Aggies Host James Madison in First-Ever Meeting Saturday

Game will be televised on KJZZ and streamed on the Mountain West Network at 6 p.m.

Football 9/18/2023 1:52:00 PM

<a href="/documents/2023/9/21/4._Utah_State_Football_Game_Notes_vs._James_Madison.pdf">Utah State Game Notes</a> | <a href="/documents/2023/9/20/JMU_Game_Notes_vs_Utah_State.pdf">James Madison Game Notes</a> | <a href="/documents/2023/9/19/2023_MWFB_Weekly_Release_-_Week_4.pdf">Mountain West Notes</a> | <a href="/documents/2023/9/20/SBC_Week_4_Conference_Notes.pdf">Sun Belt Conference Notes</a> | <a href="https://utahstateaggies.com/watch/">Watch Live</a> | <a href="https://kslsports.com/stream/">Listen Live</a> | <a href="https://utahstateaggies.com/sidearmstats/football/summary">Live Stats</a> | <a href="https://utahstateaggies.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=ATH&linkID=usu&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=">Tickets</a> | <a href="https://digitalprograms.learfield.com/utahstate/football/983">Digital Game Program</a> AGGIES HOST JAMES MADISON IN FIRST-EVER MEETING SATURDAY Game will be televised on KJZZ and streamed on the Mountain West Network at 6 p.m. JAMES MADISON (3-0, 1-0 SBC) vs. UTAH STATE (1-2, 0-1 MW) Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 • 6:05 p.m. (MT) • Logan, Utah • Maverik Stadium (25,100) GAME 4 INFORMATION TV: KJZZ / Mountain West Network • Play-by-Play: Dave Fox • Analyst: Alema Harrington • Reporter: Frank Dolce • Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 3/HD657 • DISH / DirecTV (Utah): Ch. 14 • Stream: utahstateaggies.com/watch/ RADIO: Aggie Sports Network • Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard • Analyst: Kevin White • Online: kslsports.com/kslsportszone SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY • Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball • Facebook: USUFootball • YouTube: UtahStateFootball • Live Stats: stats.statbroadcast.com KICKOFF COVERAGE • Utah State (1-2, 0-1 MW) hosts James Madison (3-0, 1-0 SBC) on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m., in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The game will be televised on KJZZ (Xfinity Ch. 3/657HD, DirecTV Ch. 14, DISH Ch. 14) and streamed on the Mountain West Network with Dave Fox (play-by-play), Alema Harrington (analyst) and Frank Dolce (reporter) on the call. • Freshman McCae Hillstead will make his first-career start at quarterback for Utah State this weekend. Hillstead will be the eighth true freshman to start at quarterback for the Aggies in school history and first since Bishop Davenport started one game last year. Kent Myers started five games as a true freshman in 2014. Darell Garretson started seven games as a true freshman in 2013. Chuckie Keeton started eight games as a true freshman in 2011. Riley Nelson started six games as a true freshman in 2006. Jerod Walker started two games as a true freshman in 2005. And, Jeff Crosbie started four games as a true freshman in 1998. • Utah State has won 10 of its last 13 non-conference home games and is 22-6 (.786) in its last 28 non-conference home games at Maverik Stadium. Overall, USU is 48-19 (.716) in its last 67 home games and 160-115 (.582) all-time inside Maverik Stadium. • Dating back to the 2012 season, Utah State is 24-16 (.600) in September, which includes a 17-6 (.739) home record. USU is also 5-4 (.556) all-time in known games played on Sept. 23. • Utah State is 10th in the nation in rushing yards per attempt (6.0), 35th in the nation in scoring offense (37.7 ppg), 42nd in the nation in rushing offense (183.3 ypg), 52nd in the nation in passing yards allowed (201.0 ypg) and 56th in the nation in total offense (407.3 ypg). • Senior WR Terrell Vaughn has 28 receptions for 223 yards and four touchdowns on the season and is currently third in the nation in receptions per game (9.7), sixth in the nation in receiving touchdowns (1.33 pg) and 47th in the nation in receiving yards (75.7 pg). • Utah State has 61 new players on its roster, which is the sixth-most in the nation, behind Colorado (88), Arizona State (79), Oklahoma State (63), Nebraska (62) and New Mexico State (62). SCOUTING JAMES MADISON • James Madison is 3-0 on the season and 1-0 in Sun Belt Conference play following its 16-14 conference win at Troy last weekend. The Dukes are led by redshirt senior QB Jordan McCloud, who is 45-of-68 (.662) passing for 568 yards (189.3 ypg) with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Redshirt sophomore RB Kaelon Black leads the team in rushing with 228 yards on 37 carries (6.2 ypc/76.0 ypg). And, redshirt senior WR Reggie Brown has caught 10 passes for 194 yards (19.4 ypr/64.7 ypg) with one touchdown. Defensively, sophomore LB Aiden Fisher has 18 tackles, while redshirt junior LB Taurus Jones has 17 tackles, which includes 3.0 tackles for loss. As a team, James Madison is averaging 30.0 points and 373.7 yards of total offense per game (172.7 rushing, 201.0 passing), and allowing 17.3 points and 308.0 yards of total offense (22.7 passing, 285.3 rushing). James Madison went 8-3 overall last year