Aggies Host North Dakota in Home Opener Friday Night

NORTH DAKOTA (1-0) vs. UTAH STATE (1-0) Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 • 7 p.m. • Logan, Utah • Maverik Stadium (25,100)

GAME 2 INFORMATION

• TV: CBS Sports Network • Play-by-Play: Michael Grady• Analyst: Donte Whitner• 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 380 / SXM App 970• 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 won its season-opener for the first time since 2016 with its 26-23 road win at Washington State last weekend. The last time USU started a season with consecutive wins was 2012.

• With its come-from-behind win at Washington State, Utah State posted its first victory against a Power 5 opponent since its 36-24 home win against Wake Forest in 2014. It was also USU's first road victory against a Power 5 opponent since a 10-7 win at Kansas State in 1971. And, it was USU's first-ever road win against a Pac-12 opponent. USU's last win against a Pac-12 team prior to this past weekend was in 2012, when the Aggies notched a 27-20 overtime home win against Utah.
• Utah State's 12-point fourth-quarter comeback against Washington State last weekend is its largest since overcoming a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit at Hawai'i in 2011. USU scored the final 15 points against the Cougars to post the 26-23 win last weekend. In 2011, USU scored the final 21 points of the game, including 14 straight in the fourth quarter, to rally for a 35-31 win.
• Utah State head football coach Blake Anderson became just the 10th coach in school history, and the first since Phil Krueger in 1973, to win his Aggie debut with USU's 26-23 come-from-behind victory at Washington State last weekend.
• After rushing for 222 yards on 46 carries against Washington State, Utah State has now won 39 of its last 44 games when rushing at least 40 times in a game. USU has also won 35 of its last 42 games when it has a 100-yard rusher and 55 of its last 60 games when scoring at least 30 points.
• Senior WR Savon Scarver has returned a school-record six kickoffs for touchdowns in his career and is just one kickoff return for touchdown shy of tying the NCAA record, which is currently held by four other players. Scarver's six kickoff returns for touchdown are also the second-most in Mountain West history.

UTAH STATE HOSTS NORTH DAKOTA IN HOME OPENER FRIDAY NIGHT

• Utah State (1-0) hosts North Dakota (1-0) on Friday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m., in its home opener. The game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network (Xfinity Ch. 269/753HD, DISH Ch. 158, DirecTV Ch. 221) with Michael Grady (play-by-play) and Donte Whitner (analyst) on the call. Live audio of the game is available on www.UtahStateAggies.com.
• Utah State is 11-1 in its last 12 home openers, which includes a current 11-game winning streak against non-conference opponents.
• Utah State is 22-31 -1 (.417) all-time in Friday night games. The last time USU played on a Friday was on Dec. 20, 2019, against Kent State in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Bowl in Frisco, Texas.

UTAH STATE ATHLETICS TO INDUCT 17TH HALL OF FAME CLASS

• Utah State Athletics will induct its 17th Hall of Fame Class this weekend and introduce the group during halftime of its game against North Dakota. The six inductees include: Zuzana Cernianska, an All-American volleyball player; Eric Franson, a three-time all-conference basketball player and conference player of the year; Russ Paulsen, one of the winningest wrestlers in school history; Donald Penn, one of the best Aggie football players along the offensive line in school history; Kevin Robinson, an All-American football player; and Kendall Youngblood, a three-time all-conference basketball player.

LOOKING AT UTAH STATE IN 2021

• Utah State is 1-0 on the season following its 26-23 come-from-behind win at Washington State last weekend. USU is led by graduate junior QB Logan Bonner, who is 17-of-24 passing for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. has rushed for 84 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown. And, senior WR Deven Thompkins has caught eight passes for 94 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, graduate senior ILB Justin Rice has seven tackles, which includes 1.0 tackles for loss, while junior S Dominic Tatum has seven tackles, which includes 0.5 tackles for loss. As a team, USU is averaging 26.0 points and 441.0 yards of total offense (222.0 rushing, 219.0 passing), and allowing 23.0 points and 360.0 yards of total offense (149.0 rushing, 211.0 passing).

BLAKE ANDERSON NOTABLES

• Utah State head coach Blake Anderson improved to 52-37 (.584) in this his eighth season as a collegiate head coach, which includes a 20-23 (.465) road record. Anderson has also now won consecutive games against Power 5 opponents with USU's win at Washington State last weekend and Arkansas State's 35-31 road win at Kansas State in 2020.

UTAH STATE HAD 16 PLAYERS MAKE THEIR AGGIE DEBUT LAST WEEKEND

• Utah State had 16 players make their Aggie debut last weekend in graduate senior WR Brandon Bowling, graduate senior CB Kyle Mayberry, graduate senior ILB Justin Rice, graduate junior QB Logan Bonner, graduate junior S Monte McGary, graduate junior DT Phillip Paea, graduate junior S Hunter Reynolds, graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr., junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr., junior OL Quazzel White, junior DE Byron Vaughns, sophomore PK Elliott Nimrod, redshirt freshman LS Jacob Garcia, redshirt freshman WR Jamie Nance, redshirt freshman S Crew Wakleyand freshman WR Otto Tia.
• Utah State had three players make their first-career start at Washington State in senior OL Chandler Dolphin, junior DE Patrick Joyner Jr. and graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr.