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AGGIES OPEN 2022 SEASON AT HOME AGAINST CONNECTICUT
Game will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 at 2 p.m. (MT).
 
(RV/RV) UTAH STATE (0-0) vs. CONNECTICUT (0-0)
Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 • 2:05 p.m. (MT) • Logan, Utah • Maverik Stadium (25,100)
 
GAME 1 INFORMATION
TV: Fox Sports 1
• Play-by-Play: Alex Faust
• Analyst: Petros Papadakis
• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 265/HD691
• DirecTV: Ch. 219
• DISH: Ch. 150
 
RADIO: Aggie Sports Network
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard 
• Analyst: Kevin White
• National: SXM App Ch. 968
• Online: kslsports.com/kslsportszone
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: UtahState.Statbroadcast.com
 
AGGIE RADIO NETWORK
• 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: KSL (1280 AM/97.5 FM)
• Logan: KBLU-LP (92.3 FM)
• Green River: KRPX (102.7 FM)
• Moab: KRPX (100.3 FM)
• Montpelier, Idaho: KVSI (1450 AM/104.5 FM)
• Orangeville: KRPX (95.9 FM)
• Price: KRPX (95.3 FM)
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State begins its 125th season of football this weekend as it hosts Connecticut on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 2 p.m., in a game that will be televised on Fox Sports 1 (Xfinity Ch. 265/HD691, DirecTV Ch. 219, DISH Ch. 150) with Alex Faust (play-by-play) and Petros Papadakis (analyst) on the call.
 
• Utah State is receiving votes in both national polls to start the 2022 season as the Aggies garnered 12 votes in the Coaches' poll to rank tied for 38th and two votes in The Associated Press poll to rank tied for 43rd. This is the first time USU has garnered preseason recognition since the 2019 campaign, when it received 32 votes in the coaches' poll and eight votes in the AP poll.
 
• Utah State's season opener on Aug. 27, is the earliest it has ever played a football game, bettering the previous record of Aug. 28, 2003. Overall, this will be just the 13th game ever played by the Aggies in August, as USU is 1-11 (.083) in its previous 12 outings, with its lone win being a 34-3 home victory against Southern Utah in 2012.
 
• Utah State has won eight of its last 10 non-conference home games and is 20-5 in its last 25 non-conference home games at Maverik Stadium. Overall, USU is 43-17 (.717) in its last 60 home games and 155-113 (.578) all-time inside Maverik Stadium.
 
• Utah State is playing a home game to start its season for the first time since 2016 and for just the 15th time since the 1959 season as USU is 9-5 in those games. Overall, USU has won each of its last three season openers with a 45-6 win against Weber State in 2016, a 12-9 win against Southern Utah in 2015 and a 34-3 win against Southern Utah in 2012. 
 
• Utah State is 12-1 in its last 13 home openers, which includes a current 12-game winning streak against non-conference opponents. USU is also 4-6 in its last 10 season openers overall with five of those six losses coming on the road to Power 5 opponents. 
 
SCOUTING CONNECTICUT
• Connecticut returns 12 starters (O-6, D-6) and 57 letterwinners (O-29, D-25, S-3) from last year's team that went 1-11 on the season, including an 0-6 road record. Two of those losses were against the Mountain West as the Huskies began the year with a 45-0 loss at Fresno State and lost at home to Wyoming, 24-22, while its only win was a 21-15 home victory against Yale. Overall, UConn has lost eight-straight road games with its last win coming at Massachusetts (56-35) on Oct. 26, 2019. Highlighting UConn's returners for the 2022 season are four players who are on various watch lists this fall in junior LB Jackson Mitchell (Butkus Award Watch List), sophomore RB Nate Carter (Doak Walker Award Watch List), graduate RB Robert Burns (The Wuerffel Trophy Watch List) and graduate LS Tommy Zozus (Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List). In 2021, UConn averaged 15.6 points and 265.1 yards of total offense per game (163.8 passing, 101.3 rushing) and allowed 38.5 points and 451.8 yards of total offense (258.0 passing, 193.8 rushing). Jim Mora is in his first year as the Huskies head coach and is 46-30 (.605) in six seasons as a collegiate head coach.
 
