Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LOGAN — Utah State is eligible for its fourth-straight bowl game for the first time in school history, but the Aggies still have plenty of goals to accomplish in the 2014 regular season.
Among those are a Mountain Division title and repeat berth in the Mountain West championship game. To do that, they’ll have to get through New Mexico in a Saturday home game that will kickoff at 2 p.m. MST on ESPNews.
The Aggies (7-3, 4-1 MWC) are on track for a final-week showdown with Boise State that could determine the division title, though Colorado State is just as much in the mix. But the Lobos (3-6, 1-4 MWC) will have something to say with that as they bring their vaunted run offense into Romney Stadium on Saturday.
Here are a few things Utah State can do to stretch its winning streak to four straight games.
Utah State has consistently ranked among the top 10 defenses in the country in stopping the run. But the Aggies’ biggest challenge on the ground will come Saturday with a New Mexico team that currently ranks fourth in the nation in rushing offense. The Lobos average 320 yards on the ground per game and are coming off a contest where they ran for 505 yards against Boise State. Stop the run, stop the Lobos — easier said than done.
If New Mexico quarterback Lamar Jordan is forced into throwing the ball a lot, it will only play into the Aggies’ favor. Team leading rusher Jhurrel Pressley is out for the game with an ankle injury, and much of the load will land on the shoulders of running back Teriyon Gipson — a capable runner himself. First and second down will be crucial; if the Aggies can force the Lobos into third-and-long on a consistent basis, they will take the ball out of the hands of New Mexico’s formidable ground game. That includes a heavy dose of Zach Vigil, who leads the team with 104 tackles, and younger brother Nick, who has 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
The Aggies held Wyoming to a season-low three points last Friday night in Laramie, Wyoming, and should hope for a similar stiffening across the goal line against New Mexico. The Lobos average 28.3 points per game — but the Pokes averaged 20.9 points per game as well.
As good as true freshman quarterback Kent Myers has been in the first collegiate minutes of his career, Utah State found a bigger weapon in its two previous wins: freshman running back LaJuan Hunt. The Aggies haven’t been world-beaters on the ground, but Hunt’s emergence provides a spark that will help Utah State control the clock and keep its defense off the field for longer spurts. After recording his first 100-yard rushing game three weeks ago at Hawaii, Hunt has become a staple in the Utah State backfield.
JoJo Natson found the end zone on a punt return against the Cowboys for only the second game of the season, and the junior wide receiver is at his best when he can find space on special teams.
