GAME WEEK: Utah State at Hawai`i

LOGAN - Utah State (2-5, 0-2 WAC) will take its longest road trip of the season in traveling to take on Hawai`i (5-3, 3-1 WAC) on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Aggies and Warriors' final match-up as fellow Western Athletic Conference foes kicks off at 10 p.m. (MT) from UH's Aloha Stadium (50,000).

Utah State (2-5) at Hawaii (5-3)

Game 8 Notes
UTAH STATE at HAWAI`I
Saturday, Nov. 5 - 10 p.m. (MT)
Oceanic PPV Hawaii TV
"Watch Live" Link on UtahStateAggies.com
Aloha Stadium (50,000)
Honolulu, HawaiiSeries Snapshot ...
The Warriors hold a 6-5 series advantage, winning the last two in a row and five of the last six meetings with USU's 30-14 win at home in 2008 the lone Aggie victory in that stretch... UH holds a 4-2 lead in Honolulu, winning the last three meetings... USU's last win on the island was in 1966, in the last of a four-game Aggie winning streak... USU lost its first visit to the islands in 1927 (21-20) before winning in its 1959 (48-6) and 1966 (48-0) visits there... After meeting in 1966, the teams didn't meet each other until 2005's match-up at Hawai'i, with the Warriors winning 50-23, their first meeting as fellow WAC foes, and have met every season since.

The game will be televised on Oceanic PPV TV in Hawaii, and streamed online by clicking on the "Watch Live" link at UtahStateAggies.com. The WAC battle, which takes place on National College Football Day, can also be followed on the radio on the Aggie Sports Network as well as streamed online by clicking on the "Listen Live" link at UtahStateAggies.com.

SATURDAY'S STORYLINES -- Things to watch for in Saturday's battle between the Aggies and Warriors:

* USU is seeking its first win at Honolulu since 1966, losing its last three visits to the islands. * The Aggies are 5-6 against the Warriors overall, losing the last two in a row and five of the last six meetings. * The scoreboard could remember, remember the fifth of November, as it could get a workout as USU and UH are not only 1-2 in the WAC for scoring offense, but among the top in the nation at the Aggies' 35.9 ppg average ranks them first in the conference and 24th in the country while the Warriors' 34.2 ppg is second in the league and 31st in the nation... USU is second in the WAC and 26th in FBS in total offense (450.0 ypg), while UH is third in the conference and 38th in the country (431.6 ypg). * Something will have to give though, as both Utah State and Hawai`i are also 1-2 in the WAC in total defense, as the Aggies lead the league and rank 20th in the nation yielding 324.0 ypg while the Warriors are second in the conference and 36th in the country, allowing 346.2 ypg. * Both offenses gain their yardage differently, as Utah State leads the WAC and rank sixth in the FBS in rushing offense (278.4 ypg) while ranking eighth in the league in pass offense (171.6 ypg)... Meanwhile, Hawai'i is first in the WAC and eighth in FBS in passing offense (329.2 ypg) while ranking seventh in the league in rushing offense (102.4 ypg). * Aggie senior LB Bobby Wagner needs: -- 12 tackles for the 400 career tackles milestone, becoming just the third player in USU history and fourth in WAC history (since 1979) to reach the 400 tackle plateau. * Aggie junior RB Robert Turbin needs: -- One TD to take sole possession of No. 9 on the WAC's Career Total TD list after becoming USU's Career Total TD record holder in the LA Tech game with 42.

NATIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAY -- National College Football Day, observed on the first Saturday of November, was created by the AT&T Cotton Bowl six years ago as a way to pay tribute to a significant moment in our nation's history. On Nov. 6, 1869, Rutgers defeated Princeton, 6-4. More importantly, those college athletes left a lasting legacy that would evolve into the great spectacle of football. In 2007, the holiday took on added significance when the Classic teamed up with The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

FOLLOWING THE GAME AND THE AGGIES

ON TV -- Saturday's game between the Aggies and Warriors will be televised on Oceanic PPV TV in Hawaii, and streamed online by clicking on the "watch live" link at UtahStateAggies.com... The WAC battle, which takes place on National College Football Day, can also be followed on the radio on the Aggie Sports Network as well as streamed online by clicking on the "listen live" link at UtahStateAggies.com.