AGGIES AND HUSKIES SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State and Connecticut will play one another for just the second time this weekend as USU won the first meeting, 38-31, on Nov. 10, 2001, in Storrs, Connecticut. 
 
AGGIES FROM CONNECTICUT
• In 125 years of Aggie football, Utah State has had just three players from the state of Connecticut in LS Emmett Odegard (2016-17), who was from Greenwich, TE Norvich Hunter (1994-95), who was from Stamford, and DT Jim Pauciello (1983-86), who was from Trumbull. 
 
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• Utah State has 36 players on its roster from the Beehive State, while Connecticut has 20 players on its roster from the Constitution State.
 
PLAYER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND CONNECTICUT
• The following are connections between Utah State and Connecticut players. USU graduate senior DT Phillip Paea and graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds both began their collegiate careers at Michigan, as did UConn redshirt sophomore OL Jake Stewart. USU senior S Gurvan Hall Jr. and junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr., both began their collegiate careers at Miami, Fla., as did UConn graduate senior RB Robert Burns. USU junior DE Byron Vaughns and UConn redshirt freshman WR Dajon Harrison both began their collegiate careers at Texas. USU graduate junior WR Xavier Williams and UConn redshirt freshman OL Dayne Shor both began their collegiate careers at Alabama. And, USU sophomore WR Kyrese Rowan and UConn freshman DL Jori Benson both began their collegiate careers at Utah.
 
AGGIES THAT HAVE PLAYED AGAINST CONNECTICUT
• Junior RB Jordan Wilmore played against Connecticut during the 2021 season at Fresno State, as he had five carries for 28 yards and two receptions for 15 yards.
 
UTAH STATE vs. FBS INDEPENDENTS
• Utah State is 71-58-3 (.549) all-time against current Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Independents with a 37-50-3 record against BYU, a 32-8 record against New Mexico State, and 1-0 records against both Army and Connecticut. USU went 1-1 against FBS Independents during the 2021 season with a 34-20 home loss to No. 13 BYU and a 35-13 road win against New Mexico State.
 
LAST MEETING vs. CONNECTICUT
• Senior RB Emmett White ran for 117 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead Utah State to a 38-31 win at Connecticut on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001. The Aggies (3-5) held on as UConn (2-7) rallied from a 38-10 deficit in the second half. White, the Aggies' leader in all-purpose yards, had a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and caught a 6-yard scoring pass from junior QB Jose Fuentes in the third. Fuentes completed 20-of-31 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. UConn's Dan Orlovsky threw two touchdown passes and finished with 245 yards, completing 19-of-51 attempts. He also ran for a score. The Aggies scored on their opening drive, moving 65 yards in under two minutes, on a 10-yard reception by junior TE Casey Poppinga. USU extended the lead to 14-0 when senior CB Tony Walker intercepted Orlovsky's pass on the Huskies' first possession and ran it in from 31 yards. USU built a 28-10 lead at the half on sophomore WR Chris Stallworth's 10-yard reception and White's 3-yard run. UConn got its only touchdown of the first half from its special teams, with Jamal Lundy recovering a fumbled punt in the end zone. The teams combined for 222 yards in penalties. Pass-interference calls against Utah State in the second half kept alive two UConn scoring drives, allowing the Huskies to get back in the game. With a sore right knee and the Aggies up by 28 points, White was sidelined for much of the second half until UConn began to rally, scoring on three straight possessions. Orlovsky hit Wes Timko for a 34-yard strike with 4:57 left in the third quarter. After an Aggies' punt, Orlovsky found Cliff Hill on a 4-yard scoring pass early in the fourth quarter to cut the Aggies lead to 38-24. With just over five minutes left in the game, Orlovsky scored from the 1, capping a 13-play, 85-yard drive. Utah State relied on White and ball control in the closing minutes to seal the win. White ran for 34 yards in the Aggies' final possession before Utah State was forced to punt with under a minute left. Sophomore DT Jorge Tapia intercepted Orlovsky's pass on the UConn 30 and ran it back to the 7 with 25 seconds left to play to seal the win. Junior LB Jesse Busta had a team-high 11 tackles, which included 1.0 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss, to go along with a fumble recovery for the Aggies.
 
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, Celfo 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 Virigina (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. 
 
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.
 
