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AGGIES CONTINUE MOUNTAIN WEST PLAY AT SAN DIEGO STATE SATURDAY
Game will be televised live on Fox Sports 2 at 5 p.m. (MT). 
 
UTAH STATE (3-5, 1-3 MW) vs. SAN DIEGO STATE (3-5, 1-3 MW)
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 • 5 p.m. (MT) • San Diego, California • Snapdragon Stadium (35,000)
 
GAME 9 INFORMATION
TV: Fox Sports 2
• Play-by-Play: Guy Haberman
• Analyst: Petros Papadakis
• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 264/722HD
• DISH: Ch. 149
• DirecTV: Ch. 618
 
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 (3-5, 1-3 MW) continues Mountain West play at San Diego State (3-5, 1-3 MW) on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 5 p.m. (MT), on Fox Sports 2 (Xfinity Ch. 264/722HD, DISH Ch. 149, DirecTV Ch. 618) with Guy Haberman (play-by-play) and Robert Smith (analyst) on the call. 
 
• Utah State has been outscored 105-17 (-88) in the first quarter this season, but has outscored its opponents 265-167 (+98) the remainder of the game, including 113-58 (+55) in the second quarter, 72-42 (+30) in the third quarter and 80-67 (+13) in the fourth quarter.
 
• Utah State's offense runs a play on average every 21.2 seconds, which ranks as the fifth-fastest tempo in the nation. South Florida leads the nation with a play every 20.3 seconds, followed by Jacksonville State (20.4), TCU (20.9), Colorado (21.0) and USU.
 
• Utah State's 25 passing touchdowns this year are tied with Washington for the third-most in the nation and trailing only USC (26) and LSU (26), while its 37 total touchdowns are tied for the 15th most.
 
• Utah State leads the Mountain West and is 21st in the nation in scoring offense at 35.2 points per game. USU is also first in the MW and 23rd in the nation in total offense (451.1 ypg), and fourth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in passing offense (287.4 ypg). 
 
• Utah State's defense is third in the Mountain West and 13th in the nation with its 16 forced turnovers, while also ranking second in the MW and sixth in the nation with eight fumble recoveries, and fourth in the MW and 36th in the nation with eight passes intercepted.
 
• Utah State and LSU are the only FBS teams that have two players with at least eight touchdown catches on the year and USU is the only FBS team that has three players with at least five touchdown catches. Junior WR Jalen Royals is tied for third in the nation with 10 touchdown catches, senior WR Terrell Vaughn is tied for 10th with eight touchdowns and junior WR Micah Davis is tied for 44th with five touchdowns. Collectively, the trio has caught 124 passes for 1,824 yards and 23 touchdowns on the year.
 
• Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. leads the Mountain West and ranks eighth in the nation with 10.4 tackles per game. Tafisi, who has led USU in tackling in each of its last four games, has 83 tackles this year and is 17 stops shy of becoming the 64th player in school history to record 100 tackles in a single season.
 
• Senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka has played in 53 career games, which is tied for the sixth-most in school history. The school record for games played is 59 set by Demytrick Ali'ifua (2017-21). Motu'apuaka has also started 35 games in his USU career and is just two starts shy of entering the top-10 all-time.
 
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE
• San Diego State is 3-5 on the season and 1-3 in Mountain West play following its 6-0 home loss against Nevada two weekends ago. The Aztecs are led by senior QB Jalen Mayden, who is 123-of-200 (.615) passing for 1,332 yards (166.5 ypg) with six touchdowns and six interceptions. Mayden also leads the team in rushing with 400 yards on 87 carries (4.6 ypc/50.0 ypg) with three touchdowns. And, senior TE Mark Redman leads the team in receiving as he has caught 22 passes for 242 yards (11.0 ypr/30.3 ypg) with two touchdowns. Defensively, sophomore LB Zyrus Fiaseu leads the team with 48 tackles, which includes 8.0 tackles for loss. As a team, San Diego State is averaging 19.6 points and 317.5 yards of total offense (147.0 rushing, 170.5 passing), and allowing 28.1 points and 420.0 yards of total offense (162.9 rushing, 257.1 passing). San Diego State returns 12 starters (O-5, D-7) from last year's team that went 7-6 overall and tied for second place in the West Division of the MW with a 5-3 league ledger. SDSU concluded its season with a 25-23 loss to Middle Tennessee in the Hawaii Bowl. Brady Hoke is in his second stint as the head coach at San Diego State and is 39-29 in his sixth season with the Aztecs. Overall, he has a 104-87 record in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
 
AGGIES AND AZTECS SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State trails in the all-time series against San Diego State, 13-3, which includes a 3-8 road record. However, USU has won two of the last three games in the series, including back-to-back road wins. In the last meeting between the two teams, USU posted a 46-13 win against No. 19 SDSU in the 2021 Mountain West Championship Game. USU also posted a 23-17 road win in 2019, snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Aztecs. The first game played in the series was on Sept. 20, 1947, in Logan, with SDSU winning 24-19.  
 
AGGIES vs. AZTECS SERIES 20TH-MOST PLAYED IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Utah State and San Diego State will be meeting for the 17th time in series history this weekend in what is the 20th-most played series in school history.
 
