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UTAH STATE CONTINUES MOUNTAIN WEST PLAY AT WYOMING
Game will be televised live on Fox Sports 2 on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:45 p.m. 
 
UTAH STATE (3-4, 2-1 MW) vs. WYOMING (4-3, 2-1 MW)
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 • 7:45 p.m. (MT) • Laramie, Wyoming • War Memorial Stadium (29,181)
 
GAME 8 INFORMATION
TV: Fox Sports 2 
• Play-by-Play: Dan Hellie
• Analyst: Petros Papadakis
• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 264/722 HD
• DISH: Ch. 149
• DirecTV: Ch. 618
 
RADIO: Aggie Sports Network
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard 
• Analyst: Kevin White
• National: Sirius XM 386 / SXM App 976
• Online: kslsports.com/kslsportszone
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: UtahState.Statbroadcast.com
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State (3-4, 2-1 MW) continues Mountain West play this weekend with a road game at Wyoming (4-3, 2-1 MW) on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:45 p.m., on Fox Sports 2 (Xfinity Ch. 264/722 HD, DISH Ch. 149, DirecTV Ch. 618) with Dan Hellie (play-by-play) and Petros Papadakis (analyst) on the call. 
 
• Utah State had two players honored this week by the Mountain West for their performances against Colorado State as quarterback Bishop Davenport was named the Freshman of the Week, while junior punter Stephen Kotsanlee was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. Two more Aggies have been named MW Freshman of the Week this year in RB Robert Briggs and S Ike Larsen.
 
• Utah State has won back-to-back games after a four-plus game losing streak for the 12th time in school history (1904, 1966, 1977, 1987, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2007) and seven of those teams went on to win at least three straight (1904, 1966, 1977, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001).
 
 
• Utah State has won each of its last five Mountain West road games and has won six-straight road games against MW opponents, as its last MW road loss was at Nevada on Nov. 5, 2020. USU is 8-2 in road games under head coach Blake Anderson and 18-10 (.643) in its last 28 road games overall. Under Anderson, USU is 9-2 in games away from home with both of those losses coming this season against top-20 opponents.
 
• Utah State is 45-28 (.616) all-time in Mountain West play, including a 21-14 (.600) road record. Overall, USU (46-29) has the third-best record against MW opponents (including championship games) since it joined the league in 2013. Boise State (62-15) has the best record, while San Diego State (54-20) has the second-best. Wyoming has the eighth-best record (32-42).
 
• Utah State sophomore QB Levi Williams spent three seasons at Wyoming (2019-21) as he played in 18 games with 12 starts, while UW junior QB Andrew Peasley spent four years (2018-21) at USU, as he appeared in 19 games with two starts. Both players are in their first year with their current team. 
 
• Utah State is the defending Mountain West Champion after winning the Mountain Division with a 6-2 record and posting a 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State in the 2021 MW Championship Game.
 
HEAD COACH BLAKE ANDERSON
• Blake Anderson (hired on Dec. 12, 2020) concluded his first year as Utah State's head coach in 2021 and is the 29th head coach in program history. He has a 65-44 overall record, including a 46-21 conference mark. He has posted a 14-7 record at USU, including a 8-3 conference mark.
 
• Anderson has 29 years of coaching experience and has been part of six conference championships. He has also coached in 11 bowl games and won a national championship at the junior college level.
 
• In his first season at Utah State, Anderson led the Aggies to their first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State, their sixth bowl win in school history with a 24-13 victory against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, and a school-record-tying 11 wins as USU was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain Division of the MW in the preseason polls.
 
• Under Anderson, Utah State tied for the best turnaround in the nation in 2021 as the Aggies became the first FBS program ever to go from zero or one win to 11 wins the following season. 
 
• During the 2021 season, Utah State set 10 school records, including 4,248 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes, and tied four more as it became the first FBS program in eight years to go 7-0 on the road. USU also ranked 15th in the nation in passing offense (303.4 ypg) and 23rd in total offense (445.6 ypg), and was top three in the MW in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense (32.6 ppg).
 
• Anderson, who was named the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2021 at Utah State, mentored a pair of Aggies that broke several single-season school records in quarterback Logan Bonner and wide receiver Deven Thompkins. Bonner set school records in passing touchdowns (36) and passing yards (3,628), while Thompkins set school records for receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,704). 
 
• Overall, Anderson saw nine of his players earn all-Mountain West honors, including Thompkins, who was named a third-team All-American by The Associated Press.   
 
• Anderson came to Utah State after spending seven years as the head coach at Arkansas State, leading ASU to six-consecutive winning seasons and six-straight bowl games from 2014-19, including a 31-13 win against UCF in the 2016 Cure Bowl and a 34-26 win against FIU in the 2019 Camellia Bowl. ASU also won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Championships under Anderson in 2015 and 2016, and competed for another in 2017.
 
• During that six-year stretch, the Red Wolves broke 12 school records, including 494.8 yards of total offense per game, 4,106 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes in 2017, 520 points scored and 69 total touchdowns in 2015, and 6,174 yards of total offense and 1,024 total plays in 2014.
 
• The Red Wolves won at least seven games, including at least five league games, six-straight years under Anderson, including a nine-victory campaign in 2015 and eight-win seasons in 2016, 2018 and 2019. In all, Anderson posted a 51-37 (.580) record at ASU, including a 38-18 (.679) mark in the Sun Belt Conference. Those 51 wins, 40 of which were by double digits, are tied for the third-most in school history.
 
• Statistically, Arkansas State annually ranked as one of the top offensive teams in the nation under Anderson. In 2020, the Red Wolves led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 15th nationally in total offense at 489.7 yards per game. ASU also led the Sun Belt in total offense in 2018 (466.2 ypg), 2017 (494.8 ypg) and 2014 (476.5 ypg), and ranked second in 2015 (438.5 ypg). Furthermore, the 2017 team ranked 10th in the nation in total offense, while the 2018 team was 17th and the 2014 team was 20th nationally.
 
• As for passing offense, Arkansas State led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked third in the nation in 2020 at 364.4 yards per game. In 2019, the Red Wolves finished second in the conference and 10th in the nation with 312.1 passing yards per game. ASU also led the Sun Belt in passing offense in both 2017 and 2018 with 342.2 and 281.5 passing yards per game, respectively. The 2017 team also ranked fifth nationally in that category, while the 2018 team was 21st in the nation.
 
• Arkansas State also led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense three times under Anderson as the 2017 team averaged 37.8 points per game to rank 13th nationally, while the 2015 team averaged 40.0 points per game to rank 12th in the nation, and the 2014 team averaged 36.7 points per game to rank 18th nationally. In fact, six of Anderson's seven Red Wolves' teams averaged over 30 points per game.
 
• Overall, each of Anderson's first six squads at Arkansas State ranked among the top-45 teams in the nation in at least 23 combined offensive, defensive and special teams categories, including the 2018 team that led the nation in punt return defense (-1.9 yards per return), the 2016 team that led the nation in tackles for loss (9.6 per game) and the 2015 squad that led the nation in both defensive touchdowns (8) and passes intercepted (26).
 
