Utah State Game Notes | Iowa Game Notes | Mountain West Notes | Big Ten Notes | Listen Live | Live Stats

AGGIES OPEN 2023 SEASON IN BIG TEN COUNTRY AT IOWA
Game will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 at 10 a.m. (MT). 
 
UTAH STATE (0-0) vs. NO. 25 IOWA (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023 • 10:03 a.m. (MT) • Iowa City, Iowa • Kinnick Stadium (69,250)
 
GAME 1 INFORMATION
TV: Fox Sports 1
• Play-by-Play: Jeff Levering
• Analyst: Mark Helfrich
• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 265/HD691
• DirecTV: Ch. 219
• DISH: Ch. 150
 
RADIO: Aggie Sports Network
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard 
• Analyst: Kevin White
• National: SiriusXM Ch. 381
• Online: kslsports.com/kslsportszone
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: stats.statbroadcast.com
 
AGGIE RADIO NETWORK
• Every Utah State football game can be heard live on the Aggie Radio Network. Scott Garrard serves as the play-by-play announcer, while former USU quarterback Kevin White (1988-89) will provide color analysis. Games can also be heard on the Internet (www.UtahStateAggies.com) by clicking on the 'Listen Live' link, as well as on the TuneIn App.
• Salt Lake City: KSL (1280 AM/97.5 FM)
• Logan: KVNU (610 AM/102.1 FM)
• Green River: KRPX (102.7 FM)
• Moab: KRPX (100.3 FM)
• Montpelier, Idaho: KVSI (1450 AM/104.5 FM)
• Orangeville: KRPX (95.9 FM)
• Price: KRPX (95.3 FM)
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State begins its 126th season of football this weekend as it plays at No. 25 Iowa on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 10 a.m. (MT), in a game that will be televised on Fox Sports 1 (Xfinity Ch. 265/HD691, DirecTV Ch. 219, DISH Ch. 150) with Jeff Levering (play-by-play) and Mark Helfrich (analyst) on the call. 
 
• Utah State will open the 2023 season with a road game for the 11th time in the last 15 seasons and 65th time overall. It is also the fifth time in the last seven years that USU has started the season at a Power 5 opponent and the third time in the last seven seasons that USU has begun its season in Big Ten Country as it played at No. 9 Wisconsin in 2017 and at No. 11 Michigan State in 2018.
 
• Utah State is 6-65 all-time against Associated Press-ranked teams, but has won five of its last 16 meetings, including its 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State in the 2021 Mountain West Championship game, which was its last win against an AP top-25 team.
 
• Utah State is 19-14 (.576) in road games over the last six years, including a 9-4 (.692) record under third-year head coach Blake Anderson. USU is also 23-13 (.639) in games played during the month of September over the last 10 seasons and is 0-3 all-time in known games played on Sept. 2. 
 
• Utah State is 2-0 in season openers under Anderson, which includes a 26-23 win at Washington State to open the 2021 campaign, which was its first road win against a Power 5 opponent since 1971.
 
• Along with his head coaching responsibilities, 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).
 
• Utah State has 59 new players on its roster, which is tied for the sixth-most in the nation, behind Colorado (88), Arizona State (79), Oklahoma State (63), Nebraska (62) and New Mexico State (62), and tied with Colorado State (59).
 
SCOUTING IOWA
• Iowa, which is ranked No. 25 in the preseason Associated Press poll, returns 12 starters (O-6, D-6) and 38 letterwinners (O-15, D-20, S-3) from last year's team that went 8-5 on the season, including a 4-3 home record. One of those home wins was a 27-0 victory against Nevada from the Mountain West. The Hawkeyes also posted a 5-4 Big Ten record and concluded its season with a 21-0 win against Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. Highlighting Iowa's returners are nine players who are on various watch lists this fall in senior TE Erick All (John Mackey Award Watch List), senior LB Nick Jackson (Dick Butkus Award Watch List, Lombardi Award Watch List), senior QB Cade McNamara (Maxwell Award Watch List), senior P Tory Taylor (Ray Guy Award Watch List), junior DB Cooper DeJean (Preseason All-Big Ten, Bronco Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Paul Hornung Award Watch List, Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, Jim Thorpe Award Watch List), junior OL Logan Jones (Rimington Trophy Watch List), junior TE Luke Lachey (John Mackey Award Watch List), sophomore RB Kaleb Johnson (Doak Walker Award) and sophomore PK Drew Stevens (Lou Groza Award Watch List). In 2022, Iowa averaged 17.7 points and 251.5 yards of total offense per game (156.7 passing, 94.8 rushing) and allowed 13.3 points and 270.8 yards of total offense (169.5 passing, 101.2 rushing). Kirk Ferentz is in his 25th year as the Hawkeyes' head coach (186-115) and is 198-136 (.593) in 27 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
 
