GAME WEEK: Aggies Face Vandals In WAC Opener

IDAHO at UTAH STATE
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2 p.m. (MT)
Romney Stadium (25,513) - Logan, Utah

QUICKLY -- Utah State (0-3, 0-0 WAC) will play the middle game of its three-game homestand when the Aggies commence Western Athletic Conference action by hosting Idaho (1-2, 0-0 WAC) on Saturday, Sept. 20... Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Romney Stadium (25,513)... The battle between the Aggies and the Vandals will be televised by Altitude (Comcast Ch. 61 in Caches Valley).

VICTORY CIGAR -- Utah State will be honoring legendary basketball coach Red Auerbach's birthday on Saturday with the second-longest winning streak in the conference, as the Aggies have a two-game conference game winning streak in tact after beating Idaho and New Mexico State, respectively, in USU's final two games last season... Hawai'i has the longest WAC game winning streak, currently at 15 in a row.

CONFERENCE OPENERS -- Utah State has started conference play with a victory four out of the last seven years, losing three in a row after winning the previous four conference openers... This is the third season in a row that USU is beginning WAC action at home, going 0-2 in the previous two, but the Aggies are 3-2 in their last five home conference openers... Saturday marks the third time in the last four years that Utah State and Idaho will be opening WAC play against each other... Overall, this is the fourth time in last five seasons that the Aggies and Vandals open league play against one another, dating back to 2004 when both were in the Sun Belt Conference... Here's a closer look at USU's last five overall conference openers and last five conference openers:

Overall Conference Openers 2003 - W 28-10 vs. UL-Monroe
2004 - W 14-7 vs. Idaho
2005 - L 7-13 at Idaho
2006 - L 21-41 vs. Idaho
2007 - L 20-23 vs. San Jose State

BOOM GOES THE DYNOMITE AND PUNTS -- Saturday's football match-up will feature two premiere punters in the WAC and NCAA... Idaho's T.J. Conley leads the conference and is fourth in the nation with a 48.06 yards per punt average while Utah State sophomore Peter Caldwell is seventh in the conference and 66th in the country with a 37.18 average.

HOME STRETCH -- USU is in the midst of a three-game homestand... After playing on the road for four games in a row dating back to last year and five of their previous six, Saturday is also the Aggies' second home game in a stretch of three in a row... This is the first time since 1997 that USU had three-straight home games, which coincidentally was the last time that the Aggies went to a bowl game.

ON TV -- Saturday's match-up of the Aggies and the Vandals will be broadcast on Altitude (Comcast Ch. 61 in Cache Valley).

ON THE AIR -- All Utah State football games are carried on KVNU 610 AM and KLZX 95.9 FM in Logan; 1230 AM in Salt Lake City; on KLZX 105.3 FM in Montpelier, Idaho, and at www.UtahStateAggies.com with Al Lewis calling the play-by-play and Craig Hislop providing analysis this week.

ON THE INTERNET -- USU home football are also streamed on the Internet through "Aggies All Access," by clicking on the "Live Aggies Video" link in the right hand column on the home page of www.UtahStateAggies.com.

GAMETRACKER - Fans can follow all 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.

USU IN THE NINTH MONTH / ON SEPT. 20 -- Utah State will be trying to snap an 11-game September losing streak... The Aggies have lost both of their September games this year, all four of their games in September last season and all five games in September in 2006, with USU's last win in the month coming on Sept. 24, 2005 against UNLV... Saturday is USU's first game on Sept. 20 since 1997, when the Aggies lost to New Mexico, 25-22... Overall the Aggies are 3-5 on Sept. 20 since 1912, losing their last four in a row after winning three of the previous four on Sept. 20... USU is 1-0 in conference openers on Sept. 20, beating Montana, 7-0, in the 1952 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener... The Aggies are 1-0 vs. Idaho on Sept. 20, beating the Vandals on Sept. 20, 1959... USU is 1-2 at home on Sept. 20.

COACHES SHOW ON THE ROAD -- For the fourth straight year the Brent Guy radio show on Thursday nights (6:05-6:45 p.m. on 610 AM KVNU), will be held at different locations on campus. The show gives USU students an opportunity to ask questions and interact with Coach Guy and players. Food will be available at each show at a reduced rate from University Food Services.

Upcoming Coaches Show Schedule: Sept. 18, Oct. 2 (MarketPlace)

UP NEXT -- After a bye week, Utah State changes one letter of bye when the Aggies host in-state rival BYU, ranked No. 14 in this week's AP Poll, on Friday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at Romney Stadium.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN -- Each week Utah State will select game captains. Those selected for the Idaho game will be announced later in the week.

USU-UI SERIES -- Utah State and Idaho are tied, 16-16-2, in the all-time series, which started in 1916... The Aggies are 7-6-0 vs. the Vandals in Logan, as the loss in 2006 snapped a two-game win streak on USU's home field... The two teams have split the last six meetings overall after USU had won 11 of the previous 15... Saturday marks the third time in the last four years that Utah State and Idaho have been members of the WAC that they will be opening conference play against each other... Overall, this is the fourth time in last five seasons that the Aggies and Vandals open league play against one another, dating back to 2004 when both were in the Sun Belt Conference... The Sept. 20 date of this season's meeting matches 1959 for the earliest date of the match-up... The visiting team has won the last two meetings, as the 2006 win by Idaho at Logan snapped a streak of the home team winning each of the previous five meetings between the two schools and then Utah State won last year's match-up in the season-finale.