• Following the 2019 campaign, Anderson received the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award and was named the Grant Teaff Coach of the Year, presented annually by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as he guided the Red Wolves to an 8-5 record and Camellia Bowl championship after his wife, Wendy, passed away prior to the start of the season following a courageous battle with cancer. 
 
• A two-year letterwinner at wide receiver for Sam Houston State from 1990-91, Anderson was named Southland Conference all-academic as a senior. He also played for two years as a quarterback and receiver at Baylor (1988-89). Anderson graduated with his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from SHSU in 1992. He also attained his master's degree in sports administration from Eastern New Mexico in 1994.
 
SCOUTING WYOMING
• Wyoming is 4-3 on the season and 2-1 in Mountain West play following its 27-14 conference win at New Mexico two weekends ago. The Cowboys are led by junior QB Andrew Peasley, who is 92-of-171 (.538) passing for 1,005 yards (143.6 ypg) with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Junior RB Titus Swen leads the team in rushing with 505 yards on 115 carries (4.4 ypc/72.1 ypg) with four touchdowns. And, sophomore WR Joshua Cobbs has caught 24 passes for 285 yards (11.9 ypr/40.7 ypg) and two touchdowns. Defensively, sophomore LB Easton Gibbs has a team-best 59 tackles, which includes 3.5 tackles for loss, while fellow sophomore LB Shae Suiaunoa has 40 tackles, which includes 4.0 tackles for loss. As a team, Wyoming is averaging 23.3 points and 297.3 yards of total offense per game (150.1 rushing, 147.1 passing) and allowing 26.3 points and 387.9 yards of total offense (147.4 rushing, 240.4 passing). Wyoming returns eight starters (O-5, D-3) and 42 lettermen (O-24, D-16, S-2) from last year's team that went 7-6 overall and finished tied for fourth in the MW with a 2-6 record. UW concluded its season with a 52-38 win against Kent State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Craig Bohl is 153-85 in his 20th season as a collegiate head coach, including a 49-53 record in his ninth season at Wyoming.
 
AGGIES AND COWBOYS SERIES HISTORY 
• Utah State is 40-27-4 all-time against Wyoming, including a 13-15-3 road record, as USU won 20 of the first 23 meetings. USU has also won six of the last nine meetings, including a 24-16 road win in 2018, the last time the two teams played one another in Laramie. Wyoming won last year's meeting in Logan, 44-17.The first game ever played in the series was in 1903 with USU winning in Logan, 46-0, and the two teams played one another 58 times through the 1978 season. The series resumed in 2001 and the two teams have played one another 13 times since then. USU's 40 wins against UW are its most against any opponent.
 
UTAH STATE vs. WYOMING SERIES FOURTH-MOST PLAYED IN SCHOOL HISTORY 
• Utah State and Wyoming will be meeting for the 72nd time in series history this weekend in what is the fourth-most played rivalry in school history. USU's most-played series is Utah (112), followed by Brigham Young (91) and Colorado State (78).
 
AGGIES AND COWBOYS HAVE STORIED HISTORY 
• Utah State and Wyoming have a storied history as both schools were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1916-37 and later members of the Mountain States/Skyline Conference from 1938-61, along with its current membership in the Mountain West, for a total of 56 years as league foes. As members of the RMAC, USU won league championships in 1921 and 1936, and later won league titles in the Mountain States/Skyline Conference in 1946, 1960 and 1961. UW won league championships in the Mountain States/Skyline Conference in 1949, 1950, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961. 
 
UTAH STATE AND WYOMING SERIES REFERRED TO AS "BRIDGER'S BATTLE" 
• Utah State and Wyoming announced on Nov. 25, 2013, that both schools adopted a rivalry series in football that is referred to as "Bridger's Battle" in reference to celebrated Wyoming/Utah mountain man Jim Bridger. The winner of the annual contest will take home the traveling "Bridger Rifle," a .50 caliber Rocky Mountain Hawken rifle that was popular among mountain men and widely considered to be what Bridger carried. 
 
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND WYOMING 
• The following are connections between Utah State and Wyoming players. USU senior RB Cooper Jones and UW junior WR Caleb Cooley both began their collegiate careers at Butte College in Oroville, California. USU graduate junior WR Xavier Williams and UW sophomore DE Keelan Cox both began their collegiate careers at Alabama. USU sophomore LS Jacob Garcia and UW redshirt freshman DT Ben Florentine both attended Servite HS in Anaheim, California. USU sophomore OL Kingsley Holliday and UW sophomore QB Evan Svoboda both attended Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. USU sophomore WR Kyrese Rowan and UW sophomore QB Jayden Clemons both began their collegiate careers at Utah. USU redshirt freshman WR Timm Van Leeuwen and UW redshirt freshman WR Jaylen Sargent both attended Logan (Utah) HS. USU freshman WR Josh Davis and UW sophomore OT Carlos Harrison both attended Carlsbad (California) HS. And, USU freshman OL Adam Pond and Clemons both attended Skyridge HS in Lehi, Utah. 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Wyoming junior QB Andrew Peasley spent four years (2018-21) at Utah State, as he appeared in 19 games with two starts and was 70-of-130 (.538) passing for 830 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions, while rushing for 515 yards on 57 carries (9.0 ypr) and three touchdowns. Peasley was also named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week once during his time at USU. Utah State sophomore QB Levi Williams spent three seasons at Wyoming (2019-21) as he played in 18 games with 12 starts, and was 150-of-278 (.540) passing for 2,210 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while rushing for 763 yards on 168 carries (4.5 ypr) and 13 touchdowns. Williams also led the Cowboys to wins in the 2019 Arizona Bowl and the 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.   
 
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND WYOMING
• Utah State has won six of the past nine games played in the series, outscoring Wyoming 294-217 (32.7-24.1). Three of the last four games in the series have been decided by one score. 
• Utah State has averaged 200.8 rushing yards per game in its last six wins against Wyoming and has held the Cowboys to just 325.5 yards of total offense in those six games. 
• The team that has had more rushing yards had lost three straight games in the series, prior to last season. However, the team with more rushing yards has won nine of the last 12 games.
 • The team that commits fewer turnovers has won seven of the last nine games in the series. 
• Wyoming has held Utah State to less than 30 points in six of the past seven meetings, but USU is 3-3 in those games. Conversely, Utah State has held Wyoming to under 30 points in seven of the last nine games in the series and is 6-1 in those games. 
• The losing team has scored less than 20 points in seven of the last 11 games played in the series, while the winning team has scored at least 50 points in two of the last six games and at least 20 points in each of the past 17 games.
• Utah State has scored at least 50 points in the series four times, including twice in the last nine meetings, while Wyoming's 52 points six years ago were its most in series history. Furthermore, Wyoming's 44 points last year marked just the sixth time in series history that it had scored 40 points.
• Utah State has had six 100-yard rushers and three 100-yard receivers in the last 13 meetings, while Wyoming has had nine 100-yard rushers, two 100-yard receivers and one 300-yard passer in the past 13 meetings.
• The winning team has scored first in nine of the past 13 meetings, with the only exceptions being in 2001, 2011, 2017 and 2019.
• The team that has led at the half has won 11 of the last 12 games in the series, with the only exception being in 2017.
• Wyoming has controlled the time of possession in 11 of the last 13 meetings, including each of the last seven games.
• There have been 16 shutouts in series history, 12 by USU's defense and four by UW's defense.
• Utah State holds the longest shutout streak in the series at five games, as it did not allow the Cowboys to score a single point in meetings from 1931 to 1936.
 
