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LOGAN — "The week that everyone is looking forward to is now here."
You're right, Chuckie, it is.
After taking care of business against Weber State on Saturday, the Aggies will travel to the Coliseum to take on USC. The Aggies are still looking for a signature win in one of these "big time" games, having coming extremely close to knocking Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Auburn, and Wisconsin the past four years; losing by an average of 5.2 points in those games.
Before the game on Saturday, here are few facts about the game to get you ready.
- Utah State is in its 116th season of football and is 508-509-31 (.499) all-time. USU has 10 nationally televised games on ABC, ESPN, CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 1 in 2013 and two more that will be broadcast regionally on ROOT SPORTS.
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013
- Kickoff: 1:36 p.m. (MT)
- Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
- Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (93,607)
- Series: Utah State trails, 0-4
- TV: ABC/ESPN2
- Radio: Utah State Sports Network
Utah State and USC will be meeting for the fifth time in series history this weekend, with USU holding a 4-0 all-time advantage. The first meeting between the two teams was on Sept. 29, 1928 in Los Angeles with the Trojans winning, 40-12. The last time the two teams played one another was on Sept. 16, 1989 in Los Angeles as USC won that game, 66-10.
- Utah State is once again listed among the other schools receiving votes in this week's USA Today coaches' poll as it garnered five votes to rank tied for 39th in the nation. USU began the season with 23 top 25 votes in the USA Today preseason coaches' poll to rank 35th nationally and eight votes in the Associated Press preseason poll to rank 37th. Two weeks ago, USU received one vote in the USA Today coaches' poll to rank tied for 43rd, and last week USU had two votes to rank tied for 43rd in the nation.
- Utah State's is playing its first national game on ABC since Oct. 7, 1978 when it played at BYU.
- Utah State is 1-1 on the road this year and has won eight of its last 11 road games dating back to the 2011 season.
- Utah State will play on natural grass for the first and only time this year at USC. USU has not played on natural grass in its last 10 games dating back to Oct. 5, 2012 when it played at BYU.
- Utah State has won 18 of its last 22 games, which is USU's best stretch since going 18-2-1 during the 1960-61 seasons. USU's four losses during its last 22 games have been by a combined 10 points as it lost to Ohio (24-23) in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, at No. 22 Wisconsin (16-14) and at BYU (6-3) in 2012, and at Utah (30-26) to open the 2013 season.
- Utah State has produced at least 500 yards of total offense in seven of its last nine games, including in each of its last two outings. During its first game of the 2013 season, USU just missed the 500-yard mark as it had 487 yards of total offense at Utah. In all, Utah State has produced at least 400 yards of total offense 11 times in its last 13 games.
- Junior quarterback Chuckie Keeton currently ranks tied for first in the nation along with Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion with 12 touchdown passes.
- Utah State has 59 players in its program from the state of Utah, while USC has 52 players on its roster from the state of California.
- Utah State has won five of its last six games played during the month of September and is 4-4 all-time in games played on Sept. 21.