UTAH STATE HAS ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED O-LINES IN THE NATION
• Utah State returns four of its starters along the offensive line from last season in graduate senior Alfred Edwards (GP-43, GS-42), graduate senior Jacob South (GP-23, GS-14), graduate senior Chandler Dolphin (GP-19, GS-11) and sophomore Cole Motes (GP-9, GS-8). Combined, this group has appeared in 95 career games with 76 starts.
 
• Overall, Utah State is one of just 19 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs to return at least four starts along the offensive line from last season, while its 76 combined career starts are tied for the 13th-most in the nation and its 95 combined games played are the 19th-most.
 
UTAH STATE PROJECTED TO START A TRUE FRESHMAN ALONG OFFENSIVE LINE
• Utah State is listing true freshman Weylin Lapuaho (South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS) as a potential starter at right guard on its depth chart. The last true freshman to start a season opener on the offensive line for USU was Derek Hoke in 2005. Overall, Lapuaho would be the first true freshman to start for USU, regardless of position, since CB Jalen Davis in 2014.
 
SIXTEEN AGGIES GARNER PRESEASON RECOGNITION
• Utah State football had 16 student-athletes garner preseason recognition heading into the 2022 season. Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee was named first-team all-Mountain West by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. Senior CB Ajani Carter and sophomore LS Jacob Garcia were both named to the all-MW first team by Phil Steele. Graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards was named to Athlon Sports first team and to Phil Steele's second team. Senior WR Justin McGriff was named to Phil Steele's first team and to Athlon Sports third team. Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner was named second-team all-MW by both publications. Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. was named to Athlon Sports second team and Phil Steele's fourth team. Junior DE Byron Vaughns was named third-team all-MW by both publications. Senior OL Chandler Dolphin was named to Athlon Sports third team. Graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka, and senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh were all represented on Phil Steele's third team and on Athlon Sports fourth team. Graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds was on Athlon Sports fourth team and senior S Gurvan Hall Jr., was on Phil Steele's fourth team. Furthermore, graduate senior CB Andre Grayson was named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and was an AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, while junior OL Falepule Alo was named to the Polynesian Player of the Year Award Watch List. 
 
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.
 
UTAH STATE HAS ONLY RUSSIAN IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT FBS LEVEL
• Utah State has the only Russian on a roster at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level in junior OL Nikita Iuferov, who transferred to USU from San Mateo (California) Junior College.
 
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.
 
WHAT'S RETURNING IN 2022 
• Utah State returns 12 starters (O-7, D-5) as part of 32 letterwinners (O-15, D-13, S-4) from last year's team that had its best season in program history as it tied the school record with 11 wins (11-3, 6-2 MW), won its first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 road win 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. Among those 32 returning lettermen are nine Super Seniors (QB Logan Bonner, WR Brian Cobbs, PK Connor Coles, OL Alfred Edwards, OL Chandler Dolphin, CB Andre Grayson, DT Phillip Paea, S Hunter Reynolds and RB Calvin Tyler Jr.. 
 
• Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2022 are four players that have earned previous all-conference honors in graduate senior QB Logan Bonner, graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards, senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh and junior P Stephen Kotsanlee. Bonner was named honorable mention all-Sun Belt Conference in 2020 at Arkansas State, Edwards earned honorable mention all-MW honors in 2021, and Vongphachanh and Kotsanlee both earned honorable mention all-MW honors following the 2020 campaign.
 
• Other starters returning for Utah State in 2022 include graduate senior OL Chandler Dolphin, graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds, graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., senior CB Michael Anyanwu, senior WR Justin McGriff, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka, senior OL Jacob South, junior DE Byron Vaughns and sophomore OL Cole Motes. USU also returns four more players with at least five career starts in graduate senior CB Andre Grayson Jr., redshirt junior S Dominic Tatum, junior OL Falepule Alo and junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr.
 
