LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Utah State football has been picked ninth in the 2025 Mountain West preseason poll, it was announced Wednesday at the league's annual media days held at The Circa Resort & Casino, while senior safety Ike Larsen was named to the preseason all-conference team.
 
For Larsen, it is the third-straight year that he has been named to the MW Preseason Team.
 
Boise State was picked to win the MW as the Broncos garnered 35 first-place votes and earned a total of 464 points. UNLV received four first-place votes and 415 points for second place, followed by San José State with 359 points. Colorado State received 326 points, followed by Fresno State (301), Air Force (280), Hawai'i (213), San Diego State (202) and Utah State (165). Wyoming received 150 points for 10th place, while New Mexico (84) and Nevada (83) rounded out the order of finish.
 
About Larsen
Larsen a 5-foot-10, 195-pound safety from Smithfield, Utah (Sky View HS) finished second on the team during the 2024 season with 80 tackles (55 solo), which included 1.5 tackles for loss, to go along with a team-best nine pass breakups, while adding one interception. He finished the year with three double-digit tackle outings as he started 11 of the 12 games he played in.
 
Larsen was named a College Football News (CFN) Honorable Mention All-American and earned first-team All-MW honors as a sophomore as he started all 13 games in 2023. He finished the year with 103 tackles (58-solo), which were the second-most on the team, and had 4.5 tackles for loss, to go along with a team-high four interceptions and a team-best two blocked kicks, while adding six pass breakups, which were the second-most on the team, and one forced fumble. He finished the year with five double-digit tackle outings. Larsen was named the MW Defensive Player of the Week twice and the MW Special Teams Player of the Week once during the 2023 season.
 
As a redshirt freshman during the 2022 campaign, Larsen was named a CFN Honorable Mention Freshman All-American and a second-team All-MW selection as he played in 11 games with four starts. He finished that year with 33 tackles (19-solo), which included 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss, to go along with a team-best four interceptions and a team-high three blocked kicks, while adding two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. In fact, his three blocked punts during the season are the most in school history. Larsen was named the MW Defensive Player of the Week once and the MW Freshman of the Week twice during the 2022 season.
 
Looking at the Roster
Utah State returns four starters (O-1, D-3) as part of 18 returning letter winners (O-10, D-8) from last year's team. USU also welcomes back eight redshirts (O-4, D-4) and 14 more players (O-8, D-6) that were members of the program in 2024.
 
Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2025 are three players that have garnered previous All-MW recognition in graduate TE Broc Lane, senior DT Gabriel Iniguez Jr. and Larsen. Iniguez earned honorable mention All-MW honors last season, while Lane was an honorable mention selection in 2023. Larsen garnered first-team All-MW accolades in 2023 and was named a CFN Honorable Mention All-American. In 2022, he was named second-team All-MW and a CFN Honorable Mention Freshman All-American.
 
Other starters returning for Utah State in 2025 include graduate TE Josh Sterzer and senior ILB John Miller. USU returns six more players who have made starts with the Aggies in junior OL Tavo Motu'apuaka (7), senior OLB Enoka Migao (5), senior QB Bryson Barnes (3), senior OL Trey Andersen (2), senior DT Bo Maile (1) and junior OL George Maile (1).
 
Utah State welcomes 68 newcomers to the program in 2025, which includes 29 four-year transfers (O-11, D-14, S-4), 12 junior college transfers (O-3, D-7, S-2), and 27 high school players (O-13, D-13, S-1). Those 68 newcomers are made up of 27 offensive players, 34 defensive players and seven specialists. Collectively, the 29 four-year transfers joining the program have combined for 416 games played and 115 starts during their careers.
 
Highlighting this group are five players that has garnered previous honors in senior S Noah Avinger, junior OLB John Gayer, junior CB John Shepard, sophomore LS Hyrum Hatch and sophomore S Titan Saxton. Avinger was an honorable mention All-MW selection last year at New Mexico. Gayer earned All-America Defensive Player of the Year honors from JCgridiron.com in 2024 at the College of San Mateo. Shepard was named a California Community College Athletic Association First-Team All-American and CFN Third-Team All-American last year at San Diego Mesa College. Hatch earned CFN Honorable Mention Freshman All-American accolades with the Lobos in 2024. Saxton was named a National Junior College Athletic Association Second-Team All-American last year at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.
 
Fall Schedule
Utah State opens the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30, as it hosts UTEP and begins Mountain West play at home against Air Force on Saturday, Sept. 13.
 
Ticket Information
Season tickets for the 2025 season are on-sale now. Purchase today to take advantage of our payment plans and spread your payment throughout the summer. To purchase click here or call the ticket office at 435-797-0305.
 
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Gifts to the Big Blue Club provide the resources necessary to build championship-caliber programs. It also comes with great benefits, including complimentary parking at football and men's basketball games, access to the best seat locations, exclusive ticket presales, and more. Join online here or contact a member of the Big Blue Club via email or by phone at (435) 797-2583.
 
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Fans can follow the Aggie football program with behind-the-scenes content and coverage on social media through X, Instagram and Facebook, along with visiting www.utahstateaggies.com.
 
2025 Mountain West Football Predicted Order of Finish
Rank    Team (First-Place Votes) - Points
1.         Boise State (35) - 464
2.         UNLV (4) - 415
3.         San José State - 359
4.         Colorado State - 326
5.         Fresno State - 301
6.         Air Force - 280
7.         Hawai'i - 213
8.         San Diego State - 202
9.         UTAH STATE - 165
10.       Wyoming - 150
11.       New Mexico - 84
12.       Nevada -  83
 
2025 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team
Offense
QB       Maddux Madsen, Jr., Boise State
WR      Latrell Caples, Gr., Boise State
WR      Pofele Ashlock, Jr., Hawai'i
WR      Nick Cenacle, Sr., Hawai'i
RB       Scottre Humphrey, Jr., New Mexico
RB       Jai'Den Thomas, Jr., UNLV
OL       Kage Casey, Jr., Boise State
OL       Mason Randolph, Sr., Boise State
OL       Peseti Lapuaho, Sr., San José State
OL       Caden Barnett, Sr., Wyoming
OL       Jack Walsh, Sr., Wyoming
TE        Matt Lauter, Sr., Boise State
 
Defense
DL       Braxton Fely, Sr., Boise State
DL       Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Jr., Boise State
DL       Trey White, Jr., San Diego State
DL       Gafa Faga, Sr., San José State
LB       Marco Notarainni, Sr., Boise State
LB       Tano Letuli, Jr., San Diego State
LB       Jordan Pollard, Sr., San José State
LB       Marsel McDuffie, Sr., UNLV
DB       Ty Benefield, Jr., Boise State
DB       A'Marion McCoy, Gr., Boise State
DB       Al'zillion Hamilton, Sr., Fresno State
DB       Ike Larsen, Sr., Utah State
 
Specialists
P          Luke Freer, Sr., Air Force
PK       Gabe Plascencia, Sr., San Diego State
PR        Marcus Bellon, Sr., Nevada
KR       Abraham Williams, Sr., New Mexico
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Maddux Madsen, Jr., QB, Boise State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Trey White, Jr., DL, San Diego State
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Gabe Plascencia, Sr., PK, San Diego State