and finished tied for first in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference with a 6-2 record. The Dukes are coached by Curt Cignetti, who is 111-34 in his 12th season as a collegiate head coach, which includes a 44-8 record at JMU. AGGIES AND DUKES SERIES HISTORY • Utah State and James Madison will be meeting for the first time this weekend. In fact, it will be the Aggies' first-ever game against a team from the state of Virginia. AGGIES IN THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE • Utah State spent two seasons (2003-04) as members of the Sun Belt Conference. The Aggies tied for fourth place in the league in 2003 with a 3-4 record and tied for seventh in 2004 with a 2-5 record. • Utah State is facing a Sun Belt Conference opponent for the first time since posting a 34-20 home win against Arkansas State in 2014, as the Red Wolves were coached by current USU head coach Blake Anderson. UTAH STATE vs. THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE • Utah State is 9-12 (.429) against current members of the Sun Belt Conference with a 4-3 record against Arkansas State, a 1-0 record against Texas State, a 1-1 record against Louisiana, a 1-2 record against Louisiana-Monroe and Troy, and a 1-4 record against Southern Mississippi. USU has never faced Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and South Alabama. CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND JAMES MADISON PLAYERS • The following are connections between Utah State and James Madison players. Redshirt junior S Anthony Switzer, junior PK Elliott Nimrod and sophomore S Javar Strong all began their collegiate careers at Arkansas State, as did JMU senior S Jarius Reimonenq and redshirt junior P Ryan Hanson. COACHING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND JAMES MADISON • James Madison Director of Strength and Conditioning for Football Derek Owings spent three years (2016-18) at Utah State as a graduate assistant strength coach. HOMEGROWN PLAYERS • Utah State has 44 players on its roster from the Beehive State, while James Madison has 47 players on its roster from the Old Dominion State. UTAH STATE HAS SEVEN BOWLS TEAMS ON ITS 2023 SCHEDULE • 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. DID YOU KNOW? • 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. GAME 3 RECAP vs. AIR FORCE USAFA, Colorado - Air Force scored touchdowns the first four times it touched the ball and never looked back in a 39-21 win against Utah State in the Mountain West opener for both teams at Falcon Stadium on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. True freshman QB McCae Hillstead, who replaced starter Cooper Legas early in the second quarter, was 18-of-27 passing for 202 yards and three touchdowns for the Aggies (1-2, 0-1 MW), all of which are career highs. Those 202 passing yards are the most by an Aggie true freshman since Darell Garretson threw for 298 yards against UNLV in 2013. Furthermore, Hillstead's three touchdown passes are the most by an Aggie true freshman since Kent Myers had three touchdown passes at Hawai'i in 2014. Junior WR Micah Davis, who spent his first two collegiate seasons at Air Force, caught a career-high-tying four catches for 84 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown pass from Hillstead that capped the game's scoring with 8:43 left in the fourth quarter. For the third-straight game, senior WR Terrell Vaughn led Utah State in receptions as he had five catches for 57 yards, including a 2-yarder from Hillstead for the Aggies' first touchdown of the night late in the second quarter. Junior WR Jalen Royals also found the end zone for the Aggies on a 9-yard pass from Hillstead in the third quarter. He finished with four receptions for a career-high 52 yards. Junior TE Broc Lane had five receptions for 40 yards, both career highs. Junior RB Rahsul Faison led the Aggies on ground as he gained 40 yards on a career-high seven carries. As a team, USU finished with a season-low 54 rushing yards. Emmanuel Michel powered the offense for Air Force (3-0, 1-0) on the night as he rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Owen Burk also eclipsed the century mark on the ground with 110 yards rushing on 15 carries. Air Force QB Zac Larrier was 3-for-4 passing for 84 yards, to go along with 56 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Falcons racked up 428 yards of total offense, but allowed a season-high 302 yards. Utah State did finish the game with a season-low four penalties for just 17 yards, but committed two turnovers with one interception and a lost fumble, while Air Force did not turn the ball over once during the game. Air Force also controlled the ball for 38:40 as compared to just 21:20 for the Aggies. Two of Air Force's first-half touchdowns came after turnovers by USU, which had its two-game winning streak against the Falcons snapped. Following the second of those two turnovers, an interception thrown by Legas, Utah State head coach Blake Anderson made the change under center. Defensively, sophomore ILB Cole Joyce finished with a career-high 11 tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks. Sophomore S Ike Larsen also had 11 stops, which was a career best. Junior CB Jaiden Francois added a career-high eight tackles, while sophomore CB JD Drew had a career-best four stops. Sophomore S Devin Dye also had a career high four tackles and redshirt freshman DT Sir Mells finished with a career-best two stops. AGGIES DROP MOUNTAIN WEST OPENER AT AIR FORCE • Utah State lost its Mountain West opener at Air Force last weekend, 39-21. USU is now 7-4 all-time in MW openers, which includes a 4-2 road record. Ironically, it was the sixth time that USU has played Air Force in its first MW game of the season and is now 4-2 in those games. UTAH STATE'S OFFENSE PUTS UP SEASON HIGHS ON AIR FORCE'S DEFENSE • Despite losing to Air Force last weekend, Utah State's offense was able to put up several season highs on the Falcons' defense as USU scored 21 points and finished the game with 302 yards of total offense, which included 248 passing yards. Air Force entered the game leading the nation in scoring defense and total defense, allowing just 5.0 points and 118.0 yards per game. • However, Utah State's offense entered the game leading the nation with an average of 7.6 rushing yards per attempt and was sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game (248.0), but the Falcons' defense limited USU to just 54 rushing yards and 2.1 yards per rush. UTAH STATE BREAKING IN LOTS OF NEW PLAYERS THIS FALL • Utah State has had 15 players make their first-career start through the first three weeks of the season, including three players last weekend at Air Force. Furthermore, USU has had 16 players appear in the first-ever Division I game this year and 39 players have made their Aggie debut this fall. UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS • Utah State has won 44 of its last 54 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 1-0 record this year, and 50 of its last 58 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 1-0 record in 2023. USU has also won 67 of its last 72 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 1-0 record this year. UTAH STATE HAS WON EIGHT-STRAIGHT ONE-SCORE GAMES • Utah State 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) in 2019. 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. UTAH STATE ROLLS TO 78-28 HOME WIN AGAINST IDAHO STATE • Utah State rolled to a 78-28 home win against Idaho State two weekends ago as its 78 points are the fourth-most in school history and most since it posted a 136-0 win against Idaho State in 1919. Furthermore, USU's 50-point margin of victory is its largest since defeating Stony Brook by 55 points (62-7) in 2019 and the 20th-largest in school history. • Utah State also scored 51 first-half points against Idaho State, which are the second-most in school history, trailing only the 52 first-half points it scored against New Mexico in 2018. • With the scored tied at 7-all heading into the second quarter, Utah State exploded for 44 points, which are the most scored by an Aggie team in any quarter in school history. During that second quarter, USU scored 20 points in 71 seconds. • Utah State's 591 yards of total offense against Idaho State are the 24th-most in school history, while its 380 rushing yards are the 19th-most in school history. AGGIES' 78 POINTS AND 380 RUSHING YARDS SECOND-MOST IN FBS THIS YEAR • Utah State's 78 points and 380 rushing yards against Idaho State are the second-most at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level this year. Oregon scored an FBS-best 81 points against Portland State, while UCF rushed for an FBS-best 389 yards against Kent State. UTAH STATE HAS TWO PICK-SIXES AGAINST IDAHO STATE • Utah State's defense forced three turnovers against Idaho State, including a pair of pick-sixes as sophomore S Ike Larsen returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown, while junior CB Jaiden Francois had a 75-yard interception return for a score. It is the first time USU has had a pair of pick-sixes in the same game since doing so at Colorado State in 2018. HILLSTEAD PUTS UP CAREER HIGHS IN AIR FORCE GAME • Freshman QB McCae Hillstead had an impressive extended debut for Utah State last weekend at Air Force as he was 18-of-27 passing for 202 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for six yards on seven carries. All of his passing numbers are career highs as it was just his second-career outing. Two weekends ago against Idaho State, Hillstead played in the fourth quarter and was 3-of-5 passing for 18 yards, while adding 17 rushing yards on two carries. • Hillstead's 202 passing yards are the most by an Aggie true freshman since Darell Garretson threw for 298 yards against UNLV in 2013. Furthermore, Hillstead's three touchdown passes are the most by an Aggie true freshman since Kent Myers had three touchdown passes at Hawai'i in 2014. INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH HILLSTEAD • Utah State freshman QB McCae Hillstead was really good against Air Force when it mattered as he was 5-of-6 passing on third down for 50 yards and two touchdowns, and 