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LOGAN — The Utah State Aggies football team is going bowling.
Having won four straight games the Aggies have been invited (and accepted) to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Utah State now sits at 6-5 on the season and 4-2 in conference play, but head coach Gary Andersen has his team focused on the Aggies, of New Mexico State that is.
Utah State heads on the road for its final regular season game of 2011 on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MT in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
NMSU is coming off yet another embarrassing loss — this time at the hands of the WAC leading Louisiana Tech. New Mexico State lost 44-0 to the Bulldogs, and 42-7 the previous week to BYU in Provo.
The Aggies have scored a lot of points this season, but the problem for NMSU football coach DeWayne Walker is stopping the opposition. NMSU has given up an average just under 38 points per game, including a high of 63 to Georgia and a low of 10 to UTEP.
What Walker would like to see from his team is a group that is heading into next season on a high note by spoiling USU’s first seven-win season since 1993. If that is to happen though, NMSU will need big games from two seniors: quarterback Matt Christian and wide receiver Taveon Rodgers.
Christian did not start the season under center for the New Mexico State (sophomore Andrew Manley started in the first three), but he has played well despite a losing record. On the season Christian has thrown from 1,906 yards and 14 touchdowns. The senior has also rushed for 247 yards on the ground while adding another four scores with his feet. Christian has been nursing a lower leg injury sustained against Hawaii.
If Utah State can put enough pressure and the senior, don’t be surprised to see true-freshman Travaughn Colwell take over.
New Mexico definitely has a very talented athlete in Rodgers, a 6-foot wide receiver. Not only does he make plays on offense (53 catches, 976 yards, nine TDs), but he is also a threat on special teams. As a kick returner, Rodgers has broken three school records this season: most returns for a touchdown (3, career and season), most return yards in a career (2,251) and most kickoff returns (101). New Mexico State’s version of Utah State's Kerwynn Williams will be difficult to contain for Utah State defensive backs and special teams players who both have struggled this season.
While Christian and Rodgers are the central players for NMSU, don’t sleep on junior running back Kenny Turner, who has rushed for over 1,000 this season. With 149 yards rushing against Louisiana Tech, Turner has run for over 100 six times this season and has gotten into the endzone 12 times (three receiving). Utah State has made it a point this season to stop the run, but Turner will certainly make doing so a very difficult task.
New Mexico State is a good football team and better than its record shows. Utah State cannot simply slide into this game hoping to walk through to Boise and their bowl game. Andersen will need his on the field leaders to really push USU to keep up its winning streak. As with all Utah State games this season, it will be interesting to watch.
Justin McKissick is a KSL.com contributor originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently seeking a communications degree. Justin has been covering USU sports since 2011. Follow him on Twitter: @justin_sr.