UTAH STATE vs. ASSOCIATED PRESS RANKED TEAMS
• Utah State is 6-65 all-time against Associated Press-ranked teams, but has won five of its last 16 meetings, including its 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State in the 2021 Mountain West Championship game. USU's other wins against nationally-ranked opponents includes a 52-26 home win against No. 21 Boise State in 2015; a 35-20 win at No. 18 BYU in 2014, as the Cougars are the highest-ranked AP team the Aggies have ever defeated; a 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl; a 48-41 overtime win at No. 19 Louisiana Tech in 2012; and, a 20-19 home win against No. 25 Fresno State in 1991.
 
• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson is 2-7 all-time versus AP-ranked teams, which includes a 1-3 record at Utah State. His two victories are a 35-3 road win at No. 25 Troy during the 2016 season and USU's win at No. 19 San Diego State in 2021.
 
AGGIES AND HAWKEYES SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State and Iowa will meet for the third time this weekend as the Hawkeyes won the first two games with a 70-14 home win on Sept. 28, 1957, and a 48-7 home win on Sept. 21, 2002.
 
UTAH STATE vs. THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• Utah State is 1-15 (.0625) all-time against the Big Ten Conference with its only win coming at Wisconsin (20-0) in 1968. Overall, USU is 0-8 against Nebraska, 1-2 against Wisconsin, 0-2 against Iowa, and 0-1 against Illinois, Michigan State and Penn State. The last time Utah State played a Big Ten opponent was in 2018, when it lost at No. 11 Michigan State, 38-31. USU has never played Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue or Rutgers.
 
• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson is 0-1 all-time as a collegiate head coach against the Big Ten Conference as his Arkansas State team lost 43-36 at Nebraska in 2017.
 
AGGIES FROM IOWA
• Utah State has two players on its roster that played junior college football in the state of Iowa in graduate senior OL Calvin Knapp and junior WR Micah Davis, as both players played at Iowa Western CC in Council Bluffs. 
 
PLAYER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND IOWA
• The following are connections between Utah State and Iowa players. USU senior OL Calvin Knapp and junior WR Micah Davis both played at Iowa Western CC, as did Iowa junior DL Jackson Filer and sophomore DL Anterio Thompson. USU sophomore CB Al Ashford III and Iowa sophomore QB Deacon Hill both began their collegiate careers at Wisconsin. Ashford and Iowa freshman DL Chase Brackney both attended Cherry Creek HS in Greenwood Village, Colorado. 
 
LAST MEETING vs. IOWA
• Iowa scored on each of its first four possessions and on six of its first seven, while also adding a special teams touchdown (blocked punt) and a defensive touchdown (fumble recovery) en route to defeating Utah State 48-7 in Iowa City on Sept. 21, 2002. The Aggies never reached the red zone and were just 4-of-16 on third down as the offense produced just 244 yards. Jose Fuentes was 21-of-36 passing for 214 yards and no interceptions for Utah State (1-3), which finished with 21 yards rushing on 20 carries. The Aggies' only touchdown came on a 25-yard run by running back Roger Robinson in the second quarter. Wide receiver Kevin Curtis posted a season-high seven receptions for a season-low 51 yards.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has one player in its program that previously played in the Big Ten Conference in sophomore CB Al Ashford III (Wisconsin).
 
• Utah State Vice President and Director of Athletics Diana Sabau most recently spent two-plus years as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Sports Officer for the Big Ten Conference.
 
MORE DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State has 44 players on its roster from the Beehive State, while Iowa has 53 players on its roster from the Hawkeye State.
 
• Utah State will be playing a morning game for the fourth time in the past three years as it played Boise State at 10 am in 2021 and 2022, and played at New Mexico at 11 am in 2021.
 