UTAH STATE VERSUS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
• Utah State is 65-75-2 (.465) all-time against teams from California, including a 27-47-2 (.368) road record. Overall, USU is 21-7 versus Pacific, 20-21-1 against San José State, 13-19-1 versus Fresno State, 8-6 against Cal State Fullerton, 3-13 versus San Diego State, 1-0 against Cal State Northridge, 0-6 versus USC, and 0-1 against Stanford, St. Vincent's and UCLA. 
 
CURRENT AGGIES FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
• Utah State has 22 players from California, which is the second-most on the team behind the 46 players from Utah. USU players from the Golden State include graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu (Covina/Charter Oak HS), junior OL Shively Asoau Fua (San Francisco/Mission HS/Chabot College), freshman WR Zakkarii Black (Covina/Charter Oak HS), graduate junior WR Colby Bowman (Orange/St. John Bosco HS/Stanford), sophomore S Devin Dye (San Diego/Cathedral Catholic HS/Palomar College), junior LS Jacob Garcia (Anaheim/Servite HS), sophomore S Simeon Harris (Vallejo/Benicia HS/Colorado), junior WR Arcelles Johnson (Woodland Hills/El Camino Real HS/Moorpark College), freshman LS Alexander McDougall (Corona/Centennial HS), junior DT Vaughn Mamea (San Jose/Independence HS/College of San Mateo), junior CB Jaylen Martin (Los Angeles/Roosevelt HS/East Los Angeles College), sophomore OL Elia Migao (Temecula/Chaparral HS), sophomore DE Enoka Migao (Temecula/Chaparral HS), senior S Omari Okeke (Bellflower/Bellflower HS/Cerritos College), junior QB Zeke Payne (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS/New Mexico Highlands), freshman PK Colton Schlimgen (Camarillo/Camarillo HS), junior DE Cian Slone (Rocklin/Rocklin HS/American River College), sophomore S Teeg Slone (Rocklin/Rocklin HS/American River College), graduate senior CB Xavion Steele (Hemet/Orange Lutheran HS/Fullerton JC), redshirt freshman DE Adam Tomczyk (Los Alamitos/Los Alamitos HS), senior WR Terrell Vaughn (Oxnard/Westlake HS/Ventura College) and junior DE John Ward (Palmdale/Palmdale HS/UCLA).
 
PLAYER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND SAN DIEGO STATE
• Utah State graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. began his collegiate career at Washington, as did SDSU senior LB Cooper McDonald, senior TE Mark Redman and junior OL Myles Murao. Senior RB Cooper Jones and SDSU redshirt sophomore OL Ryan Dirksen both attended Butte College in California. Senior WR Terrell Vaughn and SDSU junior OL Kyle Stanback both attended Ventura College in California. Graduate junior WR Colby Bowman and SDSU sophomore CB Tayvion Beasley both attended St. John Bosco HS in Orange, California. Junior WR Kahanu Davis and SDSU redshirt sophomore CB Arnold Escano both attended Southwestern College in San Diego, California. Junior LS Jacob Garcia, and SDSU junior CB Noah Avinger and redshirt freshman WR Mikey Welsh all attended Servite HS in Anaheim, California. USU junior DE Cian Slone and sophomore S Teeg Slone both attended American River College in North Highlands, California, as did SDSU junior OL Dean Abdullah. USU junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen and redshirt freshman LB Logan Pili both attended Timpview HS in Provo, Utah, as did SDSU redshirt freshman QB Liu Aumavae. USU junior OL Jake Hellmann and junior DT Vaughn Mamea both attended College of San Mateo in California, as did SDSU junior K Gabriel Plascencia. USU freshman LS Alexander McDougall, and SDSU redshirt freshman RB Lucky Sutton, redshirt freshman OL Rambo Mageo and freshman S Marcus Ratcliffe all attended Cathedral Catholic HS in San Diego, California. 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State's 31-25 win at San Diego State on Nov. 25, 1967, snapped a 25-game winning streak for the Aztecs, which still ranks as the 20th-longest in NCAA history.
 
• Utah State had lost 10 straight games to San Diego State prior to its 23-17 road win in 2019.
 
• Utah State has 46 players in its program from the Beehive State, while San Diego State has 63 players on its roster from the Golden State.
 
• Utah State is 6-2 (.750) in games played during the month of November under head coach Blake Anderson, and 11-4 all-time in known games played on Nov. 4.
 
• Utah State is 2-1 (.667) under Anderson following a bye week.
 
• San Diego State defensive line coach Bojay Filimoeatu spent two years (2019-20) at Utah State as an outside linebackers coach. Filimoeatu also spent two years (2011-12) at USU as a player.
 
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND SAN DIEGO STATE
The following are series notables between Utah State and San Diego State dating back to 1967 and encompassing the last 14 meetings. 
• Utah State's 46 points, 383 yards of total offense and 318 passing yards in the 2021 Mountain West Championship Game are its most in series history. Conversely, San Diego State's 13 points in that game were its fewest against USU in its previous eight games dating back to 1976. And, SDSU's 315 yards of total offense were also the fewest in the series dating back to 1976.
 
• Prior to Utah State's 23-17 road win in 2019, San Diego State had scored at least 40 points in each of the previous three games in the series, and had won each of the last four games and nine of its last 10 by double digits.  
 
• San Diego State has scored at least 30 points in eight of the last 13 meetings with Utah State.
 