3-of-3 passing on fourth down for 22 yards and one touchdown. Hillstead was also 5-of-7 passing on second down for 79 yards and 5-of-11 passing on first down for 51 yards. LANE HAS CAREER GAME IN FIRST-CAREER START • Junior TE Broc Lane had a career game in his first-career start at Air Force last weekend as he caught a career-high five passes for a career-best 40 yards. Lane entered the game with nine career receptions for 56 yards. DAVIS PLAYS WELL AGAINST FORMER TEAM • Junior WR Micah Davis played well against his former team in Air Force, as he caught a career-high-tying four passes for a season-high 84 yards and one touchdown. Davis, who spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Air Force, now has touchdown receptions in each of his last two games to give him four in his career. ROYALS HAS CAREER-HIGH IN RECEIVING YARDS AT AIR FORCE • Junior WR Jalen Royals had a career-high 52 receiving yards on four catches, including his second touchdown of the year and in his career on a 4-yard reception at Air Force last weekend. VAUGHN RECORDS DOUBLE-DIGIT RECEPTIONS IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES • Senior WR Terrell Vaughn caught 11 passes for 73 yards and a career-high-tying two touchdowns two weekends ago against Idaho State and had a career-high 12 receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown in the season opener at No. 25 Iowa. Vaughn is the first Aggie since Kevin Curtis in 2001 to have double-digit receptions in consecutive games. • In his most recent game against Air Force, Vaughn had five receptions for 57 yards and one touchdown to give him four touchdown catches this year and nine in his career. BRIGGS POSTS FIRST-CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING GAME • Sophomore RB Robert Briggs Jr. posted his first-career 100-yard rushing game two weekends ago against Idaho State as he gained 101 yards on nine carries, including scoring his first rushing touchdown of the season and the second of his career on a career-long 58-yard run. UTAH STATE'S JUNIOR COLLEGE TRANSFER RUNNING BACKS PLAYING WELL • Utah State's two junior college transfer running backs in junior Davon Booth (Cerritos College) and junior Rahsul Faison (Snow College) have played well this year as the duo has rushed for 329 yards on 40 carries (8.2 ypr) and scored three touchdowns. UTAH STATE HAS THREE PLAYERS WITH 80-PLUS RUSHING YARDS IN SAME GAME • Utah State had three running backs rush for 80-plus yards against Idaho State two weekends ago as sophomore RB Robert Briggs Jr. rushed for 101 yards and one touchdown on nine carries, junior RB Rahsul Faison rushed for 95 yards and one touchdown on five carries and junior RB Davon Booth rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. Furthermore, senior RB Cooper Jones rushed for 18 yards on six carries and scored one touchdown. Those five rushing touchdowns are the most since USU rushed for seven touchdowns against Hawai'i in 2018. And, it is the first time USU had three players with 80-plus rushing yards in the same game since the 2011 season when Michael Smith (18-121), Robert Turbin (25-98) and Adam Kennedy (15-95) accomplished the feat against New Mexico State. LEGAS SETS CAREER HIGHS AGAINST IOWA • Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas was 32-of-48 (.667) passing for 213 yards with one touchdown and one interception at No. 25 Iowa two weekends ago. Those 32 completions and 48 attempts are both career highs. It was also his fifth-career 200-yard passing game. • Legas' 32 completions at Iowa are the most by an Aggie since Jordan Love completed 33 passes at Wake Forest in 2019 and tied for the third-most in a single-game in school history behind the 34 completions by Gym Kimball against UNLV in 1984. Furthermore, Legas' 48 attempts are the most by an Aggie since Love attempted 49 passes against BYU in 2019. LARSEN RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 11 TACKLES AGAINST AIR FORCE • Sophomore S Ike Larsen posted his first-career double-digit tackle outing last weekend as he had a career-high 11 tackles against Air Force. JOYCE RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 11 TACKLES AGAINST AIR FORCE • Sophomore ILB Cole Joyce posted his first-career double-digit tackle outing last weekend as he had a career-high 11 tackles, which included 1.0 sacks, against Air Force in his first-career start. Joyce, who tied his career high with 1.0 sacks, entered the game with six tackles in his career. OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES FROM AIR FORCE GAME • Junior CB Jaiden Francois had a career-high eight tackles. Sophomore CB JD Drew had a career-high four tackles. Sophomore S Devin Dye had a career-high four tackles. Redshirt freshman DT Sir Mells had a career-high two tackles. LARSEN INTERCEPTS FIFTH-CAREER PASS IN IDAHO STATE GAME • Sophomore S Ike Larsen intercepted his fifth-career pass and returned it 47 yards for his second-career pick-six against Idaho State two weekends ago. Larsen also had five tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, against the Bengals. • In the season