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AGGIES HOST MOUNTAIN WEST-FOE COLORADO STATE IN HOMECOMING GAME
Game will be televised on KJZZ and streamed on the Mountain West Network at 6 p.m. 
 
COLORADO STATE (2-2, 0-0 MW) vs. UTAH STATE (2-3, 0-1 MW)
Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 • 6 p.m. • Logan, Utah • Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium (25,100)
 
GAME 6 INFORMATION
TV: KJZZ / Mountain West Network
• Play-by-Play: Dave Fox
• Analyst: Alema Harrington
• Reporter: Frank Dolce
• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 3/HD657
• DISH / DirecTV (Utah): Ch. 14
• Stream: utahstateaggies.com/watch/
 
RADIO: Aggie Sports Network
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard 
• Analyst: Kevin White
• Online: kslsports.com/kslsportszone
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• X/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: stats.statbroadcast.com
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State (2-3, 0-1 MW) resumes Mountain West play this weekend as it hosts Colorado State (2-2, 0-0 MW) on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on KJZZ (Xfinity Ch. 3/657HD, DirecTV Ch. 14, DISH Ch. 14) and streamed on the Mountain West Network with Dave Fox (play-by-play), Alema Harrington (analyst) and Frank Dolce (reporter) on the call. 
 
• Two of the top offenses in the Mountain West will face one another this weekend as Utah State is second in the MW and 21st in the nation in scoring (37.0 ppg), while CSU is fifth in the MW and 47th in the nation (32.8 ppg). CSU is also first in the MW and third in the nation in passing offense (383.5 ypg), while USU is fourth in the MW and 35th in the nation (277.8 ypg). And, CSU is first in the MW and 30th in the nation in total offense (454.5 ypg), while USU is second in the MW and 44th in the nation (427.6 ypg).  
 
• Utah State is 57-33-2 (.630) all-time in Homecoming games, including a 10-5-1 (.656) record against Colorado State. In fact, the Rams are USU's most played Homecoming opponent, ahead of BYU (7) and Utah (7). 
 
• Utah State is 48-31 (.608) all-time in Mountain West play, including a 26-14 (.650) home record. USU is also 47-20 (.701) in its last 67 home games and is 160-116 (.580) all-time inside Maverik Stadium.  
 
• Utah State (48-31) has the third-best record against Mountain West opponents since it joined the league in 2013. Boise State (68-15) has the best record in the league during that time, while San Diego State (58-24) has the second-best record. Colorado State has the sixth-best record (37-40).
 
• Sophomore S Ike Larsen was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career after blocking the game-tying extra point in the final minute against UConn last weekend. Larsen now has five career blocked kicks (4 punts, 1 extra point), which is a school record.
 
• Senior WR Terrell Vaughn has 94 receptions for 971 yards (10.3 ypr) and 11 touchdowns in his two-year Aggie career and is six catches shy of becoming the 22nd Aggie in school history with 100 career receptions and 29 yards shy of becoming the 38th Aggie all-time with 1,000 career receiving yards.
 
• Utah State is 5-2 (.714) in October under head coach Blake Anderson, which includes a 3-1 (.750) home record. USU is also 9-4-1 (.679) all-time in known games played on Oct. 7.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO STATE
• Colorado State is 2-2 on the season following its 41-20 home win against Utah Tech last weekend. CSU is led by redshirt freshman QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who is 103-of-142 (.725) passing for 1,358 yards (339.5 ypg) with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Senior RB Avery Morrow leads the team in rushing with 100 yards on 36 carries (2.8 ypc/33.3 ypg). And, senior WR Tory Horton has caught 45 passes for 540 yards (12.0 ypr/135.0 ypg) with six touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt junior LB Chase Wilson has a team-best 46 tackles, which includes 2.5 tackles for loss, while junior S Jack Howell has 37 tackles. As a team, Colorado State is averaging 32.8 points and 454.5 yards of total offense per game (383.5 passing, 71.0 rushing), and allowing 34.0 points and 438.3 yards of total offense (319.5 passing, 118.8 rushing). Colorado State returns 13 starters (O-5, D-8) and 30 lettermen (O-13, D-15, S-2) from last year's team that went 3-9 overall and 3-5 in Mountain West play. The Rams are coached by Jay Norvell, who is 38-37 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach, including a 5-11 record in his second season at Colorado State.
 
AGGIES AND RAMS SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State is 37-39-2 all-time against Colorado State, including a 20-20-1 home record. USU has won each of the last four meetings in the series with a 17-13 road win last year, a 26-24 home win in 2021, a 34-24 home win in 2019 and a 29-24 road win in 2018. The two teams did not meet during the 2020 COVID season. Overall, USU has won seven of the last 10 games played in the series. CSU's last win in the series was a 27-14 road win in 2017. The first-ever game between the two teams was in 1902 with CSU winning in Logan, 24-5.
 
AGGIES AND RAMS HAVE STORIED HISTORY
• Utah State and Colorado State have spent 57 years as league foes and have a storied history dating back to the early 1900s as both schools were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1916-37 and members of the Mountain States/Skyline Conference from 1938-61. CSU then was a charter member of the Mountain West in 1999, while USU joined the conference in 2013. 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. CSU won team championships in the RMAC in 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1927, 1933 and 1934, and in the Mountain States Conference in 1955. Overall, the Aggies and Rams faced each other in every season from 1911-79, except in 1912, 1918, 1921, 1943-44 (war), and 1968, even after CSU joined the Western Athletic Conference in 1968. After 1979, the two teams didn't play again until 1994.
 
AGGIES vs. RAMS SERIES THIRD-MOST PLAYED IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Utah State and Colorado State will be meeting for the 79th time in series history this weekend in what is the third-most played rivalry in school history. USU's most played rivalry is Utah (112), followed by Brigham Young (91), Colorado State (78) and Wyoming (72).
 