• Utah State also welcomes back 18 players that redshirted a year ago (O-8, D-10) and seven more squadmen (O-5, D-2) that were on the team, while adding 47 newcomers (O-24, D-21, S-2), which includes 15 four-year transfers and seven junior college players. Those 15 four-year transfers include graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs (Maryland), senior S Gurvan Hall Jr. (Miami), graduate junior DE Daniel Grzesiak (Nevada), graduate junior WR Xavier Williams (Alabama), junior OLB Anthony Switzer (Arkansas State), junior ILB MJ Tafisi (Washington),  junior TE Ron Tiavaasue (Missouri State), junior RB Jordan Wilmore (Fresno State), sophomore OL Austin Leausa (Southern Utah), sophomore WR Kyrese Rowan (Utah), sophomore WR Jalen Royals (Georgia Military), sophomore DE John Ward (UCLA), sophomore QB Levi Williams (Wyoming), redshirt freshman CB Ty Barnett (Weber State) and redshirt freshman LB Cole Joyce (UCF). 
 
WHAT UTAH STATE MUST REPLACE FROM 2021 
• Utah State must replace 11 starters from the 2021 team, including All-American WR Deven Thompkins, to go along with seven other players who earned various all-MW honors in ILB Justin Rice and KOR Savon Scarver, who were both named to the second team, and S Shaq Bond, DE Nick Heninger, PR Jordan Nathan, OL Quazzel White and WR Derek Wright, who all earned honorable mention all-MW accolades in 2021.
 
LOOKING BACK AT UTAH STATE'S 2021 SEASON
• Utah State finished the 2021 season ranked 24th in the nation in both The Associated Press and Coaches polls. USU tied the school record for wins as it finished the season with an 11-3 record following its 24-13 victory against Oregon State in the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. USU, which won the Mountain Division of the conference with a 6-2 league record, also won its first-ever MW title with a 46-13 victory at No. 19 San Diego State in the conference championship game. USU, which finished the season winning eight of its last nine games, was led by graduate junior QB Logan Bonner, who was 263-of-429 (.613) passing for 3,628 yards (259.1 ypg) with 36 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. rushed for 884 yards on 196 carries (4.5 ypc/73.7 ypg) with seven touchdowns. And, senior WR Deven Thompkins caught 102 passes for 1,704 yards (16.7 ypr/121.7 ypg) and 10 touchdowns. Defensively, graduate senior ILB Justin Rice had 124 tackles, which included 13.5 tackles for loss, to go along with three interceptions and two forced fumbles. USU finished the season averaging 32.6 points and 446.6 yards of total offense (143.1 rushing, 303.4 passing) and allowed 24.4 points and 392.7 yards of total offense (161.8 rushing, 230.9 passing).
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES SEASON NATIONALLY RANKED FOR FIFTH TIME
• For just the fifth time in school history, Utah State finished a season nationally ranked along with the 2018, 2012, 1972 and 1961 teams. USU concluded last year 24th in The Associated Press poll with 163 votes and 24th in the Coaches poll with 142 votes. It was the first time during the 2021 season that USU was ranked in either poll.
 
• The 2021 Utah State team ended a season nationally ranked for the first time since 2018, when that team finished the year 21st in the Coaches poll and 22nd in the AP poll as it went 11-3 and tied the school record for wins. The 2012 team finished the year 16th in the AP poll, 17th in the Coaches poll and 23rd in the final BCS standings as it went 11-2 and set the school record for wins. The 1972 team finished with an 8-3 record and was 19th in the final United Press International (UPI) poll. And, the 1961 team posted a 9-1-1 record and was 10th in both the final AP and UPI polls.
 
UTAH STATE WINS 13TH CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
• With its 46-13 victory at No.19 San Diego State in the 2021 Mountain West Championship Game, Utah State claimed its 13th conference championship in school history and first since it won the Western Athletic Conference in 2012. USU also won five Big West Conference titles (1978, 1979, 1993, 1996, 1997), three Skyline Conference titles (1946, 1960, 1961) and two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles (1921, 1936).
 
UTAH STATE FIRST TEAM EVER TO GO FROM ONE WIN TO 11 WINS
• Utah State is the first team in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history to go from zero or one win (2020) to 11 wins (2021) the following season. In fact, USU is just the fourth team in FBS history to go from zero or one win to 10 wins the following season, joining Stanford, Miami (Ohio) and Fresno State. Stanford was 1-7-1 in 1939 and went 10-0 in 1940. Miami (Ohio) was 1-11 in 2009 and posted a 10-4 record in 2010. And, Fresno State was 1-11 in 2016 and went 10-4 in 2017.
 