• Prior to the 2019 meeting, Utah State had not scored more than 20 points against San Diego State in each of the previous 10 meetings, and was held to single digits in five of those contests, which included one shutout. USU has since scored 20-plus points in two of its last three games vs. SDSU.
 
• In the 2019 meeting, Utah State held the Aztecs to under 100 yards rushing for the first time in five meetings and for just the fourth time in the last 14 matchups.
 
• The team that has more yards of total offense has won 13 of the last 14 games in the series. In fact, USU has had less than 300 yards of total offense in eight of the last 10 games played in the series. Conversely, San Diego State has had at least 400 yards of total offense in six of the last 12 games played between the two teams.
 
• San Diego State has controlled the time of possession in each of the last six games in the series.
 
• San Diego State has committed fewer turnovers in 11 of the previous 14 meetings. In the last five meetings, USU has committed 11 turnovers as compared to just five for San Diego State, which includes three games for SDSU with no turnovers and one such game for USU.
 
• San Diego State is 6-2 in the series when scoring first and 8-1 when leading at the half, while Utah State is 1-5 when scoring first and 2-2 when leading at the half.
 
• Utah State has had three 100-yard receivers, three 100-yard rushers and one 300-yard passer in series history.
 
• San Diego State has had two 300-yard passers and six 100-yard receivers in series history, to go along with five 100-yard rushers.
 
NOTABLES FROM THE 2021 MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
• Utah State set the following records for a MW Championship Game: points (46), largest margin of victory (33), points in a half (33), points in a quarter (17), most blocked punts (2) and first-ever safety. 
 
• Graduate junior QB Logan Bonner set the MW Championship Game record for most passing touchdowns (4) and most touchdowns responsible for (4), while graduate senior WR Brandon Bowling set the record for most receiving touchdowns (2). 
 
• San Diego State entered the MW Championship Game having not allowed more than 35 points in 46 consecutive games, which was the longest active streak in the nation. 
 
• Utah State's 46 points, which were scored from the second quarter on, were the most allowed by San Diego State since it lost to Colorado State 63-31 on Nov. 26, 2016. SDSU entered the game ranking ninth in the nation in points allowed per game (17.2). USU was also 8-of-16 on third down.  
 
• Utah State's defense had 5.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss, to go along with a season-high six pass breakups, a season-high seven quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery. USU also held SDSU to 1-of-14 on third down.
 
• Utah State's special teams set a single-game school record with two blocked punts, one of which resulted in a safety, to go along with a fumble recovery on a muffed punt. Those two blocked punts were the first of the season for San Diego State.
 
FROM THE RECORD BOOKS
Here is a look at some of the top Utah State team performances against San Diego State in series history.
• Utah State blocked a school-record two punts in the 2021 Mountain West Championship game.
 
• Utah State forced a school-record-tying eight turnovers (4 interceptions, 4 fumbles) at San Diego State in 1968.
 
• Utah State limited San Diego State to -22 rushing yards in 1971 and  -5 yards in 1967, which are the fifth- and ninth-fewest rushing yards allowed in a single game in school history.
 
• Utah State limited San Diego State to 14 passing yards in 2016, which is tied for the fourth-fewest in a single game in school history.
 
UTAH STATE IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State is 177-195-8 (.476) all-time against current members of the Mountain West with a 40-28-4 record vs. Wyoming, a 38-39-2 record vs. Colorado State, a 20-21-1 record vs. San José State, an 18-8 record vs. UNLV, a 16-13 record vs. New Mexico, a 13-19-1 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.
 
• Utah State is in its 11th year as a member of the Mountain West in 2023 and has been a Division I-A/Bowl Championship Series football playing school in each of its 126 seasons of competition. USU joined the Mountain States/Skyline Conference in 1938 until 1961. USU then played as a football independent from 1962-77 when the Aggies became members of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in 1978. The PCAA changed its name to the Big West Conference in 1988. Following the 2000 season, when the Big West no longer sponsored football, USU spent two years as an independent (2001-02) and two years in the Sun Belt Conference (2003-04), before joining the Western Athletic Conference for eight seasons from 2005-12.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 15 players on its 2023 roster that played against San Diego State in the 2021 Mountain West Championship Game, including three players that started in that game in graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka and  junior OL Cole Motes. Other Aggies that played against the Aztecs in that game include graduate senior OL Calvin Knapp, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, graduate senior CB Xavion Steele, senior OL Wyatt Bowles, senior P Stephen Kotsanlee, senior OL Jackson Owens, senior TE Josh Sterzer, senior DT Poukesi Vakauta, junior LS Jacob Garcia, junior PK Elliott Nimrod, sophomore TE Parker Buchanan and sophomore S Ike Larsen. 
 
LAST MEETING vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
CARSON, California  - Graduate junior QB Logan Bonner passed for 318 yards and four touchdowns as the Aggies throttled No. 19 San Diego State 46-13 on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in the Mountain West Championship Game at Dignity Health Sports Park. 
               
It is Utah State's 13th conference title overall and first since winning the Western Athletic Conference championship in 2012. 
               
The Aggies improved to 10-3 on the season, including 7-0 on the road, becoming just the fourth team in school history to record a 10-win season. Furthermore, this was USU's first victory over a team ranked in the top 25 since 2015. 
               
Named the game's offensive MVP, Bonner set the MW championship game record with touchdown passes of 5, 58, 18 and 9 yards, respectively. He was 29-of-42 on the day, both of which are season highs.
               