FROM THE RECORD BOOKS
Here is a look at some of the top Utah State individual and team statistical performances against Wyoming over the years. 
• Chuckie Keeton tied the single-game school record as a freshman in 2011 with five touchdown passes in USU's 63-19 home win against Wyoming.
• Emmett White's 274 rushing yards against Wyoming in 2001 are the third-most in school history.
• Jay Van Noy scored on an 82-yard run against Wyoming in 1948, which is tied for the 11th-longest in school history.
• JoJo Natson had an 80-yard punt return against Wyoming in 2014, which is the 10th-longest in school history.
• Tony Adams passed for 389 yards against Wyoming in 1971, the 19th-most in school history.
• Savon Scarver had a 99-yard kickoff return against Wyoming in 2018, which is tied for the ninth-longest in school history.
• Jordan Love's 80-yard touchdown pass to Siaosi Mariner against Wyoming in 2019 is tied for the 18th-longest in school history.
• Utah State had 592 yards of offense against Wyoming in 2015, the 23rd-most in school history.
• Utah State had 389 passing yards against Wyoming in 1971, the 25th-most in school history.
• Utah State held Wyoming to 29 passing yards in 1978 and 42 passing yards in 1962, the 14th- and 22nd-fewest in school history. 
• The Aggies' single-game high of 14 punts was done three times, once against Wyoming in 1970. 
• Utah State's school record for fewest pass attempts allowed of three was done twice, once against Wyoming in 1955. 
• Three of the top 26 winning margins in school history have been against Wyoming, as Utah State posted a 57-0 win in 1917 (10th-largest), a 53-0 win in 1912 (15th-largest), and a 46-0 win in 1903 (26th-largest).
• Wyoming posted a 48-3 win against Utah State in 1968, the 28th-largest margin of defeat in school history.
• Utah State has had 11 100-yard rushers, six 100-yard receivers and two 300-yard passers in series history.
 
ALL-TIME AGGIE GREATS FROM THE STATE OF WYOMING
• Utah State has had several notable football players from the state of Wyoming, including defensive end Ben Crosland (Kemmerer), who was named the 1997 Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year and an honorable mention All-American. Defensive end John Chick (Gillette) earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors in 2005. Offensive guard Joe Crum (Rawlins) earned first-team all-Big West Conference honors in 1981 and second-team honors in 1982. And, defensive back Paul Gustafson (Casper) earned second-team all-Big West honors in 1994. In men's basketball, Jaycee Carroll (Evanston) was a two-time Associated Press All-American (2007, 2008) and the 2008 WAC Player of the Year, and is USU's all-time leading scorer with 2,522 points, while ranking first all-time in school history in nine other categories. And in women's soccer, Jayme Gordy (Cheyenne) earned first-team all-Big West honors in 1999 and 2000, while earning second-team honors in 1998 and honorable mention honors in 1997. Gordy was inducted into Utah State's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and Carroll was inducted in 2022.
 
CURRENT AGGIES vs. WYOMING
• The following is a look at what current Utah State players have done against Wyoming in multiple games played. Graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards has 2.0 knockdowns in three games. Graduate senior CB Andre Grayson has five tackles and one pass breakup in three games. Senior CB Ajani Carter has three tackles in two games. Senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka has two tackles in two games.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 33 players in its program from the Beehive State, while Wyoming has 11 players on its roster from the Cowboy State.
 
• Utah State is 173-190-8 (.477) all-time against current members of the Mountain West with a 40-27-4 record vs. Wyoming, a 37-39-2 record vs. Colorado State, an 18-8 record vs. UNLV, a 19-20-1 record vs. San José State, a 15-13 record vs. New Mexico, a 13-18-1 record vs. Fresno State, an 11-6 record vs. Hawai`i, a 7-19 record vs. Nevada, a 5-21 record vs. Boise State, a 5-6 record vs. Air Force, and a 3-13 record vs. San Diego State.
 
LAST MEETING vs. WYOMING
LOGAN, Utah - Wyoming junior RB Titus Swen rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns, while senior RB Xazavian Valladay added 145 rushing yards as the Cowboys beat the Aggies 44-17 on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
 
Wyoming (6-5, 2-5 Mountain West) put an end to Utah State's five-game winning streak, finishing with 604 yards of total offense, including 380 on the ground. The Aggies (8-3, 5-2) managed just 362 yards of offense, including a season-low 181 through the air.
 
With the loss, the Aggies fell into a three-way tie for first place with Air Force and Boise State in the Mountain Division of the MW standings. A win over New Mexico next week, coupled with a Boise State loss at San Diego State, would send USU to the Mountain West Championship game for the first time since 2013.
 
Graduate junior QB Logan Bonner was 19-of-40 passing for 181 yards and two touchdowns – a 10-yarder to graduate senior WR Brandon Bowling and 41-yarder to senior WR Deven Thompkins. Bowling finished with six catches for 60 yards, while Thompkins caught five passes for 67 yards. Senior WR Derek Wright added three receptions for 30 yards.
 
Graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. led the Aggies in rushing with 109 yards on 18 carries for his third 100-yard rushing game this season and of his career.
 
The Cowboys scored their first touchdown of the night after the Aggies turned it over on downs on Wyoming's 36-yard line. After Bowling's touchdown tied it at 7-apiece, Cameron Stone returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, giving the visitors a 14-7 lead.
 
Utah State answered right back when Thompkins hauled in an acrobatic 41-yard touchdown reception, making it 14-all late in the first quarter.
 
Wyoming regained the lead for good on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Levi Williams to Joshua Cobbs. The two teams traded field goals before the half, including a 36-yarder by Utah State graduate senior PK Connor Coles, as the Cowboys went into the break leading 24-17.
 
Utah State began the second half with the ball and drove into Wyoming territory, where the drive stalled at the 25-yard line. Coles lined up for another field goal try to cut into the visitor's lead, but the snap was high and the Cowboys recovered at their own 44.
 
Two plays later, Swen scored on a 43-yard touchdown run to essentially put the game out of reach.
 
Defensively, graduate senior ILB Justin Rice and graduate junior S Hunter Reynolds led Utah State with 10 stops apiece, while Wyoming's Chad Muma led all tacklers in the game with 17 tackles. Rice also had 1.5 tackles for loss.
 