UTAH STATE VERSUS THE STATE OF COLORADO
• Utah State is a combined 77-80-6 (.491) against teams from the state of Colorado, with a 37-39-2 mark versus Colorado State, a 13-19-3 ledger against Denver, a 6-11-1 record against Colorado, a 7-0 mark versus Western State, a 5-4 record against Colorado Mines, a 3-0 record versus Colorado College, a 1-0 mark versus Regis, and a 5-7 record against Air Force.
 
AGGIES FROM COLORADO
• Utah State has four players on its roster that are from the state of Colorado in sophomore CB Al Ashford III (Denver/Cherry Creek HS/Wisconsin), sophomore DE Kaden Jolley (Fruita/Fruita Monument HS), redshirt freshman WR Grant Page (Boulder/Fairview HS/Colorado) and freshman DE Tanner Jolley (Fruita/Fruita Monument HS).
 
COACHING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND COLORADO STATE
• Utah State special teams coordinator Nick Paremski and Colorado State offensive line coach Bill Best spent four years (2008-11) on staff together at West Texas A&M. USU's safeties coach Ethan Morriss was a player at West Texas A&M from 2011-15.
 
PLAYER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND COLORADO STATE
•  Utah State graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu and freshman WR Zakkarii Black both attended Charter Oak HS in Covina, California, as did CSU redshirt junior DB Brandon Guzman. USU senior RB Sione Finau and CSU junior TE Dallin Holker both began their collegiate careers at BYU. USU junior CB Jaylen Martin, and CSU senior DB Chigozie Anusiem and senior LB Tramayne Mejia-Paster all began their collegiate careers at California. USU sophomore CB Al Ashford III, and CSU sophomore RB Keegan Holles and freshman DL Javion Smith-Combs all attended Cherry Creek HS in Greenwood Village, Colorado. USU junior WR Kyrese Rowan and CSU senior K Jordan Noyes both began their collegiate careers at Utah. USU sophomore ILB Gavin Barthiel and CSU redshirt junior DB Ayden Hector both began their collegiate careers at Washington State. USU redshirt freshman OL Teague Andersen and freshman S Kadiyon Sweat both attended Lehi (Utah) HS, as did CSU freshman QB Jackson Brousseau and Holker. USU redshirt freshman WR Grant Page, and CSU redshirt sophomore WR Matt Greenwald and redshirt freshman DB Liam Huber all attended Fairview HS in Boulder, Colorado. And, USU redshirt freshman DE Adam Tomczyk and CSU freshman RB Damian Henderson III both attended Los Alamitos (CA) HS.
 
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND COLORADO STATE
The following are series notables between Utah State and Colorado State. 
• Three of Utah State's last four wins in the series have been by five or fewer points. And, five of the last eight games in the series have been decided by one score.
 
• Two of Utah State's last four wins in the series (2018, 2021) were decided on the last play of the game, both of which were missed scoring opportunities by Colorado State. In 2018, CSU scored a touchdown on its final play of the game, but that score was negated due to a penalty. And in 2021, CSU missed a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the game.
 
• In the last 14 meetings, the team that leads at the half is 9-3 as Utah State is 6-2 when leading at the half and Colorado State is 3-1. Furthermore, the team that scores first is 10-4 as both teams are 5-2 when scoring first. USU has scored first in six of the last 11 games and led at the half in seven of the last 11 games.
 
• Utah State has rushed for more yards in seven of the last 11 meetings and is 5-2 in those games. USU has also had more yards of total offense in six of the last 11 games.
 
• The team that has had more first downs has lost six of the last 13 games.
 
• The winning team did not commit a turnover from 2013 to 2017 (five games), and the team that has had fewer turnovers has won eight of the last 13 games.
 
• Colorado State had 506 yards of total offense in 2018 and 509 yards in 2017, marking the only times in the last 14 meetings that either team had 500 yards of total offense. 
 
• Neither team has had a 300-yard passer in the last 14 meetings, while CSU has had a 100-yard rusher seven times and a 100-yard receiver five times. USU has had a 100-yard rusher eight times and a 100-yard receiver three times in the last 14 meetings.
 
• Utah State has never had a 300-yard passer against Colorado State.
 
• Utah State has had a 100-yard rusher in nine of the last 13 games played in the series, with the only exceptions being in the 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2021 meetings.
 
• Utah State has had 14 100-yard rushers and 10 100-yard receivers all-time against Colorado State, the fourth- and sixth-most against any opponent in school history, respectively. 
 
• The winning team has scored at least 30 points in eight of the last 14 meetings, while there have been 29 games where the winning team has scored less than 20 points. There have also been 24 shutouts in series history, 15 by USU's defense and nine by CSU's defense.
 
CURRENT AGGIES VERSUS COLORADO STATE
• The following is a look at what current Utah State players have done against Colorado State in at least two games played. Graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu has seven tackles and a career-high three pass breakups in three games. Graduate senior CB Xavion Steele has two tackles in two games. Senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka has six tackles in three games. Senior RB Cooper Jones has one punt return for three yards in two games. Senior P Stephen Kotsanlee has punted 11 times for 495 yards (45.0 ypp), including a long of 59, and has four punts downed inside the 20 in two games. Senior DT Poukesi Vakauta has three tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery in two games. Graduate junior QB Levi Williams is 30-of-49 passing for 438 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with 134 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 37 carries, in three games. In 2020, he was 19-of-31 for 321 yards against the Rams, all career highs, while at Wyoming. Junior LS Jacob Garcia has one tackle – the only one of his career – in two games. Junior OL Cole Motes has 1.0 knockdowns in two games. Junior PK Elliott Nimrod has kicked off 10 times for 597 yards (59.7 ypk) and four touchbacks in two games.
 
FROM THE RECORD BOOKS
Here is a look at some of the top Utah State individual and team statistical performances against Colorado State over the years. 
• Savon Scarver had a 100-yard kickoff return against Colorado State in 2019, which is tied for the third-longest in school history. 
 
• Aaron Wade returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown in 2018, which is tied for the fifth-longest all-time in school history. 
 