Utah State's high-powered offense decisively won its matchup with San Diego State's elite defense, which had allowed a conference-low 17.3 points per game this season before getting shredded by the Aggies. USU finished the game with 383 yards of total offense, and was 8-of-16 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down.
               
Graduate senior WR Brandon Bowling caught eight passes for a career-high 154 yards and a career-high-tying two touchdowns, including a 58-yarder to open the third quarter that gave the Aggies a 21-3 lead.
               
Junior DE Byron Vaughns was named the defensive MVP as he had five tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.
               
Graduate senior ILB Justin Rice and graduate junior S Hunter Reynolds each had a game-high 10 tackles. Rice also had 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks, and a quarterback hurry. Reynolds had 0.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup, helping USU record a season-high six pass breakups on the day to go along with a season-best seven quarterback hurries. 
               
Utah State limited San Diego State (11-2) to just 315 yards of total offense – 167 through the air and 148 on the ground. The Aggies recovered two fumbles, one by graduate senior DT Marcus Moore and another by sophomore CB Jaden Smith, that led to nine points. 
               
San Diego State punter/placekicker Matt Araiza, named the MW Special Teams Player of the Year, had two of his punts blocked, a single-game school record for USU. Sophomore WR Reece Jarvis blocked the first one, while the second was created to the team and resulted in a safety and a 23-3 third-quarter lead for the Aggies.
               
Senior WR Deven Thompkins led Utah State with nine receptions for 46 yards. Fellow senior WR Derek Wright caught six passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, and junior WR Justin McGriff had three receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. Graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. led Utah State's ground attack with 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. 
               
Bonner threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Wright and  Tyler ran for a 1-yard touchdown as the Aggies opened a 14-0 lead  with 4:57 remaining in the second quarter.
               
Utah State led 14-3 at the half after Araiza, who also missed a field goal wide right, kicked a 23-yard field goal with 1:01 left in the second. 
               
Jordon Brookshire passed for 117 yards before getting replaced by Jalen Mayden for SDSU, which had its four-game winning streak snapped in the school's most lopsided loss since a 35-point defeat at Ohio State in September 2013.
               
Utah State's 46 points  were the most allowed in head coach Brady Hoke's four seasons at SDSU.    
 
LAST HOME MEETING vs. SAN DIEGO STATE 
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State junior WR Deven Thompkins tied his career-high with six receptions for 55 yards and one touchdown as the Aggies opened the home portion of their schedule with a 38-7 Halloween night loss to San Diego State on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
               
Thompkins' touchdown reception – his first of the season – was a thing of beauty as he hauled in the 37-yard, over-the-shoulder catch from junior QB Jason Shelley on the final play of the first half. The score pulled the Aggies (0-2, 0-2 Mountain West) to within 10-7 of the Aztecs heading into the half.
               
Whatever momentum Utah State gained from Thompkins' half-ending touchdown was short-lived, however. That's because San Diego State (2-0, 2-0 MW) scored touchdowns on its first four drives of the second half.
               
The Aztecs effectively took the wind out of the Aggies' sails on the very first drive of the third quarter. Following a sack by Utah State senior DL Justus Te'i and senior ILB Cash Gilliam, SDSU was facing second-and-26 from its own 9-yard line. USU couldn't get off the field, though, as SDSU RB Greg Bell picked up 16 yards on the second-down play, and QB Carson Baker hooked up with TE Daniel Bellinger for another 16 yards and the first down. Six running plays later, the Aztecs were in the end zone courtesy of a 6-yard run by Bell to make it 17-7 for the visitors with 9:56 to go in the third.
               
Utah State went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and punted the ball back to San Diego State, which went 68 yards to paydirt in six plays, opening up a 24-7 lead following a 27-yard touchdown run by Chance Bell.
               
Greg Bell led SDSU's ground attack with 157 yards and the one touchdown on 22 carries. Chance Bell added 98 yards and another touchdown on 10 carries, while Jordan Byrd scored on a 73-yard touchdown run.
               
San Diego State finished with 570 yards of total offense, including 407 on the ground alone. Baker completed 18-of-27 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
               
Utah State ended the night with just 215 total yards – 112 through the air and 103 on the ground. Senior RB Devonta'e Henry-Cole led the Aggies on the ground with 27 yards on 11 carries. Shelley was 13-of-21 for 88 yards with one touchdown and one interception through the air.
               
Sophomore QB Andrew Peasley replaced Shelley in the fourth quarter and completed five of his nine passes for 24 yards and an interception.
               
Defensively, Utah State senior S Shaq Bond tied his career high in tackles (12) and pass breakups (2). He also had 1.0 tackles for loss. Gilliam had a career-high 11 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.
               
Senior OLB Nick Heninger posted a career-high eight tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss, while sophomore DL Hale Motu'apuaka blocked a 33-yard field goal attempt on the game's opening possession.
               
San Diego State had three players record five tackles apiece in Taylor Hawkins, Darren Hall and Andrew Aleki.
 
GAME 8 RECAP vs. SAN JOSÉ STATE
SAN JOSE, California  - Junior WR Jalen Royals caught a touchdown pass in his fourth-consecutive game, but it wasn't enough as San Jose State defeated Utah State 42-21 at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.
               