ROAD WOE-IORS -- Life on the road has been tough for the Aggies, who are 3-20 under head coach Brent Guy... The win at New Mexico State on Nov. 17, 2007 snapped a 13-game road losing skid, as two of USU's three road wins are at NMSU, with the 35-17 victory last year plus winning on the road in the 2005 season finale at New Mexico State, 24-21, along with the 24-19 win at Idaho on Nov. 24 of last year.

SWEET HOME? -- Utah State has just one home win in its last 13 home games, currently on a seven-game home losing skein, last winning on its home turf on Oct. 7, 2006 with a 13-12 win over Fresno State... The Aggies are 3-13 at home under head coach Brent Guy.

AGGIE-VANDAL NOTE-ABLE -- Utah State has several players from the state of Idaho, including senior LB Jake Hutton (Pocatello/Highland HS), junior S Adrian Bybee (Pocatello/Highland HS), sophomore DL Jake Hobbs (Preston/Preston HS), freshman WR Chase Harris (Preston/Preston HS) and freshman QB/LS Jake Poulson... Idaho does not list any players on its roster from Idaho... Several Aggie coaches have spent time in the Potato State, including head coach Brent Guy (defensive coordinator at Boise State, 1998-2000), safeties coach Jeff Copp (defensive end at Boise State, 1998-2000, defensive ends coach at Idaho State, 2004), defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Mark Johnson (defensive line coach at Boise State, 1998-99), and cornerbacks coach John Rushing (graduate assistant at Boise State, 1998-99)... Rushing was a cornerback at nearby Washington State from 1991-94... He was at Montana State with Idaho defensive line coach Johnny Nansen in 2000 and has a similar path as the Vandals' first-year running backs coach Jeremy Thielbahr, as both Rushing and Thielbahr both played as Washington State, before eventually going to Montana State, and then winding up at their current WAC school... Second-year Idaho defensive coordinator Mark Criner was a graduate assistant at Utah State from 1991-92 and an assistant coach for the Aggies from 1992-93, coaching with current USU head coach Brent Guy who was an assistant from 1992-94... Idaho head coach Robb Akey graduated from and began his coaching career at Weber State in 1998 and was an assistant coach for the Wildcats from 1988-94... USU tight ends coach Tracy Smith and UI speed and strength coach Scott Gadeken were at LSU together in 2005... Vandals' quarterbacks coach Jonathan Smith was a QB on the 1998 Oregon State squad that beat Utah State, 20-16.

USU BESTS VS. IDAHO -- Here is a look at some of the top USU statistical individual performances against the Vandals over the years: Louie Giammona ran for 247 yards in 1974, Melvin Blue ran for 224 yards in 1997, Jose Fuentes threw for 421 yards in 2000, Tony Adams threw for 406 yards in 1972 and Matt Sauk threw for 396 in 1997... Aaron Jones had 233 receiving yards in 2000, Bob Wicks 211 in 1971 and Tom Forzani 193 in 1972... Jim Turner's school record 100-yard fumble return came against the Vandals in 1962, while Overton Curtis had a 96-yard kickoff return in 1958, Jerry Arguello had a 77-yard punt in 1998 and Steve Mullins had a 70-yard punt in 1999 against Idaho... Team bests include 662 yards of total offense in 1997, which ranks third in school history and school-best 501 rushing yards in 1960.

USU-UI LAST TIME - Nov. 24, 2007 - MOSCOW -- For the first time since 2003, Utah State won back-to-back games after the Aggies were victorious over the Vandals of Idaho, 24-19, on Nov. 24 at UI's Kibbie Dome. It was USU's first consecutive road wins since 1999 as the Aggies end their season with a 2-10 record. Senior WR/KR Kevin Robinson set the NCAA career all-purpose yards per play record in the game as well. Robinson also became the USU career receptions record holder with his 178th career catch, passing Kevin Curtis' record of 174 from 2000-01. For the game, Robinson had seven catches for 86 yards and a 6-yard TD catch, diving just inside the pylon. Robinson's TD catch was his 21st career TD reception, moving to a tie for third on USU's career TD receptions list, tying Aaron Jones (1997-2000). Senior QB/P Leon Jackson III broke his own school record for rushing yards by a QB (328 in his sophomore season of 2005 that he shared with Jerod Walker, also in 2005) on a 2-yard rush on USU's opening drive and ends the season with 338. Jackson also had two rushing TD's for the Aggies, his fifth and sixth rushing TD's this season. Those are the most rushing TD's for a USU QB since Matt Sauk had six in 1997. The six rushing TD's are the most for a USU individual since David Fiefia's seven rushing TD's in 2003. He also set a school record for single-season completion percentage (65.4 - 151-of-231), topping the previous mark of 60.2 by Eric Hipple in 1979. Utah State hung on from a 24-10 lead early in the third quarter. After having a 10:04 - 4:56 time of possession advantage in the third quarter, the Aggies were out-possessed 11:35 - 3:25 in the fourth, as Idaho scored 10 points, the last on a TD with 5:42 to play. The USU defense survived a fourth-and-seven attempt from its own 24 as Idaho QB Nathan Enderle's pass was incomplete, turning the ball over to the Aggies with 1:39 on the clock. Jackson ended the game 11-of-15 for 118 yards and one TD passing, as well as 14 rushes for 11 yards and two TD's. Freshman TB Derrvin Speight had 57 rushing yards on 15 carries, while fellow freshman TB Curtis Marsh had eight carries for 42 yards, including a new career-long of 26. Senior FB/TE Jimmy Bohm, who entered the game with 13 career yards on seven career carries, more than tripled his career yardage with 41 yards on six carries, including career longs of 13 and 14 yards. USU was out-gained by Idaho, 428 to 272 in total offense, as the Aggies had 154 yards rushing and 118 passing. Idaho had 237 yards rushing and 191 passing.