opener at No. 25 Iowa, Larsen had four tackles, tied his career high with two pass breakups, and blocked his fourth-career punt to extend his own school record. FRANCOIS INTERCEPTS FIRST-CAREER PASS IN IDAHO STATE GAME • Junior CB Jaiden Francois, a transfer from UCF, intercepted his first-career pass and returned it 75 yards for his first-career touchdown against Idaho State two weekends ago. That 75-yard interception return is tied for the 12th-longest in school history. Francois also had a then-career-high seven tackles, including a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss, against the Bengals. SWITZER POSTS FIRST-CAREER DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLE OUTING • Redshirt junior S Anthony Switzer recorded a career high 10 tackles against Idaho State two weekends ago for his first-career double-digit tackle game. Switzer began the season by posting eight tackles at No. 25 Iowa. HARRIS TIES CAREER HIGH WITH EIGHT TACKLES IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES • Sophomore S Simeon Harris, a transfer from Colorado, tied his career high in tackles in each of his first two games with Utah State as he had eight stops, including his first-career pass breakup, against Idaho State and eight tackles at No. 25 Iowa. Harris also had eight tackles against Washington during the 2022 campaign. FITZGERALD HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST IDAHO STATE • Redshirt freshman DE Paul Fitzgerald, a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, had a career-high six tackles, which included a career-best 2.0 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss, against Idaho State TAFISI JR. POSTS SIXTH-CAREER DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLE GAME • Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. posted his sixth-career double-digit tackle outing in the season opener at No. 25 Iowa as he finished the game with 12 tackles, which included a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss, to go along with his first-career forced fumble. Tafisi missed the final five games of the 2022 season due to injury. UTAH STATE HAS TWO KICKERS MAKE A FIELD GOAL IN SAME GAME • For the first time since the 2017 season, Utah State had a pair of placekickers make a field goal in the same game. In its season opener at No. 25 Iowa, junior PK William Testa made a 32-yard field, while junior PK Elliott Nimrod made a 45-yard field goal. In 2017, Utah State had a pair of placekickers make field goals against Idaho State in Dominik Eberle and Michael Smith. KOTSANLEE FIFTH ALL-TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY IN PUNTING • Senior P Stephen Kotsanlee punted three times for an average of 41.7 yards last weekend and has now punted 169 times in his career for an average of 42.6 yards per punt (7,191 yards), which is the fifth-best average in school history. For his career, he has 36 punts of at least 50 yards and 63 punts that have been downed inside the 20-yard line. • As a freshman in 2020, Kotsanlee earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors as he punted 37 times for an average of 40.7 yards. DID YOU KNOW? • Utah State's starting punter Stephen Kotsanlee (Australia) and starting placekicker William Testa (Italy) are both international players. The only other FBS schools that have international players at both punter and placekicker are Bowling Green, Colorado State and Oklahoma State. UTAH STATE 35TH IN THE NATION IN SCORING OFFENSE • Utah State is first in the Mountain West and 35th in the nation in scoring offense (37.7 ppg), second in the MW and 37th in the nation in completion percentage (.667), second in the MW and 42nd in the nation in rushing offense (183.3 ypg), second in the MW and 56th in the nation in total offense (407.3 ypg), fourth in the MW and 73rd in the nation in passing efficiency (137.7), fifth in the MW and 79th in the nation in passing offense (224.0 ypg), and sixth in the MW and 79th in the nation in sacks allowed with seven (2.33 pg). • Utah State is also first in the MW and 10th in the nation in yards per rush attempt (6.0), third in the MW and 24th in the nation in fumbles lost with one (0.33 pg), third in the MW and 31st in the nation in red zone offense (.917), third in the MW and 36th in the nation with two interceptions thrown (0.67 pg), third in the MW and 77th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed with 18 (6.00 pg), fourth in the MW and 30th in the nation in turnovers lost with three, fifth in the MW and 49th in the nation in fourth down conversions (.625), and sixth in the MW and 58th in the nation in turnover margin (0.00). UTAH STATE 52ND IN THE NATION IN PASSING DEFENSE • Utah State is third in the Mountain West and 52nd in the nation in passing defense (201.0 ypg), fourth in the MW and 62nd in the nation in tackles for loss with 18 (6.0 pg), fourth in the MW and 69th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (131.3), seventh in the MW and 87th in the nation in total defense (378.7 ypg), seventh in the MW and 102nd in the nation in scoring defense (30.3 ppg), ninth in the