Utah State graduate senior S Shaq Bond had eight tackles, an interception near the goal line and a forced fumble. Graduate senior DE Nick Heninger had a season-high nine tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss. Graduate senior OLB Cash Gilliam added eight tackles, while junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr. and 1.0 tackles for loss and junior ILB AJ Vongphachanh had 0.5 tackles for loss.
 
Sophomore P Stephen Kotsanlee had three of his five punts downed inside the 20-yard line, which included a 51-yarder.
 
Senior WR Savon Scarver tied his career-high with five kickoff returns for 93 yards, including a long of 32 yards. 
 
LAST ROAD MEETING vs. WYOMING
LARAMIE, Wyoming - Junior RB Darwin Thompson rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns as Utah State held on for a 24-16 victory over Wyoming in its annual Bridger's Battle on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, at War Memorial Stadium.
 
Sophomore WR Savon Scarver added a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as the Aggies (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West) won their sixth straight game and became bowl eligible for the seventh time in the last eight years.
 
With the victory, Utah State matched its best start since the 1974 campaign, when that team also started the year by winning six of its first seven games.
 
Reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, sophomore QB Jordan Love, completed just 12-of-28 passes for 53 yards and an interception as Utah State's offense struggled on the day, gaining just 194 total yards. USU also had just 11 first downs in the game, as compared to 15 for UW, while the Cowboys won the time of possession battle, 37:39 to 22:21. The Aggies were also just 4-of-15 on third downs during the day, while Wyoming was 7-of-19.
 
Fortunately for the Aggies, the defense was more than up to the challenge against Wyoming (2-6, 0-4 MW). The Cowboys gained 331 yards of total offense on the day (231 rushing, 100 passing), but turned it over twice – an interception by senior S Jontrell Rocquemore and fumble recovery by senior DE Adewale Adeoye.
 
Senior LB David Woodward led the Aggies with a game- and career-high-tying 16 tackles to go along with a forced fumble and pass breakup near the goal line. Overall, it was Woodward's fifth double-digit tackle outing this season and the sixth of his career. Senior LB Chase Christiansen added a career-high 14 stops, including 1.0 tackles for loss, and one pass breakup for USU. It marked just the second time in his career he has recorded double-digit tackles. Junior CB DJ Williams added a career-high-tying six tackles for the Aggies, who finished the game with 7.0 tackles for loss as a team.
 
Utah State, who rushed for 141 yards overall, scored on just the third play of the game, a 56-yard touchdown run by Thompson that gave the Aggies a 7-0 lead.
 
Thompson finished the day carrying the ball 17 times, which tied his career high. He also tied his career highs with his 109 rushing yards and two touchdown runs.
 
The two teams then traded field goals the rest of the half. Wyoming's Cooper Rothe kicked a 27-yard field goal and Utah State junior PK Dominik Eberle booted a 45-yarder as the Aggies took a 10-3 lead into halftime.
 
Utah State opened the second half on defense, but wasted little time getting the ball back to the offense. Rocquemore intercepted a pass by Wyoming's Tyler Vander Waal on the Cowboys' first play of the drive, returning it 20 yards to the Cowboys' 3-yard line. One play later, Thompson had his second rushing touchdown of the day to give the visitors a 17-3 lead.
 
After Rothe kicked his second field goal of the day, this time from 47 yards out, Scarver returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, making it 24-6 with 4:11 left in the third. It was Scarver's second kickoff return for a touchdown this year and the third of his career.
 
Those were the final points the Aggies would score on the day as the Cowboys narrowed the margin on a 53-yard touchdown run by Nico Evans with 2:37 left in the third quarter and another field goal by Rothe, a 21-yarder with 5:32 left in the game. 
 
GAME 7 RECAP vs. COLORADO STATE
FORT COLLINS, Colorado - Utah State true freshman QB Bishop Davenport passed for 41 yards and rushed for 29 more, including a 4-yard touchdown, to help the Aggies rally for a 17-13 win at Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.
 
Davenport, the Aggies' fourth-string quarterback at the start of the season, was on the field after junior Cooper Legas, who started against the Rams (1-5, 1-1 Mountain West), left the game due to injury, as did his backup, sophomore Levi Williams.
 
Davenport's touchdown with 7:34 to go in the third quarter proved to be the game-winner and gave Utah State (3-4, 2-1 MW) a 17-10 lead.
 
The Aggies, who have won two straight after having lost four in a row, finished with 390 yards of total offense, including 252 on the ground. Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. led all rushers in the game with 129 yards on 24 carries for his third-straight 100-yard game.
 
Legas was 9-of-12 passing for 85 yards and a 32-yard touchdown to senior WR Justin McGriff that gave Utah State a 7-3 lead with 1:54 to go in the first quarter.
 
McGriff finished with a game-high 63 yards on four receptions, while junior WR Terrell Vaughn had a game-best six catches for 48 yards.
 
Defensively, junior ILB MJ Tafisi had a team-high 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, while graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak had five stops, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks – both career highs – to go along with a forced fumble, pass breakup and quarterback hurry. Senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh added nine tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
 
Colorado State struck first courtesy of a 23-yard field goal by Michael Boyle with 11:45 to go in the opening quarter. The points came after Cam'Ron Carter intercepted a pass by Legas and returned it 39 yards to the Aggies' 29-yard line.
 
Colorado State led 10-7 at the break following a 26-yard touchdown run by Avery Morrow, who gained 92 yards on the ground in the first half alone.
 
Graduate senior PK Connor Coles made a 48-yard field goal with 10:57 remaining in the third quarter to tie the game at 10-apiece. Coles also missed a pair of field goals from 45 and 52 yards.
 
Boyle's final field goal of the night, a 35-yarder, pulled the Rams to within 17-13 with 14:08 to go in the game, following an Aggie fumble inside the 20-yard line.
 
Colorado State's final offensive possession of the night ended when Utah State graduate senior S Gurvan Hall Jr. intercepted a pass by Rams quarterback Giles Pooler.
 
Davenport and the Aggies ran the final 5:16 off the clock from there to preserve the road victory.
 
Colorado State managed just 262 yards of total offense (99 rushing, 163 passing) and scored six of its points off Aggie turnovers. USU also held CSU to 2-of-15 on third down and 1-for-3 on fourth down attempts.
 
Colorado State also blocked an Aggie punt that was recovered at the USU 20-yard line, but the Rams ended that possession with a missed field goal. 
Defensively, Utah State finished the game with 3.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss to go along with a season-high seven pass breakups. The Aggies also had three quarterback hurries to go along with a forced fumble and interception. 
 
