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RUSTON, LA. -- Utah State running back Dervvin Speight looked down at his cell phone Friday night after the Utah State Aggies' romping of BYU. The congratulations came piling in to "swervin Dervvin" for the win on national TV.
This week's game won't be on national TV and the team may not be as motivated by the caliber of the opponent, but it does not mean that this game is any less important. If the Aggies want to go to a bowl, they need to keep up the momentum from last week's game.
The Aggies' challenge is now a struggling Louisiana Tech team. Will Dervvin keep swervin?
"The Aggies have to take care of the Aggies," Head Coach Gary Andersen said. "If the Aggies just go out and play as a team we'll have a chance to beat anyone on our schedule."
It would seem that Louisiana Tech will be a lesser challenge than BYU, but the Aggies have only won a single game on the road since Gary Andersen took over as head coach.
The Bulldogs are just 1-4 on the season under new Head Coach Sonny Dykes. But if the Aggies want to pull off a win, they'll need the same amount of preparation and focus they had last week. In his year and half as the Aggies' coach, Andersen has taught the players to keep perspective through wins and losses.
"We're just out there on the field, eleven players against another eleven players," Speight said. "At the end of the day it's whoever makes the most plays, we just gotta keep a level head and keep playing football."
The defensive backs for the Aggies will not be getting a break this week. The Bulldogs run a spread offense with four wide receivers in at any one time, and they do have play makers.
But the Aggie defense is confident and not intimidated by the Bulldogs' playmaking ability.
"We'll be waiting for them on defense," senior safety Chris Randle said.
This game will be a good test for the Aggies; a test of their motivation and determination. Coming off a big win against the Cougars, the Aggies need to show steady improvement; that starts with a consistent effort and a win on the road.
With a win over the Bulldogs the Aggies will even their record at 3-3; the first time the Aggies have reached the .500 mark six games into a season since 1983.
The Aggies cannot, and knowing Coach Andersen, will not take this game lightly.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. from Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana.