• The 2021 Utah State team was also just the third FBS team to win at least 10 games, a conference championship and a bowl game following zero or one wins the previous season, joining Stanford (1940) and Miami, Ohio (2010).
 
• Furthermore, the 2021 Utah State team was one of just 11 FBS teams to win a conference championship the year after winning one or zero games, joining Colorado State in 1919, Arkansas in 1933, Stanford in 1940, Purdue in 1943, California in 1958, Indiana in 1967, North Texas in 1973, Hawai'i in 1999, Miami (Ohio) in 2010, Central Michigan in 2019 and Northern Illinois in 2021.
 
• Utah State's 10-game improvement last year was tied with Baylor (2-7 in '20 to 12-2 in '21) and Michigan (2-4 in '20 to 12-2 in '21) for the best turnaround in the nation as the Aggies were 1-5 in 2020 and went 11-3 last year.
 
UTAH STATE'S 11 WINS AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION
• Utah State was one of 18 teams in the nation that won at least 11 games last season, including one of two Mountain West teams, and the only team from the state of Utah. In fact, Utah and Texas were the only states that had three football teams with at least 10 wins as BYU (10), Utah (10) and Utah State (11) all represented the Beehive State, while Baylor (12), Houston (12) and UTSA (12) represented the Lone Star State.
 
• Utah State has won a school-record 11 games three different times in school history (2012, 2018, 2021) and 10-plus games four times in the last 10 years after not reaching double digits in victories in each of its first 120 seasons. Over the last 10 years, USU has averaged 7.5 wins per season.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State improved to 6-9 all-time in bowl games as it played in its ninth bowl in the last 11 years last season, after playing in six bowl games in its first 119 seasons. USU also improved to 1-1 all-time in bowl games against Power 5 opponents as its only other matchup was a 24-9 loss to Baylor in the 1961 Gotham Bowl, held in Upper Manhattan, New York.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS DURING UTAH STATE'S 11 WINS
• Utah State trailed after the first quarter in nine of its 14 games and at the half in eight of its 14 games last year. USU also trailed after the third quarter in six of its 14 games. USU went 6-3 on the season when trailing after one quarter, 5-3 when trailing at halftime, and 3-3 when trailing after three quarters.
 
• Utah State was outscored 106-62 in the first quarter, but outscored its opponents 122-66 in the fourth quarter, which included a 112-43 advantage in its 11 wins. 
 
UTAH STATE WINNING THE CLOSE GAMES
• Utah State went 4-0 last season in one-score games and won those four contests by a total of 13 points. The school record for one-score wins in a season is five set in 2011, as that team posted a 5-5 record in one-score games.
 
UTAH STATE SET 10 SCHOOL RECORDS IN 2021
• Utah State set 10 school records during the 2021 campaign with its 41 touchdown passes (32 in 2018), 4,248 passing yards (3,825 in 2018), 8.45 passing yards per attempt (6.84 in 2018), 334 first downs (310 in 2013), 180 passing first downs (164 in 2018), three receivers with 10-plus touchdown receptions, two blocked punts in one game (vs. San Diego State), eight wins away from home, seven road wins and two wins against Power 5 schools. USU also tied four more school records with its 11 wins, 14 games played, (2013, 2014, 2021), 13 100-yard receiving games (1996) and five passing touchdowns in a single game.
 
AGGIES RALLY FROM DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICITS FOR SIX WINS
• Utah State rallied from double-digit deficits to win six of its 11 games last season, marking the first time in school history that has happened. In fact, USU overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit in each of its first two road wins last season, and won each of its first five road games after trailing by double digits.
 
• In its 48-17 road win at San José State (11/13), USU overcame a 14-point (14-0) second-quarter deficit and outscored SJSU 48-3 the remainder of the game.
 
• In its 35-13 road win at New Mexico State (11/6), USU overcame a 10-point (10-0) first-quarter deficit and outscored NMSU 35-3 the remainder of the game. 
 
• In its 28-24 road win at UNLV (10/16), USU overcame a 10-point (17-7) first-quarter deficit and scored the winning touchdown with 35 seconds remaining in the game. 
 