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 59 NEWCOMERS 
• Utah State welcomes 59 newcomers (O-26, D-31, S-2) to its program this fall, which is tied for 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 19 junior college transfers (O-9, D-10, S-1), to go along with 26 high schoolers (O-13, D-12, S-1).
 
• Among the 19 junior college transfers, four of those players began their careers at the FBS level in junior WR Micah Davis (Air Force), junior RB Rahsul Faison (Marshall), sophomore DE Ioholani Raass (UCLA) and sophomore S Javar Strong (Arkansas State). 
 
WHAT UTAH STATE MUST REPLACE FROM 2022 
• Utah State must replace 13 starters from the 2022 team, including All-American S Hunter Reynolds, to go along with five other players who earned various all-MW honors in OL Alfred Edwards, who was named to the first team, WR Brian Cobbs and RB Calvin Tyler Jr., who were both named to the second team, and OL Chandler Dolphin and DE Daniel Grzesiak, who both earned honorable mention all-MW accolades.
 
• Other starters not returning in 2023 include senior CB Ajani Carter, senior WR Justin McGriff, senior OLB Kaleo Neves, senior OL Jacob South, senior ILB AJ Vongphachanh, junior DE Byron Vaughns and freshman OL Weylin Lapuaho.
 
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 Football Bowl Subdivision (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.
 
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.
 
LEGAS POSTS 5-3 RECORD AS STARTING QUARTERBACK
• Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas posted a 5-3 record in his first year as a starter last season. His best game of the year was in the regular-season finale at Boise State (11/25), as he  was 23-of-40 passing, both of which are career highs, for a career-best 306 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also carried the ball 15 times for 51 yards as he finished with 357 yards of total offense. Overall, it was his first-career 300-yard passing game and his fourth-career 200-yard passing game.
 
VAUGHN HAD CAREER GAME AGAINST BOISE STATE IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE
• Senior WR Terrell Vaughn had a career game at Boise State (11/25) last year as he caught a career-high eight passes for a career-high 148 yards, including a career-long 75-yard reception for a touchdown. Overall, it was his first-career 100-yard receiving game. Vaughn also scored his first-career rushing touchdown on a 3-yard run as he had a career-high four carries for a career-best 22 yards, to go along with three kickoff returns for 44 yards, as he finished the game with a career-high 214 all-purpose yards.
 
BRIGGS NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore RB Robert Briggs Jr. was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week after setting the school record for rushing yards by a true freshman in their first-ever game, as he gained 85 yards on 10 carries, including a 23-yard touchdown, against UConn (8/27) in the 2022 season opener. The previous record was set by QB Kent Myers, who rushed for 28 yards on three carries against UNLV in 2014, in his USU debut as a true freshman.
 
LARSEN NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 
• Sophomore S Ike Larsen was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week and the MW Freshman of the Week following his performance last year at Hawai'i (11/12), as he had six tackles, which included a career-high-tying 1.0 sacks and a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss, to go along with a career-high two interceptions, one of which he returned 36 yards for his first-career touchdown. Larsen is the first Aggie to have two interceptions in a game since Shaq Bond did so at UNLV in 2021, and he is the first USU player to return an interception for a touchdown since Bond did so at San Diego State in 2019. 
 
• Larsen was also named the MW Freshman of the Week after recording a then-career-high seven tackles, to go along with an interception and his first-career blocked punt, at No. 1 Alabama.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH LARSEN
• Sophomore S Ike Larsen was the only player in the nation that had four interceptions, three blocked kicks and a defensive touchdown during the 2022 season.
 
• Larsen was the highest-rated defensive back in the Mountain West and No. 7 nationally last year with an overall grade of 89.9% (ProFootballFocus). In fact, that grade was the second-highest among any player in the MW. He was also the best pass coverage defensive back in the MW with a grade of 87.2%.
 
• Larsen allowed just nine receptions for 56 yards on 22 targets in 2022 with no touchdowns and four interceptions, and quarterbacks had a QB rating of 9.1 when throwing at him.
 
• Larsen was the only freshman, and one of just 23 players in the nation at the FBS level in 2022, with four interceptions. He was also one of just two players in the MW with at least four interceptions.
 
• Larsen was the only freshman, and one of just four players in the nation at the FBS level in 2022, with four blocked kicks. He was also the only player in the MW with four blocked kicks.
 
• Larsen was one of just eight freshmen in the nation to return an interception for a touchdown.
 