ON THE AIR -- All Utah State football games are carried live on the Aggie Sports Network: KVNU 610 AM, KVNU 102.1 FM (Cache Valley) and KLZX 95.9 FM in Logan; KZNS (97.5 FM only) in Salt Lake City; on KLZX 105.3 FM in Montpelier, Idaho... All Aggie football games are also on the Internet at www.UtahStateAggies.com by clicking on "Listen Live"... Legendary radio voice Al "Elevator Music Is Awesome" Lewis will handle the play-by-play duties, while former Aggie SID Craig "I Love Chili Even When It's Not Chilly" Hislop provides analysis (for the listeners, not Al).

ON THE INTERNET -- USU home football games are also streamed on the Internet through "Aggies All Access," by clicking on the "Live Aggies Video" link on the home page of www.UtahStateAggies.com... Fans can register and purchase month or season packages to watch.

GAMETRACKER -- Fans can follow all USU Aggie home games through the USU web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com via GameTracker, a free service, which updates play-by-play and statistics throughout the game.

COACHES SHOW ON THE ROAD -- The Gary Andersen radio show will rotate between The Copper Mill and Elements Restaurant on Thursday nights (6:05-7 p.m. on 610 AM KVNU) when the Aggies play on Saturday, with some exceptions, including the BYU and Hawai'i weeks... The show gives USU fans an opportunity to ask questions and interact with Coach Andersen and players.

Upcoming Coaches Shows: Nov. 2 (Wed.) at Elements / Nov. 10 at Copper Mill

UP NEXT -- USU returns to the friendly confines of Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium to host San Jose State on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. (MT).

UTAH STATE NOTE-ABLES

• Only three of USU's 12 games will be played on natural grass this year: at Auburn, at BYU and at New Mexico State.

• Seven of USU's 12 games are at night.

• Senior LB Bobby Wagner is a candidate for the: Butkus Award - nation's top linebacker Rotary Lombardi Award - nation's top college lineman Bronko Nagurski Award - nation's best defensive player Lowe's Senior CLASS Award - athletes who excel both on and off the field

• Junior RB Robert Turbin is a candidate for the: Doak Walker Award - honoring the nation's top college running back

• Junior RB/KR Kerwynn Williams is a candidate for the: Paul Hornung Award - most versatile player

• Sophomore OC Tyler Larsen is a candidate for the: Dave Rimington Trophy - nation's most outstanding center in college football

• Senior WR Eric Moats is a candidate for the: Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team® - recognizing the selfless contributions to volunteerism and community service made by college football student-athletes across the nation.

ABOUT USU -- Utah State takes a 2-5 overall and 0-2 WAC record to the islands for Saturday's match-up at Hawai'i in USU's final meeting with UH as WAC foes... USU is coming off its second and final bye of the season, which was on the heels of a 24-17 home loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Oct. 22... Freshman QB Chuckie Keeton threw for 128 yards and added 27 yards on the ground and senior LB Bobby Wagner posted a career-high 20 tackles, but Utah State was out-scored 10-0 in the fourth quarter leading to the loss... All five off USU's losses have been by 10 points or less, including four by one score... Utah State, who entered the game as the sixth-best rushing offense in the nation averaging 297.2 yards per game, was held to a season-low 166 rushing yards... USU also ranked 19th in the country in total offense entering Saturday's game averaging 476.0 yards per game, but was held to a season-low 294 yards as it finished with 128 passing yards... Utah State's 17 points were also a season-low after entering the week ranking 18th in the nation with an average of 39.0 points per game... On the season, junior RB Robert Turbin leads the USU offense with 825 yards rushing on 125 carries (6.6 ypc/117.9 ypg) with 12 TD's... Turbin adds eight catches for 93 yards (11.6 ypc) with two scores... Keeton is 101-of-162 (.623) passing for 1,147 yards (163.9 ypg) with 10 TD's, throwing his first INT of the season in the LA Tech game... Junior WR Matt Austin leads the team with 17 catches for 227 yards (13.4 ypc) with one TD... Wagner anchors the Aggie defense with 89 tackles (12.7 pg), while fellow senior LB Kyle Gallagher has posted 53 stops (7.6 pg)... Senior DE/LB Levi Koskan has a team-best 6.5 tackles for loss with 3.5 sacks... Junior RB/KR Kerwynn Williams has a 24.2 kick return average and a 14.0 punt return average, part of his 152.6 ypg all-purpose... Junior P Tyler Bennett has a 46.1 ypp average with 10 of 50+ and a long of 67 yards, as well as 14 punts inside the 20... Sophomore PK Josh Thompson is 5-of-7 on FG's with a long of 43, and is 32-of-33 on PAT's.