• In its 49-45 road win at Air Force (9/18), USU overcame four double-digit deficits. First, USU trailed 10-0 before taking a 13-10 lead. USU then trailed 24-13 and later 31-20 before taking a 34-31 lead. USU then trailed 45-34 before scoring 15 unanswered points in the final 9:51 for the win.
 
• In its 48-24 home win against North Dakota (9/10), USU outscored the Fighting Hawks 41-3 over the final three quarters after trailing 21-7 in the first 15 minutes of play.
 
• In its 26-23 season-opening road win at Washington State (9/4), USU overcame a 12-point (23-11) fourth-quarter deficit by scoring 15 unanswered points in the final 5:25 of the game.  
 
UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 38 of its last 47 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 3-2 record last year, 44 of its last 50 games when rushing at least 40 times, including a 6-1 record last year, and 62 of its last 67 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 7-0 record last season.
 
UTAH STATE HAD SUCCESS ON FOURTH DOWN
• Utah State converted 16-of-30 (.533) fourth downs last season and scored points on all but one of those 16 drives it converted a fourth down with 12 touchdowns and three field goals. The only drive USU did not score on the season after converting a fourth down was against New Mexico (11/26), as it was on the last drive of the game and USU ran out the clock. Overall, USU tied for 19th in the nation in both fourth-down conversions and attempts. 
 
AGGIES HAVE LONGEST ACTIVE ROAD/NEUTRAL SITE WIN STREAK IN THE NATION
• Utah State has won its last eight away games (7 road, 1 neutral site), which is the longest active streak in the nation. Additionally, USU's seven-game road winning streak is tied with Georgia (7) and trails Notre Dame (10) and Cincinnati (8) for the third-longest active streak in the nation. 
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS IN UTAH STATE'S ROAD GAMES
• Utah State went 7-0 on the road and 8-0 away from home for the first time ever in 2021 and rallied from double-digit deficits in each of its first five road wins. In its eight games away from home, USU averaged 36.4 points and 447.8 yards of total offense (135.0 rushing, 312.8 passing), while converting 58-of-118 (.492) third downs, and had a 78-27 scoring advantage in the final 15 minutes. 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Since the 2013 season, Utah State has had 21 wins by at least 30 points, which is tied with Boise State for the most in the Mountain West. 
 
• Utah State tied for first in the nation with 43 plays of at least 30 yards last season and tied for second in the nation with 25 plays of at least 40 yards.
 
BONNER SETS FIVE SCHOOL RECORD IN FIRST YEAR WITH PROGRAM
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner set five school records last year with 3,628 passing yards, 36 touchdown passes, four touchdown passes in three straight games, four touchdown passes in six games in a season and 2.57 touchdown passes per game. Jordan Love held the school records for passing yards (3,567), passing touchdowns (32) and passing touchdowns per game (2.46), all of which were set in 2018. Bonner also tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a game (5) last year, which has now been done 14 times by six different quarterbacks. 
 
• Bonner, who tied Hawai'i's Cole McDonald (2018) for the fourth-most touchdown passes (36) in a single season in Mountain West history, ranks seventh all-time in school history in that category. 
 
• On the season, Bonner was 263-of-429 (.613) passing to rank fourth in school history in completions, sixth in attempts and seventh in completion percentage.
 
• Overall, Bonner had 3,694 yards of total offense to rank as the second-most at Utah State for a single season. The school record is 3,992 yards of total offense set by Chuckie Keeton in 2012.
 
• Bonner's completion percentage (.613) ranks as the third-best in school history for a career.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH LOGAN BONNER
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner has started 29 games in his collegiate career (14 at USU and 15 at Arkansas State), which is tied for the 13th-most starts by an active quarterback at the FBS level and the most by any quarterback in the Mountain West. 
 
• Bonner threw 19 touchdown passes last season when being blitzed, which ranked as the third-most in the nation behind Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett (20) and Alabama's Bryce Young (20).
 
• Bonner completed 29 passes of 30-plus yards last year to lead the Mountain West and rank fifth in the nation, and 18 passes of at least 40 yards to also lead the MW and rank fifth in the nation.
 
UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE RECORDS SECOND-MOST TACKLES FOR LOSS 
• Utah State's defense finished 2021 with 114.0 tackles for loss, which is tied with the 2014 team for the second-most in school history and one shy of the school record of 115.0 set in 1999.
 