ALFORD POSTED CAREER HIGHS IN BOWL GAME
• Sophomore ILB Max Alford had a career-high nine tackles, which included a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss, against Memphis (12/27) in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
 
VAKAUTA TIED CAREER HIGH IN TACKLES IN BOWL GAME
• Senior DT Poukesi Vakauta tied his career high with three tackles, which included a career-best 1.0 sacks and a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss, against Memphis (12/27) in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
 
ALFORD NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore ILB Max Alford was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week following his performance against New Mexico (11/5) last season, as he had a then-career-high eight tackles, which included a then-career-best 1.5 tackles for loss. 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State's defense had a season-high 5.0 sacks and a season-best 14.0 tackles for loss against Memphis (12/27) in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Those 14.0 TFLs are tied for the second-most in a game in school history.
 
LARSEN SETS SCHOOL RECORD WITH THREE BLOCKED PUNTS
• Sophomore S Ike Larsen blocked his third and final punt of the 2022 season against San José State (11/19), which was returned 56 yards for a touchdown. Larsen also blocked a punt against UNLV (9/24), which resulted in a safety. Larsen's first blocked punt of the year was at No. 1 Alabama. Larsen's three blocked kicks are the most in a single season in school history. The previous record was two blocked kicks, done most recently by Louy Compton and DJ Nelson in 2017.
 
KOTSANLEE NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK 
• Senior P Stephen Kotsanlee was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in his career following his performance at Colorado State (10/15) in 2022, as he punted five times for an average of 47.2 yards with three 50-yard punts (58, 55, 59), to go along with one punt being downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
• Kotsanlee had 22 50-yard punts in 2022 and has 35 in his career of at least 50 yards, to go along with 24 punts in 2022 and 60 in his career that have been downed inside the 20-yard line. 
 
• Overall, Kotsanlee has punted 157 times in his career for an average of 42.5 yards, which is the fifth-best average in school history. In 2022, Kotsanlee punted 67 times for an average of 43.4 yards, which is the sixth-best average in school history. In 2022, Kotsanlee punted 53 times for an average of 42.5 yards, which is the 10th-best single-season average in school history.
 
• As a freshman in 2020, Kotsanlee earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors as he punted 37 times for an average of 40.7 yards.
 
VAUGHN SCORES FIRST-CAREER TOUCHDOWN ON KICKOFF RETURN  
• Senior WR Terrell Vaughn returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown last year against Weber State (9/10), which was the first of his career, and tied for the third-longest in school history. It is also one of eight kickoff returns in school history that have gone at least 100 yards.
 
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.
 
UTAH STATE HAS TWO QUARTERBACKS ON ITS ROSTER WITH BOWL WINS
• Utah State has two quarterbacks on its roster with bowl wins in graduate senior Cooper Legas and graduate junior Levi Williams. Legas led the Aggies to a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, while Williams led Wyoming to a 52-38 win against Kent State in the 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and to a 38-17 win against Georgia State in the 2019 Arizona Bowl. Legas also started the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl for USU.
 
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. 
 
A FINAL LOOK AT UTAH STATE IN 2022
• Utah State finished the 2022 season with a 6-7 record and tied for second place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 league mark. Offensively, USU was led by junior QB Cooper Legas, who was 135-of-221 (.611) passing for 1,499 yards (149.9 ypg) with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Graduate senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. led the team in rushing with 1,122 yards on 253 carries (4.4 ypc/86.3 ypg) with seven touchdowns, and graduate senior WR Brian Cobbs had a team-best 76 receptions for 923 yards (12.1 ypr/71.0 ypg) and five touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB AJ Vongphachanh led the team with 101 tackles, which included 2.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, while graduate senior S Hunter Reynolds had 93 tackles, which included 2.5 tackles for loss. As a team, USU averaged 22.2 points and 354.5 yards of total offense (195.2 passing, 159.3 rushing), and allowed 31.2 points and 399.2 yards (205.0 passing, 194.2 rushing).
 
UTAH STATE BOWL HISTORY
• Utah State played in a bowl game for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons and for the 16th time in school history, as it lost to Memphis 38-10 in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, held in Dallas, Texas. Overall, it was the ninth time in school history that Utah State played in consecutive bowl games. USU is now 6-10 all-time in bowl games.
 