Royals finished with four catches for 60 yards, while fellow junior WR Micah Davis also caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. 
               
Freshman QB McCae Hillstead was 17-of-29 passing for 160 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with two interceptions, for Utah State (3-5, 1-3 Mountain West).
               
Hillstead's counterpart on the night, Chevan Cordeiro, completed 15 of 20 passes for 119 yards and three touchdowns as SJSU (3-5, 1-3 MW) snapped a 10-game losing streak to USU.
               
Like it has been the majority of the season, the first quarter proved to be Utah State's nemesis as the Aggies spotted the Spartans a two-touchdown lead before the start of the second quarter. The Aggies have now been outscored 105-17 in the opening quarter.
               
Both teams turned the ball over twice in the first quarter, but neither team could cash in on their respective takeaways.
               
Sophomore S Devin Dye forced and recovered a fumble for Utah State on back-to-back possessions inside its own 10-yard line. Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. forced the other fumble and junior DE Blaine Spires recovered a fumble during that sequence. 
               
The Spartans built their 14-0 lead on a 10-yard touchdown run by Quali Conley and a 4-yard touchdown pass from Cordeiro to Kairee Robinson. 
               
Utah State cut the deficit in half courtesy of a 5-yard touchdown run by junior RB Rahsul Faison early in the second quarter. The Aggies tied the game at 14-all just before halftime on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Hillstead to Davis.
               
Faison finished with 36 yards rushing, while fellow junior RB Davon Booth led Utah State on the ground with 43 yards on 11 carries.
               
Unfortunately for the Aggies, they couldn't keep the momentum going after the break as the Spartans took control of the game by scoring 21 unanswered points. USU cut it to 35-21 with 5:38 left in the game when Royals extended his touchdown streak by hauling in a 20-yard reception from Hillstead.
               
Tafisi led the Aggies on the defensive side of the ball as he racked up 14 tackles, while sophomore S Ike Larsen added 10 stops, including 0.5 tackles for loss. Senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka had a season-high six tackles, while junior DE Cian Slone had a career-high-tying 1.0 sacks and a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss.  
               
As a team, Utah State tied its season high with 9.0 tackles for loss, while its 3.0 sacks were tied for its second-most in a game this  year.
               
San José Sate finished with 370 yards of total offense and limited USU to a season-low 264 yards, which included a season-low 160 passing yards. USU also had a season low 16 first downs as it was just 3-for-10 on third downs and only possessed the ball for 22 minutes and 45 seconds.
               
Redshirt freshman P Ryan Marks punted five times in the game for an average of 49.0 yards. He had two 50-yard punts, including a career-long of 75 yards, which is tied for the fourth-longest in school history. Marks also had two punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
UTAH STATE LOSES FIRST GAME IN LAST 11 OUTINGS TO SAN JOSÉ STATE 
• Utah State lost at San José State two weekends ago, 42-21, to snap its 10-game winning streak against the Spartans. In fact, it was USU's first loss to SJSU since 2008. Utah State had a season-low 264 yards of total offense in the game, including a season-low 160 passing yards. USU also had a season-low 16 first downs and possessed the ball for just 22:50.
 
• Utah State's defense recorded 3.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss against San José State, which tied for the second-most and most this season, respectively. USU also held SJSU to 370 yards of total offense
 
AGGIE OFFENSE HAD SCORED 30-PLUS POINTS IN FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES
• Prior to the San José State game, Utah State had scored 30 or more points in each of its last four games and had at least 500 yards in three of its last four games. During that four-game stretch, USU averaged 37.0 points and 530.8 yards of offense (366.8 passing, 164.0 rushing).
 
UTAH STATE POSTS 568 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE AGAINST FRESNO STATE
• Utah State gained 568 yards of offense (363 passing, 205 rushing) in its 37-32 Mountain West home loss to Fresno State on Oct. 13. For USU, it was the fourth time this year, including second-straight game, that it had 500-plus yards of offense. It was also the third time this year, and second-straight game, that it rushed for 200 yards in a game. And, it was the fourth time this year, including fourth-straight game, that USU passed for at least 300 yards.  
 
• Utah State's total yards (568), passing yards (363) and rushing yards (205) are the most allowed by Fresno State this year, while its 32 points scored are the second-most. Fresno State entered the game against USU ranking 17th in the nation in total defense (289.8 ypg), 18th in the nation in rushing defense (99.3 ypg), 24th in the nation in scoring defense (18.2 ppg) and 27th in the nation in passing defense (190.5 ypg).
 
WIDE RECEIVER U.
• Utah State might be able to start referring to itself as "Wide Receiver U." following the success from its three starting wide receivers this year in senior Terrell Vaughn, junior Jalen Royals and junior Micah Davis, as the trio has combined to catch 124 passes for 1,824 yards and 23 touchdowns, to go along with seven 100-yard receiving games.
 
• Against Fresno State, Royals had seven receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns, while Vaughn had seven receptions for 119 yards and one touchdown.
 
• Against Colorado State, Utah State had three 100-yard receivers in the same game for just the second time in school history as Vaughn had 143 yards on eight receptions, Royals had 140 yards on six receptions and Davis had 104 yards on five receptions. USU also had a 100-yard rusher against the Rams as junior RB Davon Booth gained 141 yards on 14 carries. The only other time in school history that USU has had three 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher in the same game was against CS Northridge in 1996. 
 
• Utah State's seven 100-yard receiving games this season are already tied for the ninth-most in school history. The school record is 13 100-yard receiving games set in 1996 and tied in 2021, while the 2001 team had 10 100-yard receiving games. The 1998 and 2002 teams both had nine 100-yard receiving games. And the 1979, 1987 and 2018 teams all had eight 100-yard receiving games, while the 1980 team had seven.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 10 scoring drives this season that have taken less than 60 seconds, which includes nine touchdown drives and one field goal. USU also has 10 scoring plays of at least 50 yards this season with eight passes and two runs. Overall, USU has 23 scoring plays this year of at least 20 yards (16 passing, 7 rushing). USU has also had 20 plays of at least 20 yards in its last three games with 11 against Colorado State, seven against Fresno State and two against San José State.
 
• Utah State has posted 14 come-from-behind wins under head coach Blake Anderson, including two this season, as it overcame 17-0 deficits against both Colorado State and UConn, which are tied for the fourth-largest comebacks in school history. In fact, nine of USU comebacks under Anderson have been when trailing by double digits.
 
• Utah State is 9-2 in one-score games under Anderson, including a 1-2 record this year.
 
UTAH STATE IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State is 49-33 (.598) all-time in Mountain West play, including a 22-18 (.550) road record. USU is 6-4 in its last 10 MW road games and 20-15 (.571) in its last 35 road games overall, which includes a 10-7 (.588) road record under head coach Blake Anderson. 
 
• Utah State (49-33) has the third-best record against Mountain West opponents since it joined the league in 2013. Boise State (70-16) has the best record during that time, while San Diego State (59-25) has the second-best record.
 
ROYALS HAS EIGHT TOUCHDOWN CATCHES IN HIS LAST FOUR GAMES
• Junior WR Jalen Royals has exploded in his last four games as he has caught 24 passes for 510 yards (21.3 ypr) and eight touchdowns. Against San José State, he had four receptions for 60 yards and one touchdown (20). Against Fresno State, he had a career-high-tying seven receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns (29, 52). Against Colorado State, he had six receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns (24, 51). And, against UConn, he had a career-high 185 receiving yards and a career-best three touchdowns (15, 71, 52) on a career-high-tying seven receptions. 
 
• Of his eight touchdown receptions in his last four games, four have been for at least 50 yards.
 
• Royals, who now has three-career 100-yard receiving games, entered the UConn game with 19 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns in 16 career outings.
 
ROYALS IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Junior WR Jalen Royals' 10 touchdown receptions on the season are tied for the seventh-most in a single season in school history. Tracy Jenkins holds the school record with 14 touchdown catches in 1990, while five players are tied for second with 11 touchdown receptions.
 
FAISON SCORES THIRD-CAREER TOUCHDOWN IN SAN JOSÉ STATE GAME
• Junior RB Rahsul Faison scored his third-career touchdown on a 5-yard run against San José State and has now scored a rushing touchdown in each of his last two games. Faison rushed for  36 yards on six carries against the Spartans and 75 yards on a career-high 12 carries in his previous game against Fresno State.
 
VAUGHN POSTS FOURTH-CAREER 100-YARD RECEIVING GAME
• Senior WR Terrell Vaughn posted his third 100-yard receiving game of the season, including his second in as many games and the fourth of his career, as he caught seven passes for 119 yards and one touchdown against Fresno State. In his previous game against Colorado State, he caught eight passes for 143 yards, including a career-long 76-yard touchdown. 
 
• Vaughn has now caught at least one touchdown pass in six of USU's eight games this season.
 
VAUGHN ENTERS AGGIE RECORD BOOKS
• Senior WR Terrell Vaughn has 112 receptions for 1,263 yards in his two-year Aggie career. Overall, Vaughn ranks 20th all-time in receptions and 24th all-time in receiving yards as he is the 22nd player in school history to catch 100 passes and the 38th player in school history with 1,000 career receiving yards.
 
HILLSTEAD STARTS THIRD-CAREER GAME IN SAN JOSÉ STATE LOSS
• Freshman QB McCae Hillstead started his third-career game, and played in his first game since Sept. 30, in Utah State's 42-21 loss at San José State two weekends ago. Against the Spartans, Hillstead was 17-of-29 (.586) passing for 160 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. 
 
• In his first-career start against James Madison (9/23), Hillstead was 25-of-47 (.532) passing for 399 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions, all of which are career highs. 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.
 
• In the James Madison game, Hillstead was the eighth true freshman to start at quarterback for the Aggies in school history.
 
• In his first extended action against Air Force (9/15), Hillstead was 18-of-27 passing for 202 yards and three touchdowns as those 202 passing yards are the most by an Aggie true freshman since 2013, while his three touchdown passes are the most by an Aggie true freshman since 2014. 
 
DAVIS RECORDS FIRST 100-YARD RECEIVING GAME AS AN AGGIE
• Junior WR Micah Davis recorded his first 100-yard receiving game as an Aggie and the second of his career as he caught a career-high five passes for 104 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown, against Colorado State. 
 
• Last weekend against San José State, Davis caught four passes for 57 yards and one touchdown. And against Fresno State, he tied his career high with five receptions for 72 yards. 
 