• During its last seven games of the 2021 season, Utah State recorded 23.0 sacks and 67.0 tackles for loss as compared to 9.0 sacks and 47.0 tackles for loss in its first seven games.  
 
UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE PLAYED ITS BEST AT THE END OF THE SEASON 
• Utah State's 2021 defense held each of its final three opponents last season to 13 or fewer points and limited five of its last six opponents to 17 or fewer points. The last time USU held three-straight opponents to 13 or fewer points was 1983. USU also held six of its last nine opponents to 360 or fewer yards of offense, including holding two of those opponents to less than 200 yards. USU's run defense was equally impressive as it held three of its last seven opponents to under 50 yards rushing.
 
UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE WAS GOOD IN THE RED ZONE 
• Utah State's opponents were in the red zone 51 times last year and scored points 41 times (.803) as USU ranked fourth in the Mountain West and 49th in the nation. Furthermore, USU allowed 22 touchdowns on those 51 possessions in the red zone (.431) and that percentage ranked second in the MW and 10th in the nation. 
 
DID YOU KNOW? 
• Since the 2010 season, Utah State's defense has held 34 opponents to 14 or fewer points, which is tied for the seventh-best mark in the West.
 
COLES IN THE UTAH STATE RECORD BOOKS  
• Graduate senior PK Connor Coles was 20-of-29 (.690) on field goals and 52-of-54 on extra points last season as he has scored a team-best 112 points. On the season, Coles set the school record for field goals attempted (29), was third in extra points made (52) and attempted (54), and fourth in points scored (112) and field goals made (20). 
 
• For his career, Coles is 23-of-32 (.719) on field goals and ranks fifth all-time in career field goal percentage. Coles, who is 10th all-time in school history in field goals made, is 62-of-65 (.954) all-time in extra points and that percentage ranks as the ninth-best all-time in school history.
 
• For his career, Coles has been named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week twice, against New Mexico in 2020 and against Washginton State in 2021.
 
KOTSANLEE RANKS SEVENTH ALL-TIME AT UTAH STATE IN PUNTING  
• Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee has punted 90 times in his career for an average of 41.8  yards per punt, which is tied with Russell Griffith (1983) for the seventh-best punting average in school history. Last season, Kotsanlee punted 53 times for an average of 42.5 yards per punt, which is the ninth-best single-season punting average in school history.
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES 22ND IN THE NATION IN TOTAL OFFENSE
• Utah State finished the 2021 season averaging 445.6 yards per game to rank second in the Mountain West and 22nd in the nation. USU was also third in the MW and 15th in the nation in passing offense (303.4 ypg), third in the MW and 33rd in the nation in scoring offense (32.6 ppg), fourth in the MW and 26th in the nation in passing efficiency (151.8), fourth in the MW and 74th in the nation in completion percentage (.601), sixth in the MW and 85th in the nation in rushing offense (142.1 ypg), and seventh in the MW and 68th in the nation in sacks allowed with 32 (2.29 pg).    
 
• Utah State's offense was also first in the MW and 11th in the nation in first downs with 334 (23.9 pg), second in the MW and 17th in the nation in passing yards per completion (14.02), and second in the MW and 21st in the nation in third down conversions at 44.8 percent (100-of-223).
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES SIXTH IN THE NATION IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
• Utah State finished the 2021 season averaging 7.9 tackles for loss per game to lead the Mountain West and rank sixth in the nation, while its 114.0 total tackles for loss were tied for the second-most in the nation. USU was also sixth in the MW and 48th in the nation in scoring defense (24.4 ppg), seventh in the MW and 60th in the nation in sacks with 32 (2.29 pg), eighth in the MW and 70th in the nation in passing defense (230.9 ypg), eighth in the MW and 84th in the nation in rushing defense (161.9 ypg), ninth in the MW and 62nd in the nation in pass efficiency defense (131.8), and ninth in the MW and 77th in the nation in total defense (392.7 ypg).  
 
• Utah State's defense was also first in the nation in fourth down conversions allowed at 25.0 percent (5-of-20), and third in the MW and 28th in the nation in third down conversions allowed at 34.6 percent (63-of-182).
 