• Utah State has a 6-10 bowl record all-time as it lost to San José State, 20-0, in the 1946 Raisin Bowl (Fresno, California); lost to Pacific, 35-21, in the 1947 Grape Bowl (Lodi, California); lost to New Mexico State, 20-13, in the 1960 Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas); lost to Baylor, 24-9, in the 1961 Gotham Bowl (New York City); defeated Ball State, 42-33, in the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl II; lost to Cincinnati, 35-19, in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl; lost to Ohio, 24-23, in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; defeated Toledo, 41-15, in the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; defeated No. 24 Northern Illinois, 21-14, in the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl; defeated UTEP, 21-6, in the 2014 Gildan New Mexico Bowl; lost to Akron, 23-21, in the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; lost to New Mexico State, 26-20 in overtime, in the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl; defeated North Texas, 52-13, in the 2018 New Mexico Bowl; lost to Kent State, 51-41, in the 2019 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl; defeated Oregon State, 24-13, in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl; and lost to Memphis, 38-10, in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
 
UTAH STATE WINS SIX GAMES FOR 39TH TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY
• Utah State has now won at least six games 39 times in school history and 10 times in the past 12 seasons as it finished the 2022 season with a 6-7 record. USU also finished Mountain West play with a 5-3 record, marking the ninth time in the last 12 years that it won at least five league games. Overall, USU has won five or more conference games 19 times in school history.
 
UTAH STATE SPECIAL TEAMS RANKED AS 16TH-BEST IN THE NATION
• According to FootballOutsiders.com, Utah State's Special Teams finished the 2022 season ranked 16th in the nation based on the Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI). The FEI is an opponent-adjusted possession efficiency data representing the per-possession scoring advantage a team would be expected to have on a neutral field against an average opponent.
 
UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 43 of its last 53 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 5-1 record in 2022, and 49 of its last 57 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 5-2 record in 2022. USU has also won 66 of its last 71 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 4-0 record in 2022.
 
UTAH STATE WINS FIVE OF ITS FINAL EIGHT GAMES 
• After starting the season with a 1-4 record, including four-straight losses, Utah State finished the 2022 season by winning five of its final eight games, including winning five of six before losing its final two games.
 
• The 2022 team is just the third in school history to play in a bowl game after starting the season with a losing record. USU's 1993 team started the year with a 1-5 record before winning its final six games, including its first-ever bowl win with a 42-33 victory against Ball State in the Las Vegas Bowl II. And, the 2011 team had a 2-5 record before winning five-straight games to snap a 14-year bowl drought as it played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
 
UTAH STATE WON GAMES IN ALL THREE PHASES IN 2022
• Utah State maximized all three phases of its football team last year as it scored three special teams touchdowns and two defensive touchdowns, to go along with its 31 offensive touchdowns. In fact, Utah State scored four non-offensive touchdowns in its last five games as it had a special teams and defensive touchdown against New Mexico (fake field goal and fumble), a defensive touchdown against Hawai'i (interception), and a special teams touchdown against San José State (blocked punt).
 
UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE LIMITED POINTS FOLLOWING TURNOVERS IN 2022
• Utah State's opponents scored just 53 points on 27 Aggie turnovers in 2022. If you take away three pick-sixes, USU's defense allowed just 32 points on 24 turnovers.  
 
UTAH STATE BLOCKED TWO KICKS AGAINST THE SPARTANS
• For the second time under head coach Blake Anderson, Utah State blocked two kicks in a game as it blocked an extra point and punt against San José State (11/19), returning the blocked punt 56 yards for a touchdown. USU also blocked two punts at No. 19 San Diego State in the 2021 Mountain West Championship Game. Overall, USU blocked four kicks in 2022 (3 punts, 1 extra point) and seven kicks (5 punts, 1 field goal, 1 extra point) overall under Anderson. The school record for blocked kicks in a season is six set in 2012.
 
UTAH STATE WINS 11TH-STRAIGHT ONE-SCORE GAME
• Utah State went 4-0 in 2022 in one-score games, including its 35-31 victory against San José State (11/19). In fact, USU has won eight-straight one-score games under head coach Blake Anderson and 11 straight overall as its last loss in a one-score game was at Wake Forest (L, 35-38) to begin the 2019 campaign.
 