MW and 91st in the nation in sacks with five (1.67 pg), and 12th in the MW and 112th in the nation in rushing defense (177.7 ypg). USU is also fourth in the MW and 68th in the nation in passes intercepted with two (0.67 pg). UTAH STATE ONE OF 12 FBS TEAMS WITH TWO DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS • Utah State is one of 12 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in the nation with two defensive touchdowns this season along with Akron, Arkansas, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Massachusetts, Ohio State, Old Dominion, Syracuse, Washington State and Western Kentucky. UTAH STATE BLOCKS FIRST PUNT OF 2023 SEASON • After leading the Mountain West and ranking 10th in the nation with four blocked kicks (3 punts, 1 extra point) in 2022, Utah State started the 2023 season by blocking a punt at No. 25 Iowa. USU has blocked six punts in its last 18 games dating back to the 2021 season. • Utah State has blocked eight kicks (6 punts, 1 field goal, 1 extra point) 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. UTAH STATE 27TH IN THE NATION IN PUNT RETURN DEFENSE • Utah State is first in the Mountain West and 27th in the nation in punt return defense (1.0 ypr), fourth in the MW and 47th in the nation in kickoff returns (21.8 ypr), fifth in the MW and 60th in the nation in punt returns (8.2 ypr), sixth in the MW and 49th in the nation in net punting (40.4 ypp), and 10th in the MW and 123rd in the nation in kickoff return defense (28.3 ypr). AGGIES IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST AND NCAA RANKINGS • Utah State sophomore S Ike Larsen is tied for first in the nation with one defensive touchdown (0.33 pg), is first in the Mountain West and third in the nation with one blocked kick (0.33 pg), and is fifth in the MW and 49th in the nation with one interception (0.33 pg). Junior CB Jaiden Francois is tied for first in the nation with one defensive touchdown (0.33 pg), and is fifth in the MW and 49th in the nation with one interception (0.33 pg). Junior WR Micah Davis is first in the MW and 49th in the nation in yards per reception (19.1), second in the MW and 37th in the nation in punt returns (8.2 ypr), and seventh in the MW and 58th in the nation with two receiving touchdowns (0.50 pg). Senior WR Terrell Vaughn is second in the MW and third in the nation in receptions (9.7 pg), second in the MW and sixth in the nation in receiving touchdowns with four (1.33 pg), sixth in the MW and 56th in the nation in scoring (8.0 ppg), eighth in the MW and 47th in the nation in receiving yards (75.7 ypg), and eighth in the MW and 91st in the nation in all-purpose yards (95.0 ypg). Graduate senior QB Cooper Legas is second in the MW and 36th in the nation in completion percentage (.676), sixth in the MW and 70th in the nation in completions per game (16.0), seventh in the MW and 88th in the nation in passing efficiency (121.3), and ninth in the MW in passing yards per game (128.0). Junior DE Cian Slone is fourth in the MW and 12th in the nation in fumbles recovered with one (0.33 pg). Senior P Stephen Kotsanlee is fourth in the MW and 23rd in the nation in punting (44.3 ypp). Redshirt freshman DE Paul Fitzgerald is fifth in the MW and 51st in the nation in sacks with two (0.7 pg). Sophomore ILB Cole Joyce is fifth in the MW and 51st in the nation in sacks with two (0.7 pg). Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. is fifth in the MW and 34th in the nation in tackles for loss with four (1.3 pg), seventh in the MW and 25th in the nation in forced fumbles with one (0.33 pg), and eighth in the MW and 68th in the nation in tackles (7.7 pg). Graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu is seventh in the MW and 25th in the nation in forced fumbles with one (0.33 pg). Junior WR Jalen Royals is seventh in the MW and 58th in the nation in touchdown receptions with two (0.50 pg). Junior RB Rahsul Faison is seventh in the MW and 79th in the nation in rushing (64.7 ypg). Redshirt junior S Anthony Switzer is 10th in the MW and 80th in the nation in tackles (7.3 pg). And, junior PK Elliott Nimrod is 10th in the MW and 82nd in the nation in field goals made per game (0.7). WHAT'S RETURNING IN 2023 • Utah State returns nine starters (O-4, D-5) as part of 35 letterwinners (O-19, D-13, S-3) from last year's team that posted a 6-7 record, tied for second in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 mark, and concluded its season by playing in its 10th bowl game in the past 12 years against Memphis (L, 38-10) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas, Texas. USU also welcomes back 14 redshirts (O-7, D-6, S-1) and three squadmen (O-1, D-2). • Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2023 are a trio of all-Mountain West performers in sophomore S Ike Larsen, senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. and senior WR Terrell Vaughn. Larsen earned second-team all-MW accolades and was named a College Football News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American, while Tafisi and Vaughn both garnered honorable mention all-MW honors. USU