenure with the Aggies from 2009-12, Andersen posted a 26-24 overall record, including the school's first back-to-back winning seasons (7-6 in 2011 and 11-2 in 2012) since 1979-80. He was also the first head coach since Phil Krueger (1973-75) to notch an overall winning record.
               
When initially hired by Utah State on Dec. 4, 2008, Andersen inherited a football program that had suffered through 11 straight losing seasons and only had two winning campaigns in 28 years. Fast forward six years since his departure, and Andersen is inheriting a program that has now appeared in seven bowl games in the past eight years after playing in just four bowl games prior to his arrival.
               
In just his third year at Utah State, Andersen's 2011 club became the first Aggie team to win seven games since 1993 and the first USU team to play in a bowl game in 14 years. The following season, Andersen led USU to its best season ever with a school-record 11 wins, going undefeated in the WAC and capturing its first outright league title since 1936. USU also won just its second-ever bowl game that season with a 41-15 victory against Toledo in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. USU finished the 2012 campaign with an 11-2 record and was one of just two teams in school history at the time, along with the 1961 club, to finish the season nationally ranked as it was 16th in the final Associated Press poll, 17th in the final Coaches poll and 23rd in the final BCS standings.
               
During his four years as Utah State's head coach, Andersen built an Aggie football program that set numerous school records, including wins (11), points scored (454), total offense (6,108 yards) and yards per game (469.8) in 2012, and touchdowns (60), rushing yards (3,675) and rushing touchdowns (37) in 2011. The 282.7 rushing yards per game in 2011 ranked sixth in the nation that year and are the second-most in school history. Furthermore, the 34.9 points per game scored in 2012 were the second-most in school history at the time, while that team's defense allowed just 322.1 yards and 15.4 points per game, its fewest at USU since the 1960s. Furthermore, those 15.4 points allowed per game in 2012 ranked seventh nationally.
               
During his final two seasons at Utah State, Andersen led the Aggies to an 18-8 record, including an 11-2 conference mark.
               
While at Utah State, Andersen coached six Aggies who went on to earn All-American honors (Will Davis, Kerwynn Williams, Tyler Larsen, Nevin Lawson, Zach Vigil and Kyler Fackrell) and 10 Aggies who played in the NFL, including current Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, who was selected in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Furthermore, Andersen coached 27 players that earned various all-conference honors during his time in Logan, including running back Robert Turbin, who was named the WAC's Offensive Player of the Year in 2011 and has spent the past seven seasons in the NFL.
               
Andersen comes back to Utah State after spending the 2018 season as the associate head coach and defensive line coach at the University of Utah, where the Utes posted a 9-4 record and advanced to the Pac-12 Championship game after winning the Pac-12 South. At Utah, Andersen helped coach 10 defensive starters to all-conference honors, including all three of his starters on the defensive line.
               
In all, Andersen spent 12 years on staff at Utah during three different stints, including helping the Utes to undefeated seasons in 2004 and 2008 as they played in the Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl, respectively. During his time at Utah, Andersen coached two All-Americans, two conference defensive Most Valuable Players, 22 first-team all-conference honorees and 16 NFL draft picks.
               
Following his four years as Utah State's head coach, Andersen spent two seasons as the head coach at Wisconsin (2013-14) and three years as the head coach at Oregon State (2015-17). At Wisconsin, he led the Badgers to a 19-7 record, a Big Ten divisional championship in 2014 and appearances in the Capital One Bowl and Outback Bowl.
               
During his two years at Wisconsin, Andersen coached five All-Americans and had seven players selected in the NFL Draft. In 2013, Chris Borland was named a first-team All-American, and the Big Ten Conference Linebacker and Defensive Player of the Year. In 2014, Andersen coached Melvin Gordon, the nation's leading rusher and scorer in 2014, to the Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award and a runner-up finish for the Heisman Trophy.
               
And at Oregon State, Andersen had three players drafted into the NFL in Isaac Seumalo, Sean Harlow and Treston Decoud, and coached two Freshman All-Americans in Xavier Crawford and Gus Lavaka and 12 all-league player.
               
Andersen's coaching career began in 1988 as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana, where he coached for one season before going to Ricks College from 1989-92 as the offensive line coach. His other coaching stints include Idaho State (1992-94, defensive line), Park City HS (1994-95, head coach) and Northern Arizona (1995-96, assistant head coach/defensive line/special teams). Andersen also spent the 2003 season as the head coach at Southern Utah.       
               
A 1986 graduate of Utah, Andersen earned his bachelor's degree in political science. He played center for Utah from 1985-86 after garnering first-team juco All-America honors in 1984 at Ricks College.
               
Andersen is married to the former Stacey Lambert, and they have three grown children: Keegan (Jen), and twins Chasen (Marquelle) and Hagen (Kaitlin), one grandson (Raylen), and one granddaughter (Baylor).