UTAH STATE HAD FIVE COME-FROM-BEHIND WINS DURING THE 2022 SEASON 
• Utah State had to come-from-behind to win five of its six games last year as it trailed UConn 14-0 in the first quarter before posting a 31-20 win, trailed Air Force 24-20 in the fourth quarter before posting a 34-27 win, scored 10 of the final 13 points to defeat Colorado State 17-13, after trailing 10-7 at halftime, scored the final 20 points to post a 27-10 home win against New Mexico, after trailing 10-7 at halftime, and scored a touchdown in the final three minutes against San José State for a 35-31 win.
 
• Overall, Utah State has won 12 games under head coach Blake Anderson when it has trailed at some point in the contest, which includes rallying from double-digit deficits in seven games.
 
• Utah State has won five games under Anderson when trailing in the fourth quarter, as it rallied to defeat Washington State, Air Force and UNLV in 2021, and Air Force and San José State in 2022.
 
• And, Utah State is a perfect 14-0 under Anderson, including a 5-0 record last year, when it has the lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
AGGIES BITTEN BY INJURY BUG IN 2022
• Utah State had 15 starters miss a combined 59 games last season due to injury in graduate senior DT Phillip Paea (10), junior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen (10), graduate senior QB Logan Bonner (9), redshirt freshman DT Seni Tuiaki (9), junior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. (5), senior CB Ajani Carter (3), senior CB Michael Anyanwu (2), junior QB Cooper Legas (2), junior DE Byron Vaughns (2), redshirt freshman S Ike Larsen (2), graduate senior OL Alfred Edwards (1), graduate senior OL Jacob South (1), senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka (1), junior TE Josh Sterzer (1) and junior DT Poukesi Vakauta (1). 
 
• Utah State had 39 different players make at least one start last season, which was tied for the 14th-most in the nation. USU also had 22 players make their first-career start in 2022, while 30 players made their Aggie debut.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State played four different quarterbacks last year due to injury, including three different starters. First, graduate senior Logan Bonner suffered a season-ending injury against UNLV (9/24). Then, USU had to play three quarterbacks against Colorado State (10/15), as junior Cooper Legas and sophomore Levi Williams were both hurt in the game, which forced true freshman Bishop Davenport into action. Davenport also started the following weekend at Wyoming (10/22).
 
AGGIES IN THE NFL
• Utah State currently has 12 players on NFL rosters and has had 13 players drafted into the NFL in the past 12 years. Former Aggies currently in the NFL include WR Brian Cobbs (Arizona Cardinals), CB Jalen Davis (Cincinnati Bengals),  OG Tyler Larsen (Washington Commanders),  SS Dallin Leavitt (Green Bay Packers), QB Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers), LS Patrick Scales (Chicago Bears), WR Deven Thompkins (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), RB Darwin Thompson (Las Vegas Raiders), RB Calvin Tyler Jr. (Cincinnati Bengals), LB Nick Vigil (New York Jets), WR Derek Wright (Carolina Panthers) and LB Bobby Wagner (Seattle Seahawks).
 
AGGIE OPPONENTS THAT PLAYED IN A BOWL GAME IN 2022
• Utah State has seven teams on its 2023 schedule that played in a bowl game last season in Iowa, which defeated Kentucky 21-0 in Music City Bowl; Air Force, which defeated Baylor 30-15 in Armed Forces Bowl; UConn, which lost to Marshall 28-14 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl; Fresno State, which defeated Washington State 29-6 in the LA Bowl; San José State, which lost to Eastern Michigan 41-27 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; San Diego State, which lost to Middle Tennessee 25-23 in the Hawaii Bowl; and Boise State, which defeated North Texas 35-32 in the Frisco Bowl.
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES 62ND IN THE NATION IN RUSHING 
• Utah State's offense finished the 2022 season fourth in the Mountain West and 62nd in the nation in rushing (159.2 ypg), fifth in the MW and 96th in the nation in total offense (354.3 ypg), sixth in the MW and 78th in the nation in sacks allowed with 30 (2.31 pg), sixth in the MW and 94th in the nation in completion percentage (.578), sixth in the MW and 104th in the nation in scoring offense (22.2 ppg), sixth in the MW and 107th in the nation in passing offense (195.2 ypg), and eighth in the MW and 114th in the nation in passing efficiency (115.7).        
 