ABOUT HAWAI`I -- The Warriors hold a 5-3 overall and 3-1 WAC record after a thrilling, 16-14 win at Idaho Saturday, as senior PK Kenton Chun hit a 35-yard field goal with 32 seconds left for the win... Chun's field goal capped a dramatic final three minutes in which UH rallied for the win... Trailing 14-13 late in the fourth quarter, senior LB Aaron Brown's INT gave UH the ball back for one final possession.... Senior QB Bryant Moniz engineered a 60-yard drive to set-up the game-winning kick... The Vandals did have one final opportunity to win in the final moments but Trey Farquhar's 53-yard FG attempt as time expired was wide left... The 16 points was not only a season-low for UH, but also the Warriors' lowest point total in a win since a 13-10 victory at San Jose State in 2003... Moniz was 32-of-53 passing for 338 yards with one TD and one INT, while senior WR Royce Pollard had 151 yards receiving on a career-high 10 catches... Brown led the UH defense with nine tackles... On the season, Moniz leads the WAC and is sixth in FBS in total offense (338.4 ypg), with 310.4 ypg passing on 218-of-347 (.628) with 20 TD's and five INT's... Moniz adds 224 yards rushing on 68 carries (3.3 ypc/28.0 ypg) with six TD's... Pollard leads the UH receivers with 56 catches for 834 yards (14.9 ypc/104.2 ypg) with seven TD's... Freshman RB Joey Iosefa anchors the Warriors' rushing attack with 343 yards on 67 carries (5.1 ypc/42.9 ypg) with four TD's... Brown has a team-best 62 tackles (8.9 pg) with seven TFL's, ranking second on team behind sophomore LB Art Laurel's 8.5 TFL's... Laurel also leads UH with 7.0 sacks.

USU FOOTBALL CONTINUES TO BE HIGHLY RANKED STATISTICALLY IN FBS AND WAC AFTER BYE WEEK -- Utah State football continues to hold high national and conference statistical rankings in this week's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC) statistics... The Aggies remain the WAC rushing leaders as well as continuing to rank sixth in the FBS in rushing offense, averaging 278.4 yards per game... USU is also first in the league in addition to 24th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 35.9 ppg... In total offense, USU is second in the conference and 26th in the country with 450.0 ypg... Defensively, Utah State is tops in the WAC and 20th in the FBS in total defense (324.0 ypg), including also leading the league and ranking 47th in the nation in pass defense (210.1 ypg), as well as ranking third in the league and 27th in the nation in rushing defense (113.9 ypg). Additionally, the Aggie defense has the second-best sacks average in the WAC at 2.1 pg, ranking 46th in the FBS... On special teams, Utah State also leads the WAC and ranks seventh in the FBS in net punting at 40.9 ypp... Individually, junior RB Robert Turbin is second in the WAC and 13th in the FBS in rushing (117.9 ypg), while also leading the conference and ranking tied for fifth in the country in scoring (12.0 ppg)... Turbin is also sixth in the conference and 47th in the country in all-purpose yards (131.1 ypg)... Freshman QB Chuckie Keeton is second in the WAC and 40th in the FBS in passing efficiency (140.96), in addition to ranking sixth in the league and 74th in the nation in total offense (196.6 ypg)... Junior RB/KR Kerwynn Williams is third in the conference and 23rd in the country in all-purpose yards (152.6 ypg), including ranking fourth in the league and 48th in the nation in kick returns (24.3 ypr)... Defensively, senior LB Bobby Wagner is tops in the WAC and fourth in FBS in tackles at 12.7 per game, fresh of his career-best 20 tackles in the Louisiana Tech game on Oct. 22... Fellow senior LB Kyle Gallagher is 13th in the conference (7.6 pg)... Senior DE/LB Levi Koskan is fifth in the league and tied for 53rd in the nation in sacks with .6 pg, while also ranking fourth in the WAC and tied for 65th in the FBS in tackles for loss (1.1 pg)... Junior LB Maurice Alexander is tied for seventh in the league and tied for 75th in the nation in sacks (.5 pg)... Junior P Tyler Bennett is second in the WAC and seventh in the FBS in punting at 46.1 ypp... Sophomore PK Josh Thompson is fifth in the league and tied for 87th in the nation in field goals (.7 pg), while ranking tied for fifth in the conference in scoring (6.7 ppg).

Related topics