AGGIES DEFEAT COLORADO STATE WITH FOURTH-STRING QUARTERBACK 
• With graduate senior Logan Bonner out with a season-ending injury suffered against UNLV, junior Cooper Legas has started the last three games for USU. However, Legas and sophomore Levi Williams were both injured last weekend against Colorado State, resulting in fourth-stringer Bishop Davenport playing the entire second half. The last time USU had to play its fourth-string quarterback was during the 2014 campaign when it lost Chuckie Keeton, Craig Harrison and Darell Garretson to season-ending injuries. Freshman Kent Myers played the final seven games of that season and posted a 5-1 record as a starter as USU went 10-4 and posted a 21-6 win against UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl.
 
• Saturday's game at Colorado State also marked the first time since the 2019 season that Utah State has played three quarterbacks in one game as Jordan Love, Henry Colombi and Andrew Peasley all played against Stony Brook (not due to injury).
 
UTAH STATE ONLY FBS TEAM TO PLAY FOUR QUARTERBACKS DUE TO INJURY
• Utah State is the only Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team that has had to use four quarterbacks this season due to injury. Liberty has also played four different quarterbacks, but not due to injury. With graduate senior Logan Bonner out after a season-ending injury against UNLV, and junior Cooper Legas and sophomore Levi Williams both getting injured last weekend against Colorado State, fourth-stringer Bishop Davenport played the entire second half. USU is also one of only two FBS programs this season (San Diego State) that has had to play three quarterbacks in the same game due to injury. And, USU is the only FBS program that has had three quarterbacks lead their team to a win this season, as Bonner was the starter in USU's victory against UConn, while Legas was the starter in its win against Air Force, and Davenport rallied USU for a second-half come-from-behind win at CSU.
 
UTAH STATE'S RUNNING GAME HAS COME TO LIFE IN ITS LAST THREE GAMES 
• Utah State has been very effective running the ball in its last three games as it has rushed for at least 199 yards in each outing. Overall, USU has rushed for 655 yards on 136 attempts (4.8 ypc) for an average of 218.3 yards per game. The last time USU accomplished that feat was during the 2014 season when it rushed for over 200 yards in four-straight games.
 
UTAH STATE POSTS THIRD COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN OF THE SEASON 
• Utah State has had to come-from-behind to win all three of its games this year as it trailed UConn 14-0 in the first quarter before posting a 31-20 win, trailed Air Force 24-20 in the fourth quarter before scoring 14 of the final 17 points to post a 34-27 win, and scored 10 of the final 13 points to defeat Colorado State 17-13, after trailing 10-7 at halftime.
 
• During the 2021 season, USU rallied from six double-digit deficits to post wins and won three games when trailing after three quarters. In fact, USU won each of its first five road games last season after trailing by double digits.
 
UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE SHINES AGAINST COLORADO STATE 
• Utah State's defense had one of its best games of the season in its last outing against Colorado State as it held the Rams to 262 yards of total offense (99 rushing, 163 passing), and to 2-of-15 on third down and 1-of-3 on fourth down conversions. In the second half, the Rams gained just 74 yards on 26 plays with four first downs. 
 
• Utah State allowed just six points following a pair of turnovers and a blocked punt that gave Colorado State the ball inside the Aggie 30-yard line each time. On those three possessions, CSU gained just 15 yards on 13 plays, converting 2-of-3 field goals.
 
• Utah State held Colorado State's Tory Horton to zero receptions, despite being targeted nine times. Horton entered the game with 32 receptions for 491 yards and five touchdowns as he led the Mountain West in receptions (6.4) and receiving yards (98.2) per game.
 
• Utah State had a season-high seven pass breakups against Colorado State, bettering its previous season high of four against UConn. Those seven pass breakups are the most by a USU team since recording nine against Nevada in 2019.
 
• Utah State's defense set season-best marks in points (13), first downs (14), rushing yards (99) and total yards (262) allowed against Colorado State, while limiting CSU to 2-of-15 on third down. 
 
TEAM NOTABLES FROM THE COLORADO STATE GAME 
• Utah State had lost 28-straight games when scoring less than 20 points prior to its 17-13 Mountain West win at Colorado State last weekend. The last time USU won a game when scoring less than 20 points was when it defeated Southern Utah 12-9 to start the 2015 season. And, the last time USU won a conference game when scoring less than 20 points was when it posted a 13-0 MW home win against Colorado State in 2013.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has lost four starters to season-ending injuries this year in graduate senior QB Logan Bonner, graduate senior DT Phillip Paea, junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen and redshirt freshman DT Seni Tuiaki. USU has also had 18 players make their first-career start this year, while 30 players have made their Aggie debut. Only five Aggies made their first-career start last year. 
 
DAVENPORT NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
• Bishop Davenport, who began the season as Utah State's fourth-string quarterback, was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week, as he came off the bench late in the second quarter and led USU to a pair of third quarter scoring drives in his collegiate debut to help the Aggies rally from a 10-7 halftime deficit to post a 17-13 win at Colorado State last weekend. On the first drive of the third quarter, Davenport led USU on an eight-play, 46-yard drive that culminated in a 48-yard field goal. On his second drive of the third quarter, USU went 59 yards in eight plays, and scored a touchdown on Davenport's 4-yard run. Against the Rams, Davenport was 3-of-9 passing for 41 yards and rushed for 29 yards on 11 carries, including a touchdown. 
 
• Davenport is the first true freshman QB to play for Utah State since Andrew Peasley during the 2018 season. Furthermore, the last true freshman QB to score a rushing touchdown for USU was Kent Myers during the 2014 campaign. Myers went 5-1 as the starting quarterback in 2014.
 
TYLER POSTS EIGHTH-CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING GAME AGAINST COLORADO STATE
• Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. posted his third-straight 100-yard rushing game as he gained 129 yards on 24 carries against Colorado State. Overall, he now has four 100-yard rushing games this season and eight in his career.
 
• In his previous game against Air Force, Tyler rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries, including a 21-yard touchdown, which was his first of the season and the 10th of his career. And, in the game before that against No. 19 BYU, he rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries. He also had a career-high 161 yards on a career-best 33 attempts in the season-opener against UConn.
 
• Tyler is the first Aggie running back to post three-straight 100-yard rushing games since Kerwynn Williams did so during the 2012 season. In fact, Williams rushed for 100 yards in each of his last four games at USU during the 2012 campaign.
 
TYLER NOW 14TH ALL-TIME AT UTAH STATE IN RUSHING
• Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. has rushed for 1,518 yards on 335 attempts (4.53 ypc) and eight touchdowns in his Utah State career, which ranks 14th all-time in school history. Overall, Tyler is one of 33 Aggies to rush for 1,000 yards in a career and one of 14 Aggies to rush for 1,500 yards.
 
• During his collegiate career, which includes four years at Oregon State, Tyler has now rushed for 1,642 yards on 365 carries (4.50 ypc) and 10 touchdowns.
 
LEGAS MISSES LAST THREE QUARTERS OF COLORADO STATE GAME
• Junior QB Cooper Legas missed the last three quarters of Utah State's win at Colorado State due to injury. In the first quarter, Legas was 9-of-12 passing for 85 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 27 yards on four carries.
 