also returns senior P Stephen Kotsanlee, who earned honorable mention all-MW honors in 2020. • Other starters returning for Utah State in 2023 include graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu, graduate senior QB Cooper Legas, graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka, senior TE Josh Sterzer and senior DT Poukesi Vakauta. UTAH STATE WELCOMES 61 NEWCOMERS • Utah State welcomes 61 newcomers (O-27, D-32, S-2) to its program this fall, which is the sixth-most in the nation. Among the group of new players are 14 four-year transfers in graduate senior OL Ralph Frias III (Arizona State), senior RB Sione Finau (BYU), graduate junior WR Colby Bowman (Stanford), junior CB Jaiden Francois (UCF), junior QB Zeke Payne (New Mexico Highlands), junior DE Blaine Spires (Bowling Green), redshirt sophomore CB Avante Dickerson (Oregon), sophomore CB Al Ashford III (Wisconsin), sophomore ILB Gavin Barthiel (Washington State), sophomore S Simeon Harris (Colorado), redshirt freshman DT Sir Mells (Oregon), redshirt freshman WR Grant Page (Colorado), redshirt freshman ILB Logan Pili (BYU) and redshirt freshman S Jackson Sundstrom (Concordia). USU also welcomes 21 junior college transfers (O-9, D-11, S-1), to go along with 26 high schoolers (O-13, D-12, S-1). • Among the 21 junior college transfers, five of those players began their careers at the FBS level in junior WR Micah Davis (Air Force), junior RB Rahsul Faison (Marshall), junior CB Jaylen Martin (California), sophomore DE Ioholani Raass (UCLA) and sophomore S Javar Strong (Arkansas State). UTAH STATE HAS FOUR SETS OF BROTHERS ON 2023 ROSTER • Utah State has four sets of brothers on its 2023 roster in senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou HS) and redshirt freshman OL Tavo Motu'apuaka (Honolulu, Hawaii/Mililani HS), junior DE Cian Slone (Rocklin, California/American River JC/Rocklin HS) and sophomore S Teeg Slone (Rocklin, California/American River JC/Rocklin HS), sophomore OL Elia Migao (Temecula, California/Chaparral HS) and sophomore DE Enoka Migao (Temecula, California/Chaparral HS), and redshirt freshman DE Kaden Jolley (Fruita, Colorado/Fruita Monument HS) and freshman DT Tanner Jolley (Fruita, Colorado/Fruita Monument HS). NINE AGGIES WITH BACHELOR'S DEGREES • Utah State has nine players on its 2023 roster that have already received their bachelor's degrees in graduate senior CB Michael Anyanwu (kinesiology), graduate senior OL Ralph Frias III (interdisciplinary studies), graduate senior OL Calvin Knapp (interdisciplinary studies), graduate senior QB Cooper Legas (economics), graduate senior OL Wade Meacham (psychology), graduate senior CB Xavion Steele (sociology), graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. (integrated studies), graduate junior WR Colby Bowman (science, technology and society) and graduate junior QB Levi Williams (integrated studies). AGGIES WHO HAVE SERVED LDS CHURCH MISSIONS • Utah State has 14 players on its 2023 roster who have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, senior RB Sione Finau, senior TE Josh Sterzer, senior WR Kyle Van Leeuwen, sophomore DE Kaden Jolley, sophomore DT Seni Tuiaki, redshirt freshman K/P Ryan Marks, redshirt freshman ILB Bronson Olevao Jr., redshirt freshman LB Logan Pili, redshirt freshman OL Adam Pond, freshman DE Emerson Conlon, freshman ILB Bowen Fjord, freshman DT Tanner Jolley and freshman S Titan Saxton. AGGIES WHO ARE MARRIED • Utah State has four players on its 2023 roster who are married in graduate senior OL Wade Meacham, senior DT Hale Motu'apuaka, senior TE Josh Sterzer and junior OL Cole Motes. DID YOU KNOW? • Utah State sophomore S Devin Dye's dad, Jermaine, spent 13 years in Major League Baseball as an outfielder for several teams, including the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox, as he was named World Series MVP. He was a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove Award recipient in 2000 and a Silver Slugger Award recipient in 2006. • Utah State junior WR Micah Davis' dad, Dexter, spent five years in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. 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 69-49 overall record, including a 49-24 conference mark. He has posted an 18-12 record at USU, including an 11-6 Mountain West record. • Anderson has 30 years of coaching experience and has been part of six conference championships. He has also coached in 13 bowl games and he won a national championship at the junior college level. • During the 2022 campaign, Anderson led Utah State to six wins and its 10th bowl game in the past 12 seasons, including its second in as many years. USU also tied for second-place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 5-3 mark as the Aggies had nine players earn various all-conference accolades. Graduate senior safety Hunter Reynolds was named a ProFootballFocus Honorable Mention All-American, while redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen was named a College Football News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American. • In his first season at Utah