• Louie Giammona rushed for 242 yards against CSU in 1975, which is tied for the eighth-most all-time in school history. 
 
• Kerwynn Williams rushed for 205 yards against CSU in 2012, which is tied for the 24th-most all-time in school history. 
 
• Fred Allen had an 82-yard rush against CSU in 1975, which is tied for the 11th-longest in school history. 
 
• Roy Shivers hit Dave Clark on an 89-yard pass against CSU in 1965, which is tied for the fourth-longest pass play in school history. 
 
• Earsell Mackbee hit Grant Martinsen on an 81-yard pass against CSU in 1964, which is tied for the 15th-longest pass play in school history. 
 
• Rick Parros had a 94-yard kickoff return against CSU in 1978, which is tied for the 16th-longest in school history. 
 
• Micah Knorr made a 54-yard field goal against CSU in 1994, which is tied for the sixth-longest in school history. 
 
• Steve Steinke made a 52-yard field goal against CSU in 1979, which is tied for the 10th-longest in school history.
 
• Utah State limited Colorado State to 90 yards of total offense (seventh-fewest in school history) in 1961 in a 49-3 win in Fort Collins, while rushing for 389 yards, the most in series history by a USU team and 12th-most in school history. 
 
• Utah State held Colorado State to 116 yards of total offense in 1960, the 14th-fewest in school history. 
 
• Utah State held Colorado State to a school-record one passing yard in 1976. 
 
• Utah State held Colorado State to a school-record zero completions and three pass attempts in 1949. 
 
• Utah State held Colorado State to 15 passing yards in 1961 and 18 passing yards in 1963, the fifth- and eighth-fewest in school history, respectively. 
 
UTAH STATE IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State is 176-193-8 (.477) all-time against current members of the Mountain West with a 40-28-4 record vs. Wyoming, a 37-39-2 record vs. Colorado State, a 20-20-1 record vs. San José State, an 18-8 record vs. UNLV, a 16-13 record vs. New Mexico, a 13-18-1 record vs. Fresno State, a 12-6 record vs. Hawai`i, a 7-19 record vs. Nevada, a 5-22 record vs. Boise State, a 5-7 record vs. Air Force, and a 3-13 record vs. San Diego State.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 44 players in its program from the Beehive State, while Colorado State has 29 players on its roster from the Centennial State.
 
LAST MEETING 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.
 
LAST HOME MEETING vs. COLORADO STATE 
LOGAN, Utah  - Graduate senior PK Connor Coles kicked four field goals, graduate junior QB Logan Bonner threw a pair of first-half touchdowns and Utah State survived a frenetic finish in a 26-24 Homecoming win against Colorado State at Maverik Stadium on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021.
               
Coles' fourth field goal of the night, a 34-yarder with 5:03 to go in the game, gave the Aggies (5-2, 3-1 Mountain West) a 26-17 lead. 
               
The Rams did not go away, though. Colorado State (3-4, 2-1 MW) needed just five plays to march 73 yards to paydirt, capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Todd Centeio to Gary Williams, cutting the deficit to 26-24 with 3:31 left.
               
Utah State had the opportunity to run the clock out, but after gaining one first down, the Rams forced the Aggies to punt the ball back to them.
               
Colorado State took over on its own 15-yard line and following three straight completions from Centeio, the Rams were on the Aggies' 39-yard line. On third-and-10 from the 39, Centeio completed a 15-yard pass to Ty McCullouch and it appeared as if CSU was going to ruin Utah State's Homecoming.
               
After some confusion by the Rams, Colorado State eventually got its special teams unit onto the field and hurriedly lined up for a game-winning 42-yard field goal attempt. Fortunately for the Aggies, Cayden Camper's kick sailed wide left.
               
Coles had a career-best four field goals from 45, 30, 42 and 34 yards, respectively, to go along with two extra points for a career-high 14 points in the game for USU.
               
Bonner was 17-of-31 passing for 233 yards and the two touchdowns, both to senior WR Derek Wright. Bonner also threw one interception and was sacked a season-high eight times.
               
Wright finished the game with two catches for 63 yards, while fellow senior WR Deven Thompkins had six receptions for 104 yards, his fifth 100-yard receiving game of the season and his career.
               
David Bailey rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries for the Rams, who have lost three straight to the Aggies.
               
Colorado State, which had a season-high 13 tackles for loss, had 472 yards of total offense (190 rushing, 282 passing) as compared to 344 for USU (111 rushing, 233 passing). 
               
Graduate senior S Shaq Bond led the Aggies with 11 tackles, while graduate senior ILB Justin Rice had 10 stops. Junior OLB Ajani Carter intercepted his second pass of the season and junior CB Michael Anyanwu had five tackles, forced a fumble, and recovered a pooch kick by the Aggies that led to a Coles field goal.
               
Following a scoreless first quarter, both offenses came alive in the second.
               
Bonner threw touchdown passes of 25 and 38 yards, respectively, to give the Aggies leads of 7-0 and 14-7, respectively.
               
The Rams answered each Utah State score with touchdowns from Bailey.
               
Coles gave the Aggies the lead back for good when he drilled a 45-yard field goal to make it 17-14 with 1:30 to go.
               
On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore PK Elliott Nimrod pooched it toward the USU sideline. CSU failed to jump on the loose pigskin and Anyanwu recovered it for the Aggies on the Rams' 24-yard line.
               
Utah State cashed in five plays later when Coles made good on a 30-yard field goal to give the Aggies a 20-14 lead at the break.
 
GAME 5 RECAP vs. UCONN
EAST HARTFORD, Connecticut - Sophomore S Ike Larsen blocked the potential game-tying extra point with 40 seconds remaining to help Utah State hold off UConn 34-33 on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. 
               
The blocked extra point came after the Huskies (0-5) pulled to within one on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jelani Stafford. The score capped a nine-play, 85-yard drive for the hosts.
               
Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas helped the Aggies (2-3) rally from down 17 points in the second quarter as he replaced starter McCae Hillstead in the third quarter after the freshman was injured on a late hit. The 17-point comeback for USU is tied for the fourth-largest in school history. 
               
Utah State also improved to 9-1 under head coach Blake Anderson in one-score games and notched its 13th come-from-behind win under Anderson, including its eighth when trailing by double digits. 
               
Utah State had six players make their first-career start in the game, including three along the offensive line due to injuries.
               
Legas was 11-of-13 passing for 204 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns, including a 52-yarder to junior WR Jalen Royals that gave Utah State the lead for good, 31-24 with 12:36 left in the game. Royals finished with a career-high-tying seven catches for a career-best 185 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. It was Royals' first-career 100-yard receiving game. 
               
Prior to being hurt, Hillstead was 6-of-11 passing for 111 yards and one touchdown, to go along with two interceptions. 
               
UConn QB TaQuan Roberson was 23-of-32 for 255 yards and one touchdown. 
               
The Huskies jumped out to a two-touchdown advantage early in the second quarter and appeared as if they were going to take a 17-0 lead into the locker room at the half following a 36-yard field goal by Joe McFadden with 37 seconds to go until the break. 
               
However, Utah State had other ideas. Hillstead threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to graduate junior WR Colby Bowman with 14 seconds remaining on the clock to pull the Aggies to within 17-7. USU went 75 yards on just two plays for the score. 
               
Prior to that two-play drive, Utah State had just 22 yards of total offense and one first down in the game. UConn ran 30 mores plays (47-17) than USU in the first half, had a dozen more first downs (15-3) and more than doubled the Aggies in total yardage (253-97). 
               
The Huskies finished with 473 yards of total offense (255 passing, 218 rushing), while USU, which improved to 3-0 all-time against UConn, amassed 416 yards (315 passing, 101 rushing).
               
Utah State had the ball inside UConn territory the first two times possessions of the game following an interception by sophomore S Devin Dye and a 21-yard punt return by junior WR Micah Davis.
               
Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. recorded a career-high-tying 13 tackles, while redshirt junior ILB Anthony Switzer added 10 stops to match his career high. Switzer also had his first-career sack and posted a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss. Dye tallied a career-high 10 tackles, to go along with his second interception in as many games.
               
Junior PK Elliott Nimrod scored 10 points for USU  with two field goals (37, 24) and four extra points.
 
UTAH STATE RECORDS FOURTH-LARGEST COMEBACK IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Utah State's 17-point come-from-behind win at UConn last weekend is tied for the fourth-largest comeback in school history and largest since it overcame a 27-7 third-quarter deficit to post a 31-27 home win against Nevada in 2015. USU trailed UConn 17-0 in the second quarter. 
 
• Through the first 29:23 of the first half, Utah State had produced just 17 yards on nine plays with one first down. USU then started its final drive of the half with 37 seconds to go and gained 12 yards on a run, and scored its first points on a 63-yard touchdown pass.
 
• Following its touchdown in the second quarter, Utah State exploded for 24 points in the second half, including 17 unanswered in the third quarter, as USU gained 274 yards in 24 plays over the next 17:24 to take a 31-24 lead with 12:36 to play in the game. 
 
• Following three punts and two interceptions during its first five drives of the game, Utah State scored four touchdowns and made a pair of field goals over its next six drives. 
 
UTAH STATE BLOCKS LATE EXTRA POINT TO PRESERVE UCONN WIN
• Utah State blocked its second kick of the 2023 season last weekend at UConn as it blocked an extra point with 40 seconds remaining to preserve a 34-33 win. USU also blocked a punt at No. 25 Iowa in the season opener this year.
 
• Utah State has now blocked nine kicks (6 punts, 2 extra points, 1 field goal) under head coach Blake Anderson, which included four blocks (3 punts, 1 extra point) during the 2022 campaign.  The school record for blocked kicks in a season is six set in 2012. Overall, USU has blocked six punts in its last 20 games dating back to the 2021 season. 
 
• At the end of the 2022 season, Utah State led the Mountain West and was 10th in the nation with four blocked kicks (3 punts, 1 extra point). 
 
UTAH STATE POSTS 13TH COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN UNDER ANDERSON 
• Utah State posted its 13th come-from-behind win in three seasons under head coach Blake Anderson, as it rallied from an early 17-0 deficit to post a 34-33 win at UConn last weekend. It was also the eighth time under Anderson that USU rallied from double-digit deficits to record a victory. 
 
UTAH STATE NOTCHES NINTH ONE-SCORE VICTORY UNDER ANDERSON
• Utah State improved to 9-1 in one-score games under head coach Blake Anderson, including a 1-1 record this year, following its 34-33 win at UConn last weekend. USU lost to James Madison two weekends ago, 45-38, after USU rallied from a 24-point deficit in the second quarter to tie the game at 38-all in the fourth quarter.
 
UTAH STATE HAS SIX PLAYERS MAKE FIRST-CAREER START AT UCONN
• Utah State had six players make their first-career start last weekend at UConn in graduate senior OL Calvin Knapp, sophomore ILB Gavin Barthiel, redshirt sophomore CB Avante Dickerson, sophomore S Devin Dye, redshirt freshman OL Bryce Radford and redshirt freshman OL Oloali'i Maui. USU has now had 24 players make their first-career start through the first five weeks of the season. Furthermore, USU has had 16 players appear in their first-ever Division I game this year and 39 players have made their Aggie debut this fall.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH UTAH STATE
• Utah State has been outscored 67-7 in the first quarter this season, but has outscored its opponents 178-102 the remainder of the game, including 78-51 in the second quarter, 55-14 in the third quarter and 45-37 in the fourth quarter.
 
• In its last three games against Air Force, James Madison and UConn, Utah State has fallen behind by double digits against each opponent as the Falcons scored the first 29 points of the game, while the Dukes scored the first 24 points and the Huskies scored the first 17 points.
 