• Furthermore, USU allowed 22 touchdowns on 51 possessions in the red zone (.431) and that percentage ranked second in the MW and 10th in the nation. 
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES 24TH IN THE NATION IN PUNT RETURN DEFENSE
• Utah State finished the 2021 season third in the Mountain West and 24th in the nation in punt return defense (4.3 ypr), fourth in the MW and 43rd in the nation in net punting (40.5 ypp), fourth in the MW and 53rd in the nation in kickoff return defense (20.5 ypr), fifth in the MW and 44th in the nation in kickoff returns (22.6 ypr), and fifth in the MW and 63rd in the nation in punt returns (8.1 ypr). USU was also third in the MW and 17th in the nation with its two blocked punts, and fourth in the MW and 21st in the nation with its three blocked kicks. 
 
UTAH STATE FORCED 23 TURNOVERS ON THE SEASON
• Utah State forced 23 turnovers last year with 12 interceptions and 11 fumbles, and was third in the MW and ninth in the nation in fumbles recovered (0.79 pg), and fifth in the MW and 40th in the nation in interceptions (0.86 pg). USU has forced three-or-more turnovers in 28 of its last 96 games and has scored 25 defensive touchdowns in its last 105 games. 
 
AGGIES IN THE FINAL 2021 MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
• Graduate senior QB Logan Bonner was first in the MW and seventh in the nation in passing touchdowns with 36 (2.57 pg), first in the MW and 30th in the nation in yards per attempt (8.44), second in the MW and 22nd in the nation in yards per completion (13.8), third in the MW and 21st in the nation with 3,628 passing yards (259.1 ypg), third in the MW and 22nd in the nation in points responsible for with 218 (15.6 pg), third in the MW and 28th in the nation in passing efficiency (154.1), fifth in the MW and 37th in the nation with 3,694 yards of total offense (263.9 ypg), fifth in the MW and 41st in the nation with 263 completions (18.8 pg), and sixth in the MW and 67th in the nation in completion percentage (.612). Graduate senior PK Connor Coles was fifth in the MW and 31st in the nation in field goals made with 20 (1.43 pg), and fifth in the MW and 38th in the nation in scoring with 112 points (8.0 ppg). Junior DT Poukesi Vakauta was fourth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in fumbles recovered with two (0.14 pg). Senior CB Ajani Carter was fourth in the MW and 36th in the nation in interceptions with three (0.21 pg). Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. was fifth in the MW and 63rd in the nation with 884 rushing yards (73.7 ypg), and ninth in the MW and 98th in the nation with seven rushing touchdowns (0.58 pg). Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee was seventh in the MW and 50th in the nation in punting (42.5 ypp). And, senior WR Justin McGriff was 10th in the MW and 81st in the nation in receiving touchdowns with six (0.43 pg).      
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State was one of 15 teams with multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns last year, along with South Florida (3), Alabama (2), Appalachian State (2), Arkansas State (2), Connecticut (2), Duke (2), Houston (2), Kansas State (2), Marshall (2), North Carolina State (2), Oklahoma State (2), Old Dominion (2), SMU (2) and Western Michigan (2). And, USU, Marshall and Oklahoma State were the only teams with two players that returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has six teams on its 2022 schedule that played in a bowl game last season in Alabama (CFP Cotton Bowl, CFB National Championship); BYU (Independence Bowl); Air Force (First Responder Bowl); Wyoming (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl); Hawai'i (Hawaii Bowl); and Boise State (Arizona Bowl).
 
AGGIES CURRENTLY IN THE NFL
• • Utah State currently has 12 players on NFL rosters and has had 13 players drafted into the NFL in the past 12 years. Former Aggies currently in the NFL include CB Jalen Davis (Cincinnati Bengals), LB Kyler Fackrell (Las Vegas Raiders), LB Tipa Galeai (Green Bay Packers), OG Tyler Larsen (Washington Football Team), SS Dallin Leavitt (Green Bay Packers), QB Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers), LS Patrick Scales (Chicago Bears), WR Deven Thompkins (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), RB Darwin Thompson (Seattle Seahawks), LB Nick Vigil (Arizona Cardinals), LB Bobby Wagner (Los Angeles Rams) and WR Derek Wright (Carolina Panthers).