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LOGAN -- Utah State football will face former Western Athletic Conference foe Boise State in a home-and-home series beginning in 2014 at Logan and in 2015 at Boise, it was announced Friday by the schools’ athletics departments.
The Aggies will host the Broncos on Sept. 14, 2014 at Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, before making the return trip to Boise on Sept. 26, 2015.
“This is a great opportunity for our program to have a home-and-home series with a quality opponent in Boise State. It is a wonderful chance for our fans to see us play on the road but don’t have to travel very far. Plus, as we saw when we were there for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, we have a terrific Aggie fan base in the Boise area,” USU head coach Gary Andersen said.
USU Athletics director Scott Barnes echoed Andersen’s excitement in resuming the series with Boise State, and also noted that the Boise State game in 2014 will be replacing Utah on the schedule. The Utes opted out of one of the four games from the signed contract for the $500,000 buyout.
“High-caliber, regional home-and-home competition is important for our program and will provide a quality experience for both our student-athletes and fans,” Barnes said. “We were fortunate to get this deal done in the wake of Utah deciding to buy-out one of our four future games with them. Boise State fits nicely into the schedule as a strong home-game replacement.”
Utah State is 4-13 all-time against Boise State, having first played in 1975. The Aggies and Broncos played annually from 1996-2000, as Big West Conference foes and then again as WAC foes from 2005-10. Boise State departed the WAC to play in the Mountain West Conference for the 2011 and 2012 season and will join the Big East Conference as a football-only member, effective July 1, 2013. Most of Boise State’s other athletic teams will return to the WAC, also effective July 1, 2013.
The 2014 meeting with Boise State will be USU’s first match-up against a Big East foe since 2001, when the Aggies played both Connecticut and South Florida, and USU is 1-2 all-time against current Big East Conference opponents.
USU continues spring practice Friday afternoon from 2:30- 4:30 p.m., on the turf of Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, and will have its first scrimmage of the spring on Monday, April 9, from 3-4:30 p.m. on Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium. All practice days, times and locations are subject to change.
Practices are currently scheduled to be open to the public, but are subject to change. When the Aggies are on Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, fans must remain in the stands at all times. When USU practices in the Laub Indoor Facility, fans must remain in the opening by the doorway.
The Blue-White Spring Game, presented by Orbit Irrigation Products, will be on Saturday, April 28, at 2 p.m. at Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium. Admission will again be free to the public, and further details along with events surrounding the Spring Game will be released at a later date.
Utah State football season ticket renewals and new sales for the 2012 season are available at 2011’s prices until May 1. Renewals are available online at www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on the “buy/renew tickets” under the “tickets” drop down menu. Fans interested in new sales should contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or by phone 1-888-USTATE-1 or(435) 797- 0305.
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootballor on the USU football blog at usufootball.wordpress.com. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program attwitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
2012 SPRING PRACTICE DATES/TIMES:
*** SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***
Fri., April 6 - 2:45 - 4:30 p.m.
Mon., April 9 - 3-4:40 p.m. - Scrimmage - Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium
Thurs., April 12 - 6 - 8 a.m.
Fri., April 13 - 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Tues., April 17 - 6:15 - 8 a.m.
Thurs., April 19 - 6:15 - 8 a.m.
Fri., April 20 - 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Tues., April 24 - 6:15 - 8 a.m.
Thurs., April 26 - 6:15 - 8 a.m.
Saturday, April 28 - 2 p.m.
*** SPRING GAME ***
SPRING PRACTICE POLICIES
* All Tues.-Thurs. practices are tentatively scheduled for the Laub Indoor Facility with Friday practices tentatively scheduled for Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, but are subject to change.
* All practices are tentatively open to the public, but they must remain off the field. When the Aggies are on Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, fans must remain in the stands at all times. When USU in the Laub Indoor Facility, fans must remain in the opening by doorway. All open practices are subject to change.
Doug Hoffman is the assistant athletic director for Utah State University Athletic Media Relations.