• Furthermore, in the first quarter of its last three games USU has a combined one first down and minus 11 yards of total offense as it had one first down and six yards at Air Force, no first downs and minus 22 yards against James Madison, and zero first downs and five yards at UConn.
 
• However, in the final three quarters of its last three games, Utah State has scored 93 points  (31.0 ppg) and produced 1,218 yards of total offense (406.0 ypg).
 
UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 44 of its last 55 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 1-1 record this year, and 50 of its last 58 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 1-0 record in 2023. USU has also won 68 of its last 74 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 2-1 record this year.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has nine scoring drives this season that have taken less than 60 seconds, which includes eight touchdown drives and one field goal. USU also has seven scoring plays of at least 50 yards this season with five passes and two runs.
 
ROYALS HAS CAREER GAME AT UCONN
• Junior WR Jalen Royals had the best game of his career last weekend at UConn as he had a career-high 185 receiving yards and a career-best three touchdowns (15, 71, 52) on a career-high-tying seven receptions. Royals is the first Aggie with three touchdown receptions in a game since Hunter Sharp also had three touchdown catches at Air Force in 2015. Furthermore, Royals' 185 receiving yards are the most by an Aggie since Deven Thompkins had 215 receiving yards at New Mexico State in 2021. 
 
• Royals is the first Aggie to have multiple touchdown scores of at least 50 yards in the same game since Darwin Thompson had a 59-yard touchdown run and an 88-yard touchdown catch against San José State in 2018. 
 
• Royals entered the UConn game with 19 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns in 16 career outings.
 
LEGAS TIES CAREER HIGH WITH THREE TOUCHDOWN PASSES AT UCONN
• Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas was 11-of-13 (.846) passing for 204 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns in two quarters of action last weekend at UConn as he played the majority of the second half after replacing an injured McCae Hillstead. For Legas, it is the second time in his career he has thrown three touchdown passes in a game and the sixth time he has had multiple touchdown passes. It was also the second time this year and sixth time in his career he has thrown for at least 200 yards in a game.
 
BOWMAN HAS 63-YARD TOUCHDOWN CATCHES IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES
• Graduate junior WR Colby Bowman has caught career-long 63-yard touchdowns in each of his last two games against UConn and James Madison, which are the first touchdown receptions of his career.
 
VAUGHN GOES WITHOUT A CATCH FOR FIRST TIME IN HIS CAREER IN UCONN GAME
• For the first time in his career, senior WR Terrell Vaughn did not have a reception in a game as he was only targeted one time last weekend at UConn. Vaughn entered the game having caught at least one pass in each of his first 17 games with USU.
 
• In his previous game against James Madison, Vaughn caught 10 passes for a season-high 124 yards and tied his career high with two touchdowns. It was his second-career 100-yard receiving game, third-career double-digit reception game and third-career game with two touchdown catches.
 
• Vaughn was also the first player in school history to have a touchdown reception in each of his first four games oto start a season as he had one touchdown catch at No. 25 Iowa, a career-high-tying two touchdown catches against Idaho State, one touchdown reception at Air Force, and a career-high-tying two touchdown receptions against James Madison.
 
HILLSTEAD SETS FRESHMAN PASSING RECORD AGAINST JAMES MADISON
• Freshman QB McCae Hillstead was 25-of-47 (.532) passing for 399 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions, all of which are career highs, in his first-career start against James Madison two weekends ago. Those 399 passing yards are the most by a freshman and tied for the 14th-most in school history. It was also the most yards thrown by an Aggie since Jordan Love threw for 416 yards at Wake Forest in 2019.
 
HILLSTEAD EIGHTH TRUE FRESHMAN TO START AT QUARTERBACK FOR AGGIES
• Freshman McCae Hillstead made his first-career start at quarterback for Utah State two weekends ago against James Madison. Hillstead was the eighth true freshman to start at quarterback for the Aggies in school history and first since Bishop Davenport started one game last year. Kent Myers started five games as a true freshman in 2014. Darell Garretson started seven games as a true freshman in 2013. Chuckie Keeton started eight games as a true freshman in 2011. Riley Nelson started six games as a true freshman in 2006. Jerod Walker started two games as a true freshman in 2005. And, Jeff Crosbie started four games as a true freshman in 1998.
 
BOOTH RECORDS FIRST-CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING GAME
• Junior RB Davon Booth recorded his first-career 100-yard rushing game two weekends ago against James Madison as he carried the ball 21 times for 103 yards, both of which are career highs.
 
DAVIS RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 163 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS AGAINST DUKES
• Junior WR Micah Davis recorded a career-high 163 all-purpose yards two weekends ago against James Madison as he had two receptions for 82 yards, including a career-long 76-yard touchdown catch, while adding 46 kickoff return yards and 35 punt return yards.
 
• In his previous game at Air Force, which is where he played during his first two years of college, Davis caught a career-high-tying four passes for a season-high 84 yards and one touchdown.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 61 new players on its roster, which is the sixth-most in the nation, behind Colorado (88), Arizona State (79), Oklahoma State (63), Nebraska (62) and New Mexico State (62). 
 
TAFISI TIES CAREER HIGH WITH 13 TACKLES IN UCONN GAME
• Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. posted his second double-digit tackle outing of the season and the seventh of his career as he tied his career high with 13 tackles last weekend at UConn.
 
DYE HAS CAREER-HIGH 10 TACKLES AND ONE INTERCEPTION AGAINST UCONN
• Sophomore S Devin Dye had another outstanding game for Utah State as he recorded his first-ever double-digit tackle outing with a career-high 10 stops, while intercepting his second pass in as many games, in his first-career start in the UConn game. 
 
• In his previous game against James Madison, Dye recorded a then-career-high nine tackles, which included 0.5 tackles for loss, to go along with his first-career interception and second-career pass breakup.
 
• Dye is the first Aggie to intercept passes in consecutive games since Ike Larsen did so in the first two games of the 2022 season against UConn and Alabama.
 