• Utah State's offense was also fifth in the MW and 62nd in the nation in fourth down conversions at 51.4 percent (18-of-35), and sixth in the MW and 67th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed with 73 (5.69 pg).   
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES 11TH IN THE NATION IN TACKLES FOR LOSS
• Utah State finished the 2022 season first in the Mountain West and 11th in the nation in tackles for loss with 94 (7.2 pg), sixth in the MW and 31st in the nation in passing defense (205.0 ypg), sixth in the MW and 64th in the nation in sacks with 28 (2.15 pg), eighth in the MW and 76th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (133.1), 11th in the MW and 83rd in the nation in total defense (399.2 ypg), 11th in the MW and 105th in the nation in scoring defense (31.2 ppg), and 11th in the MW and 113th in the nation in rushing defense (194.2 ypg).   
 
UTAH STATE HAD TWO DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS ON THE SEASON
• Utah State scored two defensive touchdowns on the season to rank second in the Mountain West and 33rd in the nation.
 
UTAH STATE FORCED 18 TURNOVERS IN 2022
• Utah State forced 18 turnovers (11 interceptions, 7 fumbles) last year to rank sixth in the Mountain West and 68th in the nation. USU was also sixth in the MW and 50th in the nation with 11 interceptions (0.85 pg), and fourth in the MW and 72nd in the nation in fumbles recovered with seven (0.54 pg). Conversely, USU was fifth in the MW and 29th in the nation in fumbles lost with six (0.46 pg), and 12th in the MW and 131st in the nation in interceptions thrown with 21 (1.62 pg).
 
UTAH STATE FINISHES SEVENTH IN THE NATION WITH THREE BLOCKED PUNTS
• Utah State was one of 12 teams in the nation that blocked three punts in 2022 (at Alabama, vs. UNLV, vs. San José State) as it led the Mountain West and tied for seventh in the nation. USU also blocked an extra point against San José State and ranked first in the MW and 10th in the nation in blocked kicks with four. In all, USU has blocked five punts in its last 15 games dating back to the 2021 season. 
 
• Utah State was also second in the MW and 33rd in the nation in punt return defense (5.4 ypr), third in the MW and 51st in the nation in punt returns (8.9 ypr), third in the MW and 56th in the nation in net punting (38.9 ypp), seventh in the MW and 66th in the nation in kickoff returns (20.0 ypr), and eighth in the MW and 60th in the nation in kickoff return defense (19.7 ypr).
 
AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS
• Redshirt freshman S Ike Larsen tied for first in the nation with three blocked kicks (0.27 pg), and was third in the Mountain West and 22nd in the nation with four interceptions (0.36 pg). Junior WR Terrell Vaughn led the MW and was second in the nation with his one kickoff return for touchdown (0.08 pg), was second in the MW and 10th in the nation in kickoff returns (26.5 ypr), fourth in the MW in receiving touchdowns with five (0.38 pg), seventh in the MW in receptions (4.3 pg) and 10th in the MW in all-purpose yards (92.2 ypg). Senior RB Cooper Jones was second in the MW and 32nd in the nation in punt returns (6.6 ypr). Junior P Stephen Kotsanlee was fourth in the MW and 38th in the nation in punting (43.2 ypp). And, junior QB Cooper Legas was fourth in the MW and 72nd in the nation in completion percentage (.611), fifth in the MW and 93rd in the nation in completions (13.5 pg), sixth in the MW and 84th in the nation in yards per completion (11.1), sixth in the MW and 87th in the nation in yards per attempt (6.78), sixth in the MW and 92nd in the nation in passing efficiency (125.4), sixth in the MW and 95th in the nation in total offense (180.2 ypg), sixth in the MW and 95th in the nation with 11 passing touchdowns (1.1 pg), seventh in the MW and 96th in the nation in passing (149.8 ypg), and seventh in the MW in points responsible for (7.8 pg).     
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State was one of five Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams with multiple kick returns for a touchdown last year as USU returned a kickoff and punt for a touchdown. 
 
HEAD COACH BLAKE ANDERSON
• Blake Anderson (hired on Dec. 12, 2020) enters his third year as Utah State's head coach and is the 29th head coach in program history. He has a 68-47 overall record, including a 49-23 conference mark. He has posted a 17-10 record at USU, including a 11-5 Mountain West record.
 
• Anderson has 29 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.