BOOTH POST CAREER-HIGHS AGAINST COLORADO STATE
• Junior RB Davon Booth had his second-career 100-yard rushing game against Colorado State as he carried the ball 14 times for a career-high 141 yards, while tying his career high with two rushing touchdowns (22, 48).
 
FROM THE RECORD BOOKS
• Through eight games of the 2023 season, Utah State's offense is averaging 35.3 points and 451.1 yards of total offense per game, including 287.4 passing yards per game. Historically, the 35.3 points per game average would rank as the third-most in school history behind the 2018  (47.5 ppg) and 1961 (38.7 ppg) teams, while the 451.1 yards of offense would rank fifth all-time.
 
• Utah State has already scored 37 touchdowns this season, including 25 passing touchdowns, as compared to just 36 touchdowns in 2022, including just 18 through the air. USU has also passed for 2,299 yards this season as compared to 2,537 yards all of last season.
 
TAFISI HAS FOUR STRAIGHT DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLE GAMES
• Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. has posted double-digit tackles in each of his last four games as he had 14 tackles against San José State, a career-high 17 tackles against Fresno State, 10 tackles against Colorado State and 13 tackles against UConn. Tafisi also had 12 tackles against No. 25 Iowa as he has five double-digit tackle games this season and 10 in his career.
 
• Tafisi is the first Aggie to post four-straight double-digit tackle outings since Suli Tamaivena posted five-straight double-digit tackle games in 2017.
 
• Tafisi has led Utah State in tackles in each of its last four games and in five games this year.
 
DYE CONTINUES IMPRESSIVE PLAY FOR AGGIES
• Sophomore S Devin Dye had one of his best games as an Aggie in his last outing against San José State as he recorded nine tackles, to go along with his first-career forced fumble and his first-career fumble recovery on back-to-back possessions inside USU's 10-yard line.
 
• In his last five games, Dye has posted 40 tackles, to go along with four pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. 
 
SLONE HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST SAN JOSÉ STATE
• Junior DE Cian Slone had his best game as an Aggie in his last outing at San José State as he tied his career high with 1.0 sacks and had a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss as part of his four total tackles to give him 1.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss on the season and in his career. Slone also had one pass breakup to give him three PBUs this season and in his career. 
 
OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FOR SAN JOSÉ STATE GAME
• Redshirt junior S Anthony Switzer had 2.0 tackles for loss and finished the game with nine tackles. Senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka had a season-high six tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss. Redshirt freshman ILB Logan Pili had a season-high four tackles. Sophomore DE Enoka Migao had 1.0 sacks, the first of his career. Junior DE Blaine Spires had 1.0 sacks and recovered his third fumble of the season and fourth of his career. Senior DT Poukesi Vakauta had 0.5 tackles for loss, his first this season. Sophomore S Simeon Harris had 1.0 tackles for loss. Sophomore CB JD Drew had his second-career pass breakup.  
 
MARKS HAS FOURTH-LONGEST PUNT IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Redshirt freshman P Ryan Marks had a career-long 75-yard punt against San José State, which is tied for the fourth-longest punt in school history and longest since 1998. Marks also had two punts downed inside the 20-yard line and two 50-yard punts in the game.
 
NIMROD SCORES CAREER-HIGH 14 POINTS AGAINST JAMES MADISON
• Junior PK Elliott Nimrod scored a career-high 14 points against James Madison as he scored his first-career touchdown on an 18-yard run on a fake field goal. 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. 
 
• Nimrod is 7-of-9 on the season on field goals, including 2-of-2 from 20-29 yards, 3-of-4 from 30-39 yards and 2-of-3 from 40-49 yards, and 22-of-24 on PATs.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State blocked its second kick of the 2023 season 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.USU 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.  
 
AGGIE TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON
#6 | Ike Larsen | S | 5-10 | 185 | So. | Smithfield, Utah | Sky View HS
• Was named the 2023 College Football Network (CFN) Midseason National Safety of the Year. Was also named to the Midseason All-America First-Team Defense, along with being tabbed the Mountain West Safety of the Year and Midseason MW First-Team Defense.
 
• Named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week (10/9/23) as he tied his career high with two interceptions against Colorado State to give him three interceptions this season and seven in his career. He also had seven tackles and a pass breakup against the Rams.
 
• Named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week (10/2/23) 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.
 
• For his career, Larsen has a school-record five blocked kicks (4 punts, 1 PAT).
 
• Returned his first interception of the season 47 yards for his second-career pick-six against Idaho State. 
 
• Has recorded at least four tackles in every game this season and has six-plus tackles in each of his last six games. Also has three pass breakups and five passes defended in his last four games.
 
• Had 10 tackles at San José State to give him three double-digit tackle games this year and in his career.
 
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 (35.2 ppg), first in the MW and 23rd in the nation in total offense (451.1 ypg), second in the MW and 35th in the nation in passing efficiency (151.3), fourth in the MW and 22nd in the nation in passing offense (287.4 ypg), fifth in the MW and 53rd in the nation in completion percentage (.628), sixth in the MW and 58th in the nation in rushing offense (163.8 ypg), and 11th in the MW and 108th in the nation in sacks allowed with 23 (2.88 pg). 
 
