Aggies Host Mountain West-Foe Colorado State in Homecoming Game

COLORADO STATE (3-3, 2-0 MW) vs. UTAH STATE (4-2, 2-1 MW)

Friday, Oct. 22, 2021 • 7:30 p.m.

• Logan, Utah

• Maverik Stadium (25,100) GAME 7 INFORMATION

TV: CBS Sports Network

• Play-by-Play: Chris Lewis• Analyst: Corey Chavous

• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 269/753HD

• DISH: Ch. 158

• DirecTV: Ch. 221

RADIO: Aggie Sports Network

• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard• Analyst: Kevin White• National: XM 381 / SXM App 971• Online: 1280thezone.com / Tunein.com

SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY

• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball• Facebook: USUFootball• YouTube: UtahStateFootball• Live Stats: UtahState.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: KZNS (1280 AM/97.5 FM)• Logan: KBLU-LP (92.3 FM)• Green River: KRPX (102.7 FM)• Moab: KRPX (100.3 FM)• Montpelier, Idaho: KZNS (1450 AM/101.7 FM)• Orangeville: KRPX (95.9 FM)• Price: KRPX (95.3 FM)

KICKOFF COVERAGE

• Utah State is 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Mountain West play despite trailing after the first quarter in five of its six games, trailing at the half in all six of its games, and trailing after the third quarter in five of its six games this year.

Utah State has trailed by double digits in all four of its wins this season, including coming from behind in the fourth quarter in all three of its road wins, which included a pair of double-digit deficits. In fact, USU scored the winning touchdown at Washington State with 13 seconds to play and the winning touchdown at UNLV with 35 seconds remaining in the game.
Utah State has been outscored 68-27 in the first quarter and 147-106 during the first three quarters this season, but has outscored its opponents 68-30 in the fourth quarter, which includes a 58-10 advantage in its four wins.
Senior WR Savon Scarver, a Las Vegas native, tied the NCAA and Mountain West record for kickoff returns for touchdown in a career with seven as he returned UNLV's first kickoff of the game 100 yards for the score in Utah State's 28-24 conference win against the Rebels last weekend. Overall, Scarver is one of five players in FBS history to return seven kickoffs for a touchdown.
Senior WR Deven Thompkinsranks first in the Mountain West and third in the nation in receiving (136.5 ypg), first in the MW and fifth in the nation in receptions (8.3 pg), first in the MW and seventh in the nation in all-purpose yards (150.0 ypg), and second in the MW and 12th in the nation in receiving touchdowns with six (1.0 pg).
Utah State ranks among the top 50 teams in the nation in 14 statistical categories, including ranking second in the Mountain West and 13th in the nation in total offense at 482.5 yards per game. USU also ranks 15th in the nation in passing offense (315.2 ypg), 25th in the nation in tackles for loss (6.8 pg), 32nd in the nation in kickoff returns (23.9 ypr) and 36th in the nation in punt returns (10.6 ypr).

UTAH STATE HOSTS COLORADO STATE IN HOMECOMING GAME

• Utah State (4-2, 2-1 MW) hosts Mountain West-foe Colorado State (3-3, 2-0 MW) in its annual Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network (Xfinity Ch. 269/753HD, DISH Ch. 158, DirecTV Ch. 221) with Chris Lewis (play-by-play) and Corey Chavous (analyst) on the call.

Utah State is 55-33-2 (.622) all-time in Homecoming games, which includes a 9-5-1 (.633) record against Colorado State. In fact, CSU is USU's most played Homecoming opponent, ahead of both BYU (7) and Utah (7).
Utah State is 23-32 -1 (.425) all-time in Friday night games, including a 1-1 record this year following its 48-24 home win against North Dakota on Sept. 10, and its 34-20 home loss to 13th-ranked BYU on Oct. 1.

LOOKING AT UTAH STATE IN 2021

• Utah State is 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Mountain West play following its 28-24 road win at UNLV last weekend. USU is led by graduate junior QB Logan Bonner, who is 112-of-189 (.593) passing for 1,533 yards (255.5 ypg) with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. has rushed for 477 yards on 96 carries (5.0 ypc/79.5 ypg) with four touchdowns. And, senior WR Deven Thompkins has caught 50 passes for 819 yards (16.4 ypr/136.5 ypg) and six touchdowns. Defensively, graduate senior ILB Justin Rice has 52 tackles, which includes 6.5 tackles for loss, to go along with three interceptions and one forced fumble. As a team, USU is averaging 29.0 points and 484.8 yards of total offense (169.7 rushing, 315.2 passing), and allowing 29.5 points and 441.5 yards of total offense (206.5 rushing, 235.0 passing).

UTAH STATE AT MAVERIK STADIUM

• Utah State is 41-16 (.719) in its last 57 home games and is 153-112 (.577) all-time inside Maverik Stadium. USU is also 9-5 (.643) at home in its last 14 Mountain West games.

UTAH STATE IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST

• Utah State is 39-27 (.591) all-time in the Mountain West, including a 21-12 (.636) home record, and has won 50 of its last 76 (.658) league games dating back to 2011. In fact, USU is 18-10 (.643) in its last 28 MW games and 22-15 (.595) in its last 37 games against all opponents.