SWITZER RECORDS CAREER HIGHS IN UCONN GAME 
• Redshirt junior S Anthony Switzer recorded his second-career double-digit tackle outing as he tied his career high with 10 stops at UConn last weekend. Switzer also recorded a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss against the Huskies, which included his first-career sack.
 
• In his previous game against James Madison, Switzer recorded a pair of turnovers as he intercepted his first pass of the season and second of his career, to go along with his first fumble recovery of the season and the second of his career.
 
• Switzer began the season by posting eight tackles at No. 25 Iowa and then notched a career-high 10 tackles against Idaho State for his first-career double-digit tackle game.
 
OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM UCONN GAME
• Redshirt freshman CB JD Drew had a career-high seven tackles. Junior DE Cian Slone had a career-high six tackles, which included 0.5 tackles for loss, the first of his career. Sophomore ILB Gavin Barthiel tied his career high with three tackles, which included 0.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore DE Enoka Migao had a career-high three tackles. Sophomore S Simeon Harris had 1.0 sacks, the first of his career.
 
LARSEN POSTS DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLES IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES
• Sophomore S Ike Larsen posted double-digit tackles in consecutive games as he had 10 tackles, which included 1.0 tackles for loss, to go along with his first-career forced fumble against James Madison. In his previous game at Air Force, Larsen recorded his first-career double-digit tackle outing as he had a career-high 11 stops.
 
• Against Idaho State, Larsen intercepted his fifth-career pass and returned it 47 yards for his second-career pick-six. Larsen also had five tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, against the Bengals. 
 
• In the season opener at No. 25 Iowa, Larsen had four tackles, tied his career high with two pass breakups, and blocked his fourth-career punt to extend his own school record.  
 
LARSEN NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore S Ike Larsen was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career after blocking the tying extra point in the final minute of Utah State's 34-33 road win at UConn last weekend. For Larsen, it is the third time he has been honored by the MW as he was also named the MW Defensive Player of the Week and the MW Freshman of the Week last season following performances against Hawai'i and Alabama, respectively. 
 
• For his career, Larsen has five blocked kicks (4 punts, 1 PAT) to extend his own school record. 
 
NIMROD SCORES CAREER-HIGH 14 POINTS AGAINST JAMES MADISON
• Junior PK Elliott Nimrod scored a career-high 14 points two weekends ago against James Madison as he scored his first-career touchdown on an 18-yard run on a fake field goal in the second quarter. Nimrod was also 5-of-5 on extra points and 1-of-2 on field goals as he made a 28-yarder and missed a 37-yarder. 
 
• This past weekend at UConn, Nimrod scored 10 points as he was 2-of-2 on field goals (37, 24) and 4-for-4 on PATs. Nimrod is now 5-of-6 on the season on field goals, including 2-of-2 from 20-29 yards, 2-of-3 from 30-39 yards and 1-of-1 from 40-49 yards, and 17-of-18 on PATs. 
 
KOTSANLEE FIFTH ALL-TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN PUNTING
• Senior P Stephen Kotsanlee punted four times for an average of 38.8 yards last weekend at UConn and has now punted 178 times in his career for an average of 42.5 yards per punt (7,573 yards), which is the fifth-best average in school history. For his career, he has 36 punts of at least 50 yards and 66 punts that have been downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
• 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.
 
UTAH STATE 21ST IN THE NATION IN SCORING OFFENSE 
• Utah State is first in the Mountain West and 21st in the nation in scoring offense (37.0 ppg), second in the MW and 44th in the nation in total offense (427.6 ypg), fourth in the MW and 35th in the nation in passing offense (277.8 ypg), fourth in the MW and 42nd in the nation in completion percentage (.641), fourth in the MW and 44th in the nation in passing efficiency (148.6), fifth in the MW and 70th in the nation in rushing offense (149.8 ypg), and ninth in the MW and 97th in the nation in sacks allowed with 13 (2.6 pg). 
 
• Utah State is also second in the MW and 11th in the nation in fumbles lost with one (0.20 pg), sixth in the MW and 35th in the nation in yards per rush attempt (4.9), sixth in the MW and 46th in the nation in fourth down conversions (.615), sixth in the MW and 49th in the nation in turnover margin (+0.20), and sixth in the MW and 58th in the nation in red zone offense (.857).
 
UTAH STATE FOURTH IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
• Utah State is fourth in the Mountain West and 71st in the nation in tackles for loss with 28 (5.6 pg), sixth in the MW and 90th in the nation in passing defense (244.4 ypg), seventh in the MW and 111th in the nation in total defense (424.2 ypg), eighth in the MW and 101st in the nation in passing efficiency defense (147.4), eighth in the MW and 107th in the nation in sacks with seven (1.40 pg), eighth in the MW and 109th in the nation in rushing defense (179.8 ypg), and eighth in the MW and 114th in the nation in scoring defense (33.8 ppg). 
 
UTAH STATE 23RD IN THE NATION WITH NINE FORCED TURNOVERS
• Utah State is third in the Mountain West and 17th in the nation in fumbles recovered with four (0.8 pg), fourth in the MW and 40th in the nation in passes intercepted with five (1.0 pg), and fourth in the MW and 23rd in the nation in turnovers forced with nine (1.8 pg).
 
UTAH STATE ONE OF 21 FBS TEAMS WITH TWO DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
• Utah State is one of 21 FBS teams in the nation with two defensive touchdowns this season.     
 
UTAH STATE 33RD IN THE NATION IN PUNT RETURNS
• Utah State is second in the MW and 33rd in the nation in punt returns (11.9 ypr), third in the MW and 45th in the nation in punt return defense (4.2 ypr), fourth in the MW and 48th in the nation in net punting (40.1 ypp), sixth in the MW and 90th in the nation in kickoff return defense (21.2 ypr), and seventh in the MW and 68th in the nation in kickoff returns (19.7 ypr). 
 
AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
• Utah State sophomore S Ike Larsen is tied for first in the nation with two blocked kicks (0.40 pg), tied for first in the MW and third in the nation with one defensive touchdown (0.20 pg), and is ninth in the MW and 92nd in the nation with one interception (0.20 pg). Junior CB Jaiden Francois is tied for first in the MW and third in the nation with one defensive touchdown (0.20 pg), and is ninth in the MW and 92nd in the nation with one interception (0.20 pg). Senior WR Terrell Vaughn is first in the MW and seventh in the nation in receiving touchdowns with six (1.20 pg), second in the MW and eighth in the nation in receptions (7.6 pg), and ninth in the MW and 70th in the nation in receiving yards (69.4 ypg). Junior WR Micah Davis is first in the MW and 15th in the nation in yards per reception (22.3), first in the MW and 15th in the nation in punt returns (11.9 ypr), and ninth in the MW and 61st in the nation with three receiving touchdowns (0.60 pg). Freshman QB McCae Hillstead is first in the MW and 25th in the nation in yards per completion (14.0), fourth in the MW and 50th in the nation in passing touchdowns with eight (2.00 pg), fourth in the MW and 45th in the nation in passing efficiency (144.1), sixth in the MW and 84th in the nation in passing (182.5 ypg), eighth in the MW and 87th in the nation in total offense (188.2 ypg), eighth in the MW and 93rd in the nation in completion percentage (.578), and 10th in the MW and 94th in the nation in completions per game (13.0). Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas is second in the MW and 19th in the nation in completion percentage (.702), third in the MW and 40th in the nation in passing efficiency (147.8), fifth in the MW and 71st in the nation in passing touchdowns with six (1.5 pg), seventh in the MW and 80th in the nation in completions per game (14.8), and ninth in the MW in passing (147.0 ypg). Junior WR Jalen Royals is fourth in the MW and 12th in the nation in receiving touchdowns with five (1.0 pg), seventh in the MW and 46th in the nation in receiving (76.4 ypg), and seventh in the MW and 53rd in the nation in receptions (5.2 pg). Sophomore S Devin Dye is fourth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in interceptions with two (0.40 pg). Senior P Stephen Kotsanlee is fourth in the MW and 34th in the nation in punting (43.3 ypp). Redshirt junior S Anthony Switzer is fifth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.20 pg), ninth in the MW and 92nd in the nation in interceptions with one (0.20 pg), and 10th in the MW in tackles (7.2 pg). Graduate senior OL Wade Meacham is fifth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.20 pg). Junior DE Cian Slone is fifth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.20 pg). Junior DE Blaine Spires is fifth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.20 pg). Junior PK Elliott Nimrod is fifth in the MW and 40th in the nation in field goal percentage (.833), seventh in the MW and 59th in the nation in field goals (1.00 pg), and eighth in the MW and 69th in the nation in scoring (7.6 ppg). Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. is fifth in the MW and 42nd in the nation in tackles (8.4 pg). And, junior OL Cole Motes is sixth in the MW and 56th in the nation with one fumble recovered (0.25 pg).   
 
WHAT'S RETURNING IN 2023 
• Utah State returns nine starters (O-4, D-5) as part of 35 letterwinners (O-19, D-13, S-3) from last year's team that posted a 6-7 record, tied for second in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 mark, and concluded its season by playing in its 10th bowl game in the past 12 years against Memphis (L, 38-10) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas, Texas. USU also welcomes back 14 redshirts (O-7, D-6, S-1) and three squadmen (O-1, D-2). 
 
• Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2023 are a trio of all-Mountain West performers in sophomore S Ike Larsen, senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. and senior WR Terrell Vaughn. Larsen earned second-team all-MW accolades and was named a College Football News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American, while Tafisi and Vaughn both garnered honorable mention all-MW honors. USU also returns senior P Stephen Kotsanlee, who earned honorable mention all-MW honors in 2020.  
 
• Other starters returning for Utah State in 2023 include graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu, graduate senior QB Cooper Legas, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka, senior TE Josh Sterzer and senior DT Poukesi Vakauta.
 
UTAH STATE WELCOMES 61 NEWCOMERS 
• Utah State welcomes 61 newcomers (O-27, D-32, S-2) to its program this fall, which is the sixth-most in the nation. Among the group of new players are 14 four-year transfers in graduate senior OL Ralph Frias III (Arizona State), senior RB Sione Finau (BYU), graduate junior WR Colby Bowman (Stanford), junior CB Jaiden Francois (UCF), junior QB Zeke Payne (New Mexico Highlands), junior DE Blaine Spires (Bowling Green), redshirt sophomore CB Avante Dickerson (Oregon), sophomore CB Al Ashford III (Wisconsin), sophomore ILB Gavin Barthiel (Washington State), sophomore S Simeon Harris (Colorado), redshirt freshman DT Sir Mells (Oregon), redshirt freshman WR Grant Page (Colorado), redshirt freshman ILB Logan Pili (BYU) and redshirt freshman S Jackson Sundstrom (Concordia). USU also welcomes 21 junior college transfers (O-9, D-11, S-1), to go along with 26 high schoolers (O-13, D-12, S-1).
 
• Among the 21 junior college transfers, five of those players began their careers at the FBS level in junior WR Micah Davis (Air Force), junior RB Rahsul Faison (Marshall), junior CB Jaylen Martin (California), sophomore DE Ioholani Raass (UCLA) and sophomore S Javar Strong (Arkansas State). 
 
UTAH STATE HAS FOUR SETS OF BROTHERS ON 2023 ROSTER  
• Utah State has four sets of brothers on its 2023 roster in senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou HS) and redshirt freshman OL Tavo Motu'apuaka (Honolulu, Hawaii/Mililani HS), junior DE Cian Slone (Rocklin, California/American River JC/Rocklin HS) and sophomore S Teeg Slone (Rocklin, California/American River JC/Rocklin HS), sophomore OL Elia Migao (Temecula, California/Chaparral HS) and sophomore DE Enoka Migao (Temecula, California/Chaparral HS), and redshirt freshman DE Kaden Jolley (Fruita, Colorado/Fruita Monument HS) and freshman DT Tanner Jolley (Fruita, Colorado/Fruita Monument HS). 
 