State, Anderson led the Aggies to their first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State, their sixth bowl win in school history with a 24-13 victory against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, and a school-record-tying 11 wins as USU was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain Division of the MW in the preseason polls. • Under Anderson, Utah State tied for the best turnaround in the nation in 2021 as the Aggies became the first FBS program ever to go from zero or one win to 11 wins the following season. • During the 2021 season, Utah State set 10 school records, including 4,248 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes, and tied four more as it became the first FBS program in eight years to go 7-0 on the road. USU also ranked 15th in the nation in passing offense (303.4 ypg) and 23rd in total offense (445.6 ypg), and was top three in the MW in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense (32.6 ppg). • Anderson, who was named the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2021 at Utah State, mentored a pair of Aggies that broke several single-season school records in quarterback Logan Bonner and wide receiver Deven Thompkins. Bonner set school records in passing touchdowns (36) and passing yards (3,628), while Thompkins set school records for receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,704). • Overall, Anderson saw nine of his players earn all-Mountain West honors, including Thompkins, who was named a third-team All-American by The Associated Press. • Anderson came to Utah State after spending seven years as the head coach at Arkansas State, leading ASU to six-consecutive winning seasons and six-straight bowl games (2014-19), including a 31-13 win against UCF in the 2016 Cure Bowl and a 34-26 win against FIU in the 2019 Camellia Bowl. ASU also won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Championships under Anderson (2015-16). • During that six-year stretch, the Red Wolves broke 12 school records, including 494.8 yards of total offense per game, 4,106 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes in 2017, 520 points scored and 69 total touchdowns in 2015, and 6,174 yards of total offense and 1,024 total plays in 2014. • The Red Wolves won at least seven games, including at least five league games, six-straight years under Anderson, including a nine-victory campaign in 2015 and eight-win seasons in 2016, 2018 and 2019. In all, Anderson posted a 51-37 (.580) record at ASU, including a 38-18 (.679) mark in the Sun Belt Conference. Those 51 wins, 40 of which were by double digits, are tied for the third-most in school history. • Statistically, Arkansas State annually ranked as one of the top offensive teams in the nation under Anderson. In 2020, the Red Wolves led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 15th nationally in total offense at 489.7 yards per game. ASU also led the Sun Belt in total offense in 2018 (466.2 ypg), 2017 (494.8 ypg) and 2014 (476.5 ypg), and ranked second in 2015 (438.5 ypg). Furthermore, the 2017 team ranked 10th in the nation in total offense, while the 2018 team was 17th and the 2014 team was 20th nationally. • As for passing offense, Arkansas State led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked third in the nation in 2020 at 364.4 yards per game. In 2019, the Red Wolves finished second in the conference and 10th in the nation with 312.1 passing yards per game. ASU also led the Sun Belt in passing offense in both 2017 and 2018 with 342.2 and 281.5 passing yards per game, respectively. The 2017 team also ranked fifth nationally in that category, while the 2018 team was 21st in the nation. • Arkansas State also led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense three times under Anderson as the 2017 team averaged 37.8 points per game to rank 13th nationally, while the 2015 team averaged 40.0 points per game to rank 12th in the nation, and the 2014 team averaged 36.7 points per game to rank 18th nationally. In fact, six of Anderson's seven Red Wolves' teams averaged over 30 points per game. • Following the 2019 campaign, Anderson received the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award and was named the Grant Teaff Coach of the Year, presented annually by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as he guided the Red Wolves to an 8-5 record and Camellia Bowl championship after his wife, Wendy, passed away prior to the start of the season following a courageous battle with cancer. • A two-year letterwinner at wide receiver for Sam Houston State from 1990-91, Anderson was named Southland Conference all-academic as a senior. He also played for two years as a quarterback and receiver at Baylor (1988-89). Anderson graduated with his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from SHSU in 1992. He also attained his master's degree in sports administration from Eastern New Mexico in 1994. 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. 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.

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