U State Football Picked to Finish Fourth in Mountain Division of Mtn. West Preseason Polls

Utah State football has been picked fourth in the Mountain Division of the 2020 Mountain West preseason polls, it was announced July 21 by the league office.
 
Boise State was picked to win the Mountain Division title as the Broncos garnered 20 first-place votes and earned a total of 125 points. The Broncos went 8-0 in league play last season and beat Hawai'i 31-10 in the Mountain West championship game.
 
Wyoming was picked second in the Mountain Division after the Cowboys received the other first-place vote and 90 points. Rounding out the Mountain Division poll was Air Force (86), Utah State (60), Colorado State (59) and New Mexico (21).
 
San Diego State was picked to win the West Division title as the Aztecs garnered 19 first-place votes and 122 points. Nevada was tabbed second as the Wolf Pack earned the other two first-place votes and 100 points. Rounding out the West Division poll was Hawai'i (74), Fresno State (73), San José State (43) and UNLV (29).
 
This marks the eighth season of divisional play for the Mountain West, which moved to the two, six-team divisional format in 2013 following the additions of San José State and Utah State.
 
Utah State returns 13 starters (O-8, D-5) as part of 45 letterwinners (O-21, D-22, S-2) from last year's team that finished with a 7-6 record and played in its 14th bowl game in school history in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. USU concluded Mountain West play with a 6-2 record to finish third in the Mountain Division. 
 
Highlighting Utah State's returners in 2020 are is senior WR Savon Scarver, who is just the third consensus All-American in school history. Scarver was named a first-team All-American from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele's Magazine, and earned second-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association as a kick returner following his sophomore season in 2018. Scarver was also named first-team all-Mountain West as a kick returner as both a sophomore and junior in 2018 and 2019, respectively. USU also returns senior S Shaq Bond, who earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors a season ago.
 
Other starters returning for Utah State in 2020 include senior OL Demytrick Ali'ifua, senior S Troy Lefeged Jr., senior LB Kevin Meitzenheimer, senior WR Jordan Nathan, senior OL Ty Shaw, senior DE Justus Te'i, senior TE Carson Terrell, junior OL Alfred Edwards, junior CB Andre Grayson, junior OL Kyler Hack, junior WR Deven Thompkins and sophomore OL Karter Shaw.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball or on Facebook at Utah State Football, as well as on Instagram at instagram.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
 
2020 Mountain West Football Predicted Order of Finish
Mountain Division
Rank   Team (First-Place Votes)     Points
1.         Boise State (20)                    125
2.         Wyoming (1)                          90
3.         Air Force                                86
4.         UTAH STATE                         60
5.         Colorado State                       59
6.         New Mexico                           21
 
West Division
Rank   Team (First-Place Votes)     Points
1.         San Diego State (19)            122
2.         Nevada (2)                            100
3.         Hawai'i                                   74
4.         Fresno State                          73
5.         San José State                      43
6.         UNLV                                     29