NINE AGGIES WITH BACHELOR'S DEGREES  
• Utah State has nine players on its 2023 roster that have already received their bachelor's degrees in graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu (kinesiology), graduate senior OL Ralph Frias III (interdisciplinary studies), graduate senior OL Calvin Knapp (interdisciplinary studies), graduate senior QB Cooper Legas (economics), graduate senior OL Wade Meacham (psychology), graduate senior CB Xavion Steele (sociology), graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. (integrated studies), graduate junior WR Colby Bowman (science, technology and society) and graduate junior QB Levi Williams (integrated studies). 
 
AGGIES WHO HAVE SERVED LDS CHURCH MISSIONS 
•  Utah State has 14 players on its 2023 roster who have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, senior RB Sione Finau, senior TE Josh Sterzer, senior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen, sophomore DE Kaden Jolley, sophomore DT Seni Tuiaki, redshirt freshman K/P Ryan Marks, redshirt freshman ILB Bronson Olevao Jr., redshirt freshman LB Logan Pili, redshirt freshman OL Adam Pond, freshman DE Emerson Conlon, freshman ILB Bowen Fjord, freshman DT Tanner Jolley and freshman S Titan Saxton.
 
AGGIES WHO ARE MARRIED 
• Utah State has four players on its 2023 roster who are married in graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka, senior TE Josh Sterzer and junior OL Cole Motes.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State sophomore S Devin Dye's dad, Jermaine, spent 13 years in Major League Baseball as an outfielder for several teams, including the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox, as he was named World Series MVP. He was a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove Award recipient in 2000 and a Silver Slugger Award recipient in 2006. 
 
• Utah State junior WR Micah Davis' dad, Dexter, spent five years in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams.
 
ANDERSON ENTERS THIRD SEASON AT UTAH STATE
• Blake Anderson, who is entering his third season at Utah State, is just the second head coach in program history to lead the Aggies to consecutive bowl games in his first two seasons. Overall, Anderson is the fifth head coach in school history to coach in multiple bowls, along with E. Lowell Romney (1946-47), John Ralston (1960-61), Gary Andersen (2011-12, 2019) and Matt Wells (2013-15, '17). 
 
• In 2021, Anderson led the Aggies to their first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State, which was the program's first win against a nationally-ranked opponent in six years. Anderson also led USU to its 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 after being picked to finish fifth in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West in the preseason polls. USU concluded its season ranked 24th in the nation in the final Associated Press poll, marking just the fifth-time ever that USU finished a season nationally ranked. 
 
• Under Anderson, Utah State tied for the best turnaround in the nation in 2021, as the Aggies became the first FBS team ever to go from zero or one win to 11 wins the following season. USU also became the first FBS program in eight years to post a 7-0 road record. 
 
• Anderson, who was named the 2021 AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award, was the only first-year head coach in the nation to lead his team to nine or more wins. In 2022, Anderson led USU to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.  
 
• 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 eighth bowl game in nine seasons last year and has a 3-5 bowl record.
 
ANDERSON AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND QUARTERBACKS COACH
• Along with his head coaching responsibilities, Blake Anderson is also serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this season. During his time as a head coach at Arkansas State, Anderson also served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In 2017, ASU ranked fifth in the nation in passing (342.2 ypg), 10th in total offense (494.8 ypg) and 13th in scoring (37.8 ypg). In 2018, ASU ranked 17th in the nation in total offense (466.2 ypg), 21st in passing (281.5 ypg) and 54th in scoring (30.3 ppg).
 
CEFALO HAS COACHED THREE BILETNIKOFF SEMIFINALISTS
• Utah State co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Kyle Cefalo has coached a Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist in three of the last four 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.
 
OTHER COACHING NOTABLES
• Utah State welcomes six new coaches to its staff this fall in defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen, defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Mitchell White, offensive line coach Cooper Bassett, defensive line coach Tevita Finau, running backs coach Rodney Freeman III and safeties coach Ethan Morriss. 
 
• Cauthen spent five years working with USU head coach Blake Anderson at Arkansas State (2014-18) as the Red Wolves played in five-straight bowl games and won a pair of conference championships (2015-16). 
 
• Anderson has two former Aggies on his staff in tight ends coach DJ Tialavea (2010-13) and director of player development and community engagement Austin Albrecht (2014-16). 
 
• Finau spent five years (2012-16) in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Houston Texans. 
 
• White spent six years in professional football, including in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders (2013) and Philadelphia Eagles (2017). White also played four years in the Canadian Football League and won back-to-back Grey Cups with the Ottawa Redblacks (2016) and Toronto Argonauts (2017). During the 2016 campaign, he was named a CFL East All-Star.
 
AGGIES IN OVERTIME
• Utah State is 6-6 all-time in overtime, winning three of its last five. All-time, USU is 4-3 in single-overtime games, 2-2 in double-overtime games, and 0-1 in triple-overtime games. USU's last overtime game was a 26-20 loss against New Mexico State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017.
 
HEAD COACH BLAKE ANDERSON
• Blake Anderson (hired on Dec. 12, 2020) is in his third year as Utah State's head coach and is the 29th head coach in program history. He has a 70-50 overall record, including a 49-24 conference mark. He has posted a 19-13 record at USU, including an 11-6 Mountain West record.
 
• Anderson has 30 years of coaching experience and has been part of six conference championships. He has also coached in 13 bowl games and he won a national championship at the junior college level.
 
• During the 2022 campaign, Anderson led Utah State to six wins and its 10th bowl game in the past 12 seasons, including its second in as many years. USU also tied for second-place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 mark as the Aggies had nine players earn various all-conference accolades. Graduate senior safety Hunter Reynolds was named a ProFootballFocus Honorable Mention All-American, while redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen was named a College Football News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American.
 
• 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 (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 (2015-16).
 
• 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.
 
• 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.