Utah State (39-27) has the third-best record against Mountain West opponents (including championship games) since USU joined the league in 2013. Boise State (55-14) has the best record in the league during that time, while San Diego State (48-18) has the second-best record. Colorado State has the fourth-best record (34-29).

UTAH STATE IS 3-0 ON THE ROAD THIS SEASON

• Utah State has won each of its first three road games to start a season for the first time since the 1978 team also won its first three road games, while its three-game road winning streak is its longest since the 2018 team won four straight road games. In its three road games this year, Utah State is averaging 34.3 points and 503.0 yards of total offense (181.3 rushing, 321.7 passing), and is 27-of-51 (.529) on third down conversions and 6-of-9 (.667) on fourth down. Furthermore, Utah State is plus one in the turnover battle in road games this year with five takeaways and four turnovers, and has a 37-10 scoring advantage in the final 15 minutes of those three road games.

AGGIES RALLY FROM FOUR DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICITS FOR WINS

• Utah State has rallied from double-digit deficits to win each of its four games this season, marking the first time in school history that has happened. In fact, USU overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit in each of its first two road wins this season.

In its 28-24 road win at UNLV, Utah State overcame a 10-point (17-7) first-quarter deficit and scored the winning touchdown with 35 seconds remaining in the game.
In its 49-45 road win at Air Force, Utah State actually overcame four double-digit deficits to get the win. First, USU trailed 10-0 before taking a 13-10 lead. USU then trailed 24-13 and later 31-20 before taking a 34-31 lead. USU then trailed 45-34 before scoring 15 unanswered points in the final 9:51 for the win.
In its 48-24 home win against North Dakota, Utah State outscored the Fighting Hawks 41-3 over the final three quarters after trailing 21-7 in the first 15 minutes of play.
In its 26-23 season-opening road win at Washington State, Utah State overcame a 12-point (23-11) fourth-quarter deficit by scoring 15 unanswered points in the final 5:25 of the game.
Prior to this season, the last time USU won back-to-back games where it trailed by double digits was in 2011.

UTAH STATE HAVING SUCCESS ON FOURTH DOWN

• Utah State has been very aggressive in its play calling this season and has converted 11-of-19 (.579) fourth downs. Ironically, USU has gone on to score points in each of those 11 drives it converted a fourth down with nine touchdowns and two field goals.

AGGIES HAVE ALLOWED SIX SCORES FOLLOWING 10 TURNOVERS

• Utah State's defense has allowed 30 points (3 TD, 3 FG) following 10 Aggie turnovers this season. In fact, two of the touchdowns allowed were on a short field as the opponent forced a fumble at the USU 21-yard line and returned an interception to the USU 14-yard line.

SCOUTING COLORADO STATE

• Colorado State is 3-3 on the season and 2-0 in Mountain West play following its 36-7 road win at New Mexico last weekend. CSU is led by senior QB Todd Centeio, who is 111-of-185 (.600) passing for 1,328 yards (221.3 ypg) with six touchdowns and one interception. Senior RB David Bailey leads the team in rushing with 319 yards on 86 carries (3.7 ypc/63.8 ypg) with four touchdowns. And, junior TE Trey McBride has caught 49 passes for 593 yards (12.1 ypr/98.8 ypg) with one touchdown. Defensively, senior LB Dequan Jackson has a team-best 51 tackles, which includes 6.0 tackles for loss, while senior DE Scott Patchan has 36 tackles, which includes 8.5 tackles for loss. As a team, Colorado State is averaging 24.7 points and 396.3 yards of total offense per game (227.0 passing, 169.3 rushing), and allowing 19.5 points and 285.5 yards of total offense (187.7 passing, 97.8 rushing). Colorado State returns 20 starters (O-10, D-10) and 45 lettermen (O-20, D-19, S-6) from last year's team that went 1-3 in Mountain West play. The Rams are coached by Steve Addazio, who is 61-61 in his 11th season as a collegiate head coach and 4-6 in his second season at Colorado State.

AGGIES AND RAMS SERIES HISTORY

• Utah State is 35-39-2 all-time against Colorado State, including a 19-20-1 home record. USU has won each of the last two meetings in the series with a 34-24 home win in 2019 and a 29-24 road win in Fort Collins in 2018. The two teams did not meet during the 2020 season. Overall, USU has won five of the last eight games played in the series. The first-ever game between the two teams was in 1902 with CSU winning in Logan, 24-5.

AGGIES AND RAMS HAVE STORIED HISTORY

• Utah State and Colorado State have spent 55 years as league foes and have a storied history dating back to the early 1900s as both schools were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1916-37 and members of the Mountain States/Skyline Conference from 1938-61. CSU then was a charter member of the Mountain West in 1999, while USU joined the conference in 2013. As members of the RMAC, USU won league championships in 1921 and 1936, and later won league titles in the Mountain States/Skyline Conference in 1946, 1960 and 1961. CSU won team championships in the RMAC in 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1927, 1933 and 1934, and in the Mountain States Conference in 1955. Overall, the Aggies and Rams faced each other in every season from 1911-79, except in 1912, 1918, 1921, 1943-44 (war), and 1968, even after CSU joined the Western Athletic Conference in 1968. After 1979, the two teams didn't play again until 1994.

AGGIES vs. RAMS SERIES THIRD-MOST PLAYED IN SCHOOL HISTORY

• Utah State and Colorado State will be meeting for the 77th time in series history this weekend in what is the third-most played rivalry in school history. USU's most played rivalry is Utah (112), followed by Brigham Young (90), Colorado State (76) and Wyoming (70).

UTAH STATE VERSUS THE STATE OF COLORADO• Utah State is a combined 74-79-6 (.482) against teams from the state of Colorado, with a 35-39-2 mark versus Colorado State, a 13-19-3 ledger against Denver, a 6-11-1 record against Colorado, a 7-0 mark versus Western State, a 5-4 record against Colorado Mines, a 3-0 record versus Colorado College, a 1-0 mark versus Regis, and a 4-6 record against Air Force.

PLAYER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND COLORADO STATE

• The following are connections between Utah State and Colorado State players. USU senior WR Savon Scarver attended Centennial HS in Las Vegas, as did CSU freshman OL Sammy Norris and CSU freshman WR Gerick Robinson. USU junior CB Michael Anyanwu and CSU freshman WR Damir Abdullah both attended Charter Oak HS in Covina, California. USU junior DT James Hansen and CSU junior DB Christian Hunter both attended Kaiser HS in Fontana, California. USU junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr., CSU graduate senior DL Scott Patchan and CSU junior TE Brian Polendey all began their collegiate careers at Miami, Florida.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Utah State has 38 players in its program from the Beehive State, while Colorado State has 34 players on its roster from the Centennial State.

ON THIS DATE IN AGGIE FOOTBALL HISTORY

• Utah State held Colorado State to 116 yards of total offense (51 rushing, 65 passing), which is the 14th-fewest in school history, en route to a 21-0 home win against the Rams on Oct. 22, 1960. USU finished the game with 352 yards of offense (296 rushing, 56 passing). The Aggies scored in the first quarter as junior QB Mel Montalbo connected with junior WR Bill Dahme for an 8-yard touchdown. USU then added on two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a pair of 1-yard runs from sophomore FB Ray Harward and junior RB Tom Larscheid. Montalbo was 3-of-8 passing for 56 yards and one touchdown, and rushed for 51 yards on nine carries, while Larscheid rushed for 71 yards on 11 carries with one touchdown. Senior FB Doug Mayberry also rushed for 71 yards on 12 carries.

SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND COLORADO STATE

The following are series notables between Utah State and Colorado State dating back to 1994 and encompassing the last 12 meetings.

In the last 12 meetings, the team that leads at the half is 8-2 as Utah State is 5-2 when leading at the half and Colorado State is 3-0. Furthermore, the team that scores first is 9-3 as USU is 4-2 when scoring first and CSU is 5-1. USU has scored first in five of the last nine games and led at the half in six of the last nine games.
Utah State has rushed for more yards in six of the last nine meetings and is 4-2 in those games. USU has also had more yards of total offense in five of the last nine games.
The team that has had more first downs has lost six of the last 11 games.
The winning team did not commit a turnover from 2013 to 2017 (five games), and the team that has had fewer turnovers has won seven of the last 11 games.
Colorado State had 506 yards of total offense in 2018 and 509 yards in 2017, marking the only times in the last 12 meetings that either team had 500 yards of total offense.
Neither team has had a 300-yard passer in the last 12 meetings, while CSU has had a 100-yard rusher five times and a 100-yard receiver five times. USU has had a 100-yard rusher seven times and a 100-yard receiver twice in the last 12 meetings.
Utah State has never had a 300-yard passer against Colorado State.
Utah State has had a 100-yard rusher in eight of the last 11 games played in the series, with the only exceptions being in the 2014, 2017 and 2018 meetings.
Utah State has had 13 100-yard rushers and nine 100-yard receivers all-time against Colorado State, the fourth- and sixth-most against any opponent in school history, respectively.
The winning team has scored at least 30 points in eight of the last 12 meetings, while there have been 29 games where the winning team has scored less than 20 points. There has also been 24 shutouts in series history, 15 by USU's defense and nine by CSU's defense.

CURRENT AGGIES VERSUS COLORADO STATE

• The following is a look at what current Utah State players have done against Colorado State in at least two games played. Graduate senior OL Demytrick Ali'ifua has 3.0 knockdowns in three games. Graduate senior S Shaq Bond has 19 tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss, and one pass breakup in two games. Graduate senior CB Andre Grayson has five tackles in two games. Graduate senior WR Jordan Nathan has four catches for 49 yards (12.3 ypc) and one punt return for one yard in three games. Senior WR Savon Scarver has one reception for eight yards and five kickoff returns for 126 yards (25.2 ypr), including a long of 51 in 2018, in three games. Senior TE Carson Terrell has one catch for 16 yards in three games. Senior ILB Kevin Meitzenheimer has 10 tackles in two games. And, senior OL Alfred Edwards has 1.0 knockdowns in two games.