• Utah State is also third in the MW and 44th in the nation in first downs with 178 (22.3 pg), fourth in the MW and 39th in the nation in passing yards per completion (13.0), fourth in the MW and 49th in the nation in fumbles lost with four (0.50 pg), fifth in the MW and 35th in the nation in red zone offense (.889), sixth in the MW and 34th in the nation in fourth down conversions (.632), and eighth in the MW and 72nd in the nation in turnover margin (-0.12).   
 
UTAH STATE SECOND IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
• Utah State is second in the Mountain West and 58th in the nation in tackles for loss with 47 (5.9 pg), sixth in the MW and 67th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (131.6), sixth in the MW and 76th in the nation in passing defense (234.5 ypg), sixth in the MW and 88th in the nation in sacks with 15 (1.88 pg), eighth in the MW and 106th in the nation in rushing defense (174.5 ypg), ninth in the MW and 104th in the nation in total defense (409.0 ypg), and 11th in the MW and 119th in the nation in scoring defense (34.0 ppg). 
 
• Utah State is also fourth in the MW and 64th in the nation in red zone defense (.825), and is one of 43 FBS teams in the nation with two defensive touchdowns this season.
 
UTAH STATE 13TH IN THE NATION WITH 16 FORCED TURNOVERS
• Utah State is third in the Mountain West and 13th in the nation with 16 forced turnovers this season. USU is also second in the MW and sixth in the nation in fumbles recovered with eight (1.0 pg), and fourth in the MW and 36th in the nation in passes intercepted with eight (1.0 pg). 
 
UTAH STATE 42ND IN THE NATION IN PUNT RETURNS
• Utah State is fifth in the Mountain West and 42nd in the nation in punt returns (10.6 ypr), sixth in the MW and 79th in the nation in net punting (38.2 ypp), seventh in the MW and 88th in the nation in kickoff return defense (21.2 ypr), eighth in the MW and 106th in the nation in kickoff returns (17.6 ypr), and 12th in the MW and 118th in the nation in punt return defense (14.7 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 (0.25 pg), tied for first in the MW and fourth in the nation with one defensive touchdown (0.13 pg), third in the MW and 17th in the nation with three interceptions (0.38 pg), seventh in the MW in passes defended with eight (1.0 pg), and 10th in the MW and 63rd in the nation in tackles (7.8 pg). Junior WR Jalen Royals is first in the MW and tied for third in the nation in receiving touchdowns with 10 (1.25 pg), fourth in the MW and 21st in the nation in receiving (88.4 ypg), fourth in the MW and 67th in the nation in yards per reception (16.4), sixth in the MW and 43rd in the nation in receptions (5.4 pg), sixth in the MW and 48th in the nation in scoring (7.8 ppg), and 10th in the MW in all-purpose yards (88.4 ypg). Junior CB Jaiden Francois is tied for first in the MW and fourth in the nation with one defensive touchdown (0.13 pg). Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. is first in the MW and eighth in the nation in tackles (10.4 pg), and third in the MW and 27th in the nation in forced fumbles with two (0.25 pg). Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas is first in the MW and 21st in the nation in passing efficiency (159.7), second in the MW and 26th in the nation in completion percentage (.660), third in the MW and 31st in the nation in yards per completion (13.3), fourth in the MW and 44th in the nation in passing touchdowns with 13 (2.2 pg), fourth in the MW and 46th in the nation in points responsible for (13.3 ppg), fourth in the MW and 51st in the nation in passing (223.0 ypg), fifth in the MW and 61st in the nation in total offense (235.3 ypg), and fifth in the MW and 63rd in the nation in completions per game (16.8). Junior DE Blaine Spires is second in the MW and second in the nation in fumbles recovered with three (0.38 pg). Senior WR Terrell Vaughn is second in the MW and ninth in the nation in receptions (7.0 pg), second in the MW and 10th in the nation in receiving touchdowns with eight (1.0 pg), sixth in the MW and 35th in the nation in receiving yards (79.9 ypg), and sixth in the MW and 81st in the nation in all-purpose yards (93.0 ypg). Junior WR Micah Davis is second in the MW and 16th in the nation in punt returns (11.2 ypr), second in the MW and 16th in the nation in yards per reception (19.1), seventh in the MW and 44th in the nation in receiving touchdowns with five (0.63 pg), and seventh in the MW and 90th in the nation in all-purpose yards (91.1 ypg). Junior RB Davon Booth is fourth in the MW and 32nd in the nation in yards per carry (5.82), and seventh in the MW and 89th in the nation in rushing (61.1 ypg). Sophomore S Devin Dye is seventh in the MW and 62nd in the nation in interceptions with two (0.25 pg), and ninth in the MW in passes defended with seven (0.88). Junior PK Elliott Nimrod is fourth in the MW and 59th in the nation in field goal percentage (.778), 10th in the MW and 80th in the nation in scoring (6.9 ppg), and 10th in the MW and 92nd in the nation in field goals (0.88 pg). Redshirt freshman DE Paul Fitzgerald is sixth in the MW and 85th in the nation in sacks with 4.0 (0.50 pg). And, freshman QB McCae Hillstead is eighth in the MW and 69th in the nation in touchdown passes with 10 (2.0 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 62 NEWCOMERS 
• Utah State welcomes 62 newcomers (O-27, D-32, S-3) 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 27 high schoolers (O-13, D-12, S-2).
 
• 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 71-52 overall record, including a 50-26 conference mark. He has posted a 20-15 record at USU, including a 12-8 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.