• In his previous game against Air Force, Legas was 18-of-23 passing for a career-high 215 yards with a career-high-tying two touchdowns (31, 34) and one interception. He also carried the ball 13 times for a career-high 76 yards, including a 32-yard score. Overall, it was his first-career 200-yard passing game.
 
• In three games as Utah State's starting quarterback this year, Legas is 46-of-66 (.697) passing for 488 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also carried the ball 37 times for 155 yards (4.2 ypc) and two touchdowns.
 
• In the only other game where Legas saw significant playing time, he was 11-of-20 passing for 171 yards with two touchdowns (62, 5) and one interception in Utah State's 24-13 win against Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. Against the Beavers, Legas became the first FBS quarterback ever to throw a touchdown on his first collegiate pass in a bowl game.
 
McGRIFF CATCHES 11TH-CAREER TOUCHDOWN IN COLORADO STATE GAME
• Senior WR Justin McGriff had a 32-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against Colorado State for his third touchdown catch of the season and the 11th of his career. He finished the game with four receptions for 63 yards, both of which are his second-most in a game this season.
 
VAUGHN TIES CAREER HIGH WITH SIX RECEPTIONS IN COLORADO STATE GAME
• Junior WR Terrell Vaughn tied his career high with six receptions for 48 yards in his last outing against Colorado State. In his first two games at the Division I level, Vaughn had two receptions for 17 yards. In his last five games, he has 25 receptions for 256 yards (10.2 ypr) and three touchdowns.
 
COBBS HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST AIR FORCE
• Graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs had eight receptions for a career-high 136 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown against Air Force for his second 100-yard receiving game this season and of his career. In his previous game at No. 19 BYU, Cobbs had a career-high 10 receptions for 96 yards and a career-high two touchdown catches (14, 27). In his last four games, Cobbs has 27 catches for 339 yards (12.6 ypr/84.8 ypg) and three touchdowns. 
 
BRIGGS NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK IN UCONN GAME
• Utah State RB Robert Briggs was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week after setting the school record for rushing yards by a true freshman in their first-ever game, as he gained 85 yards on 10 carries, including a 23-yard touchdown, against UConn.
 
GRZESIAK HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST COLORADO STATE  
• Graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak had a career game against Colorado State last weekend as he had a season-high-tying five tackles, which included a career-high 3.0 sacks and a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss, to go along with a forced fumble, pass breakup and quarterback hurry. He now has 4.0 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss on the season, and 11.5 sacks and 16.0 tackles for loss in his career, to go along with two forced fumbles and two pass breakups in his career.      
 
TAFISI HAD CAREER-HIGH 13 TACKLES AGAINST AIR FORCE
• Junior ILB MJ Tafisi had his second-straight double-digit tackle outing, and his fifth this season and of his career, with 12 stops against Colorado State last weekend. He also had 1.5 tackles for loss to give him 8.0 TFLs on the season and 9.5 TFLs in his career. In his previous game against Air Force, he had a career-high 13 tackles.       
 
VONGPHACHANH CONTINUES TO PLAY WELL 
• Senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh had nine tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, in his last game against Colorado State, to go along with a pass breakup and quarterback hurry. Overall, he has now posted at least nine tackles in each of his last five games, which includes double-digit tackles in three of those contests. In his previous game against Air Force, he had a season-high 13 tackles for his third double-digit tackle outing this season and fourth of his career.   
 
DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM COLORADO STATE GAME
• Senior CB Michael Anyanwu had a career-high three pass breakups to give him six PBUs on the season and 11 in his career. Graduate senior S Gurvan Hall Jr. intercepted his first pass of the season and the second of his career. Graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds had his sixth pass breakup of the season and the eighth of his career. Sophomore DE John Ward had a career high three tackles and a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss to give him 3.0 TFLs on the season and in his career. Senior CB Ajani Carter had 0.5 tackles for loss to give him 1.0 TFLs on the season and 4.0 in his career. He also had one pass breakup to give him two PBUs on the season and three in his career. Sophomore DT Tavian Coleman had 0.5 tackles for loss to give him 2.5 TFLs on the season and in his career. 
 
CARTER HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST AIR FORCE  
• Senior CB Ajani Carter had one of the best games of his career against Air Force, as he tied his career high with seven tackles, to go along with two fourth-quarter turnovers with a forced fumble and interception. Overall, it was his second forced fumble this season and the third of his career, to go along with his first interception this season and the fourth of his career.    
 
LARSEN BLOCKS SECOND PUNT OF THE SEASON IN UNLV GAME
• Utah State S Ike Larsen blocked his second punt of the season against UNLV, which resulted in a safety for the Aggies. Larsen also blocked a punt at No. 1 Alabama as he was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week after recording a career-high seven tackles, to go along with his second interception in as many games, and his first-career blocked punt.
 
KOTSANLEE NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK  
• Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career following his performance against Colorado State last weekend as he punted five times for an average of 47.2 yards with three 50-yard punts (58, 55, 59), to go along with one punt being downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
• Kotsanlee has 13 punts this year and 26 in his career of at least 50 yards, to go along with 14 punts this year and 50 in his career that have been downed inside the 20-yard line. 
 
• Overall, Kotsanlee has punted 125 times in his career for an average of 42.0 yards, which is the sixth-best average in school history. Last season, Kotsanlee punted 53 times for an average of 42.5 yards, which is the ninth-best single-season average in school history.
 
• As a freshman in 2020, Kotsanlee earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors as he punted 37 times for an average of 40.7 yards.
 
COLES IN THE UTAH STATE RECORD BOOKS  
• Graduate senior PK Connor Coles is 6-of-8 this season and 29-of-40 (.725) on field goals and ranks fifth all-time in career field goal percentage. Coles, who is ninth all-time at USU in field goals made and 10th all-time in field goal attempts, is 77-of-80 (.963) all-time in extra points and that percentage ranks as the eighth-best all-time in school history. He also is tied for sixth all-time in school history in extra point attempts and eighth all-time in extra points made.
 
• For his career, Coles has been named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week twice, against New Mexico in 2020 and against Washington State in 2021.
 
VAUGHN SCORES FIRST-CAREER TOUCHDOWN ON KICKOFF RETURN  
• Junior WR Terrell Vaughn returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against Weber State (9/10), which is the first of his career, and tied for the third-longest in school history. It is also one of eight kickoff returns in school history that have gone at least 100 yards. 
 
LOOKING AT UTAH STATE DURING ITS CURRENT TWO-GAME WINNING STREAK 
• The biggest difference during Utah State's current two-game winning streak is turnovers. Over the last two games, USU has had three turnovers and forced three takeaways. In its previos three games, all losses, USU had 13 turnovers and just three takeaways, including nine turnovers and no takeaways against UNLV (6-0) and BYU (3-0)
 
UTAH STATE'S RUN DEFENSE HAS BEEN SOLID IN ITS LAST FIVE GAMES
• Utah State's last five opponents have averaged just 3.59 yards per rush as those teams have combined for 782 yards on 218 attempts for an average of 156.4 yards on 43.6 attempts. In its first two games of the season, USU's opponents rushed for 523 yards on 71 attempts (7.4 ypr).
 
UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE LIMITING POINTS FOLLOWING TURNOVERS
• In its last five games, Utah State's defense has given up 12 points (3 by Weber State, 3 by UNLV, 6 by Colorado State) following 14 turnovers. WSU and BYU did, however, return interceptions for scores. On the season, USU's opponents have scored 29 points on 18 turnovers. If you take away the two pick-sixes, USU's defense has allowed just 15 points on 16 turnovers.
 
UTAH STATE HAS TWO QUARTERBACKS ON ITS ROSTER WITH BOWL WINS
• Utah State is one of just two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs in the nation to have multiple quarterbacks on its roster with bowl wins, joining South Carolina. Ironically, for USU, neither of USU's quarterbacks with a bowl win is its starter as junior Cooper Legas led the Aggies to a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, while sophomore transfer Levi Williams led Wyoming to a 52-38 win against Kent State in the 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and to a 38-17 win against Georgia State in the 2019 Arizona Bowl. USU starter, graduate senior Logan Bonner, started the LA Bowl, but was hurt early in the game with USU trailing 7-0.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH BONNER
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner, who suffered both a season- and career-ending injury against UNLV (9/24/22), finished his Utah State career 325-of-539 (.603) passing for 4,381 yards with 42 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Those 42 touchdowns are the fifth-most in school history, while his completion percentage is the sixth-best. 
 
• In his first season at Utah State in 2021, Bonner set five single-season school records, including 3,628 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes. He finished the season 263-of-429 (.613) passing to rank fourth in school history in completions, sixth in attempts and seventh in completion percentage, while his 3,694 yards of total offense were the second-most in school history. Furthermore, his 36 touchdown passes tied for the fourth-most in Mountain West history and seventh-most in school history, while his completion percentage (.613) is the third-best. He also tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a game (5) against New Mexico (11/26/21). He was also named the MW Championship Game Offensive MVP as he was 29-of-42 passing for 318 yards and four touchdowns, setting season highs in both completions and attempts against No. 19 San Diego State.
 
AGGIES WHO HAVE SERVED LDS CHURCH MISSIONS 
•  Utah State has 11 players on its 2022 roster who have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in senior OL Wade Meacham, junior TE Josh Sterzer, junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen, redshirt freshman CB Ty Barnett, redshirt freshman DT Johnson Hansen, redshirt freshman ILB Sione Moa, redshirt freshman DT Seni Tuiaki, redshirt freshman WR Timm Van Leeuwen, freshman P Ryan Marks, freshman ILB Bronson Olevao and freshman OL Adam Pond.
 
AGGIES WHO ARE MARRIED 
• Utah State has three players on its 2022 roster who are married in senior OL Wade Meacham, junior TE Josh Sterzer and sophomore OL Cole Motes.
 
ACADEMICALLY SPEAKING
• Utah State has 14 players on its roster that have already received their bachelor's degree in senior QB Logan Bonner, senior WR Brian Cobbs, senior PK Connor Coles, senior OL Alfred Edwards, senior OL Chandler Dolphin, senior CB Andre Grayson, senior S Gurvan Hall Jr., senior OL Wade Meacham, senior DT Phillip Paea, senior S Hunter Reynolds, senior OL Jacob South, senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., junior DE Daniel Grzesiak and junior WR Xavier Williams.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State is one of 16 teams that ended the 2021 season nationally ranked in The Associated Press poll to return both its head coach and starting quarterback in 2022. The others are Arkansas, Alabama, BYU, Clemson, Georgia, Houston, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest and Utah.
 
• Utah State finished the 2021 season with 114.0 tackles for loss, which tied for the second-most in the nation. In fact, those 114.0 tackles for loss tied the 2014 team for the second-most in school history and was one shy of the school record of 115.0 set in 1999.
 
UTAH STATE 24TH IN THE NATION IN SACKS ALLOWED 
• Utah State's offense has allowed eight sacks (1.14 pg) this season to rank third in the Mountain West and 24th in the nation. USU is also fourth in the MW and 48th in the nation in rushing offense (173.6 ypg), fourth in the MW and 91st in the nation in total offense (368.0 ypg), fourth in the MW and 109th in the nation in passing offense (194.4 ypg), eighth in the MW and 110th in the nation in completion percentage (.557), eighth in the MW and 114th in the nation in scoring offense (19.9 ppg),
and eighth in the MW and 114th in the nation in passing efficiency (112.1).       
 
• Utah State's offense is also second in the MW and 20th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed with 29 (4.14 pg), fourth in the MW and 96th in the nation in passing yards per completion (11.1), eighth in the MW and 79th in the nation in fumbles lost with five (0.71 pg), and eighth in the MW and 98th in the nation in fourth down conversion percentage at 42.1 percent (8-of-19).  
 
UTAH STATE TIED FOR NINTH IN THE NATION IN FOURTH DOWN ATTEMPTS
• Utah State is 8-of-19 (.421) on fourth down this season and is tied for ninth in the nation with its 19 fourth down attempts.
 
UTAH STATE 16TH IN THE NATION IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
• Utah State is first in the Mountain West and 16th in the nation in tackles for loss with 49 (7.0 pg), fourth in the MW and 25th in the nation in passing defense (193.9 ypg), fifth in the MW and 50th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (126.2), sixth in the MW and 70th in the nation in total defense (380.3 ypg), ninth in the MW and 109th in the nation in sacks with 10 (1.43 pg), 10th in the MW and 108th in the nation in scoring defense (31.7 ppg), and 11th in the MW and 113th in the nation in rushing defense (186.4 ypg).   
 
UTAH STATE HAS FORCED 10 TURNOVERS ON THE SEASON
• Utah State has forced 10 turnovers (8 interceptions, 2 fumbles) in seven games this year, and is third in the Mountain West and 18th in the nation with eight interceptions (1.4pg), sixth in the MW and 56th in the nation with 10 forced turnovers, and eighth in the MW and 105th in the nation in fumbles recovered with two (0.29 pg).
 
UTAH STATE SIXTH IN THE NATION WITH TWO BLOCKED PUNTS
• Utah State has blocked punts against both Alabama and UNLV this season, and is tied for sixth in the nation with its two blocked punts on the year. Overall, USU is one of just 18 teams in the nation that has blocked two or more punts on the season. In all, USU has blocked four punts in its last nine games dating back to the 2021 season.
 
• Utah State is sixth in the MW and 69th in the nation in punt returns (7.1 ypr), sixth in the MW and 88th in the nation in punt return defense (9.1 ypr), seventh in the MW and 55th in the nation in kickoff returns (20.9 ypr), eighth in the MW and 79th in the nation in net punting (38.2 ypp), and ninth in the MW and 83rd in the nation in kickoff return defense (21.1 ypr).
 
AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
• Junior WR Terrell Vaughn is tied for first in the nation with his one kickoff return for touchdown (0.14 pg), and is first in the Mountain West and 10th in the nation in kickoff returns (27.2 ypr), sixth in the MW in receiving touchdowns with three (0.43 pg), and seventh in the MW in receptions (3.9 pg). Redshirt freshman S Ike Larsen is first in the MW and second in the nation with two blocked kicks (0.29 pg), and fifth in the MW and 33rd in the nation with two interceptions (0.29 pg). Senior CB Michael Anyanwu is second in the MW and 29th in the nation in passes defended with seven (1.2 pg). Graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs is second in the MW and 46th in the nation in receptions (5.6 pg), second in the MW and 60th in the nation in receiving touchdowns with four (0.57 pg), and third in the MW and 66th in the nation in receiving (71.0 ypg). Junior ILB MJ Tafisi is third in the MW and 22nd in the nation in tackles (9.4 pg). Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. is third in the MW and 31st in the nation in rushing (90.6 ypg), fifth in the MW and 74th in the nation in all-purpose yards (98.3 ypg), and seventh in the MW and 93rd in the nation in rushing yards per carry (4.6). Senior RB Cooper Jones is third in the MW and 33rd in the nation in punt returns (7.1 ypr). Senior CB Ajani Carter is third in the MW and 37th in the nation in forced fumbles with two (0.29 pg). Senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh is fourth in the MW and 41st in the nation in tackles (8.7 pg).Graduate senior CB Andre Grayson is fourth in the MW and 47th in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.14 pg). Graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak is fourth in the MW and 47th in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.14 pg), and sixth in the MW and 59th in the nation in sacks with four (0.59 pg). Senior WR Justin McGriff is fourth in the MW and 88th in the nation in yards per reception (15.8), and sixth in the MW in receiving touchdowns with three (0.43 pg). Graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds is fifth in the MW and 33rd in the nation with two interceptions (0.29 pg). Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee is fifth in the MW and 38th in the nation in punting (42.8 ypp). Graduate senior PK Connor Coles is sixth in the MW and 53rd in the nation in field goal percentage (.750), and seventh in the MW and 61st in the nation in field goals made with six (1.0 pg). And, junior QB Cooper Legas is sixth in the MW with five passing touchdowns (1.0 pg).  
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State is one of just 17 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams that has returned a kickoff for a touchdown thus far this season. 
 
BLAKE ANDERSON ENTERS SECOND SEASON AT UTAH STATE
• Blake Anderson is entering his second season as Utah State's head coach after leading the Aggies to their best-ever season in his first year in 2021 as USU tied the school record with 11 wins (11-3, 6-2 MW), won its first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 victory at No. 19 San Diego State, posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and finished the season ranked 24th in the nation in both polls.
 
• Anderson was one of 19 first-year head coaches at the FBS level in 2021 and was the only one to win nine or more games. Anderson is also the only first-year head coach in school history to win double-digit games. The previous record was nine wins set by Matt Wells in 2013.  
 
• Anderson was named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2021 and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. 
 
• Anderson has won three conference championships as a head coach with two Sun Belt titles at Arkansas State (2015, 2016), along with one Mountain West title at Utah State (2021). Anderson coached in his seventh bowl game in eight seasons last year and has a 3-4 bowl record.
 
UTAH STATE RETURNS MAJORITY OF ITS COACHING STAFF  
• Utah State is returning eight of its 10 full-time assistants, as only cornerbacks coach Ray Brown (Washington State) and defensive line coach Al Lapuaho (Nevada) did not return. Those eight returning assistants are the most since the 2010 staff returned all nine of its assistant coaches from the previous season.
 
• Utah State is returning all three of its coordinators in Anthony Tucker (offense), Ephraim Banda (defense) and Nick Paremski (special teams) for the first time since 2013, when Kevin McGiven (offense), Todd Orlando (defense) and Dave Ungerer (special teams) were each in their second seasons, respectively.
 
• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson has four former Aggies on staff in running backs coach Chuckie Keeton (2011-15), tight ends coach DJ Tialavea (2010-13), defensive graduate assistant AJ Pataiali'i (2012-13) and director of player personnel Austin Albrecht (2014-16).
 
BANDA ONE OF TWO HISPANIC DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS IN THE NATION
• Utah State defensive coordinator and safeties coach Ephraim Banda is one of only two hispanic defensive coordinators in the nation at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level along with Penn State's Manny Diaz. Overall, Banda is one of 13 hispanic coaches at the FBS level, which includes five head coaches. 
 
• Banda was also named one of the top 25 recruiters in the nation in January of 2021, by Rivals.com.
 
CEFALO HAS COACHED THREE-STRAIGHT BILETNIKOFF SEMIFINALISTS
• Utah State passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Kyle Cefalo has coached a Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist in each of his last three seasons. In his first year at USU in 2021, Cefalo coached Deven Thompkins, who set school records with 102 receptions for 1,704 yards. At Arkansas State, Cefalo coached Jonathan Adams in 2020 and Omar Bayless in 2019, as both players were named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Players of the Year.
 
UTAH STATE HAS MOST DIVERSE COACHING STAFF IN THE NATION
• For the second straight year, Utah State is the only staff in the nation that has minority coaches serving in the roles of offensive coordinator (Anthony Tucker), defensive coordinator (Ephraim Banda) and head strength and conditioning coach (Paul Jackson).
 
• Of Utah State's 10 full-time assistant coaches, six are minorities, which is tied for the fifth-most minorities on a staff in the nation behind Hawai'i (8), Miami, Fla. (8), Northern Illinois (7) and Virginia (7), and tied with Arizona State, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia State, Illinois, LSU, Michigan State, Missouri, Penn State, Rice and Texas A&M.
 
UTAH STATE HAS THE THIRD-YOUNGEST COACHING STAFF IN THE NATION
• Of Utah State's 10 full-time assistant coaches, two are in their 20s, five are in their 30s and three are in their 40s. The average age of those 10 assistants is 35.1 years, which ranks as the third-youngest staff in the nation behind Old Dominion (33.5) and Georgia State (35.0).
 
DID YOU KNOW? 
• For just the second time in program history, Utah State is returning its head coach, Blake Anderson, after finishing the previous season nationally ranked. John Ralston is the only other Aggie head coach to return as his 1961 team finished that season ranked 10th in the nation in both the AP and UPI polls with a 9-1-1 record. The three other times USU concluded a season nationally ranked, its head coach left for another head coaching position. Chuck Mills went to Wake Forest after the 1972 team went 8-3 record and was 19th in the final UPI poll. Gary Andersen went to Wisconsin after the 2012 team finished the year 16th in the AP poll and 17th in the Coaches poll as it went 11-2 and set the school record for wins. And, Matt Wells went to Texas Tech after the 2018 team finished the year 21st in the Coaches poll and 22nd in the AP poll as it went 11-2 and tied the school record for wins.