AGGIES-VANDALS LAST TIME AT LOGAN - Sept. 30, 2006 -- Utah State jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter, but gave up 41 consecutive points before adding a final touchdown en route to losing its WAC opener 41-21 to Idaho on Sept. 30, 2006. Utah State, which had not scored an offensive touchdown in its first four games, took the opening kickoff and marched 71 yards in 10 plays to put its first offensive points of the year on the board. Marcus Cross capped the drive with a six-yard scoring run at the 11:10 mark. The Aggies added their second touchdown just three minutes later as they recovered a pooched kickoff at the Idaho 21-yard line. USU needed just five plays to get in the endzone when Leon Jackson hit tight end Jimmy Bohm for a one-yard touchdown pass to give the Aggies a 14-0 lead at the 8:16 mark of the first quarter. After producing 92 yards in its first 15 plays of the game, the Aggies' next eight drives resulted in five punts, two interceptions and a fumble. In that stretch, USU had four three and outs. The Aggies did put together an 11-play, 66-yard drive midway through the second quarter, but after reaching the Idaho seven-yard line, Jackson's cross field pass was picked off by Stanley Franks and returned 98 yards for a Vandal score. Had USU scored on the drive it would have given the Aggies a 21-10 lead, but instead USU found itself behind 17-14. USU did produce a season high 306 yards, while holding Idaho to an Aggie opponent season-low 316 yards. Cross ran 16 times for 68 yards, while Jackson completed 16-of-24 attempts for 136 yards and one touchdown. However Jackson threw two interceptions after opening the game by hitting his first seven attempts.

ABOUT UTAH STATE -- USU is 0-3 after losing, 27-17, at UNLV in its season-opener on Aug. 30, losing 66-24 at 18th-ranked Oregon on Sept. 6 and losing to 22nd-ranked Utah, 58-10, on Saturday in the Aggies' home-opener... USU ranks ninth in WAC and 114th in the NCAA in rushing offense (75.3 ypg), eighth in the league and 90th in the nation in passing offense (170.0 ypg) to rank ninth in the conference and 115th in the country in total offense (245.3)... Defensively, the Aggies are eighth in the league and 114th in the nation in rushing defense (257.7 ypg) and sixth in the conference and 87th in the country in passing defense (238.0 ypg) to rank eighth in the WAC and 114th in total defense (495.7 ypg)... USU is sixth in the conference and tied for 100th in the country in scoring offense (17.0 ppg) and ninth in the league and 119th in the nation in scoring defense (50.3 ppg)... The Aggies are third in the WAC and 56th in the NCAA in net punting (34.7 ypp)... USU has an even zero turnover margin, which is third in the conference and tied for 55th in the country... Individually, sophomore QB Diondre Borel is sixth in the league and 73rd in the nation in passing efficiency (114.8) while senior LB Jake Hutton is eighth in the conference and tied for 74th for tackles (8.3 pg)... Sophomore K/P Peter Caldwell remains perfect (6-of-6) on PAT's and has made all three of his field goals... Caldwell also has a 37.2 yards per punt average, including three over 50 yards and four inside the 20... Junior K Chris Ulinski has two touchbacks and has kept opponents inside the 25 five times.

PERFECT PETE -- Sophomore PK/P Peter Caldwell now has 30 career PAT's, (30-of-30), making him eligible for the USU career PAT list, moving into a tie for first with Willie Beecher (64-of-64, 1981-84) and Russ Moody (44-of-44, 1988-89) as the only three USU kickers with a perfect career PAT percentage (1.000).

ABOUT IDAHO -- The Vandals are 1-2 on the year, after getting blanked, 70-0 at Arizona in their season-opener before snapping an 11-game losing streak with a 42-27 win over Idaho State on Sept. 6 and then losing at home to Western Michigan, 51-28 on Saturday... UI is led by sophomore QB Nathan Enderle, who is third in the WAC and 59th in the NCAA in passing efficiency (128.8) and is fifth in the conference and tied for 88th in the country in total offense (173.3 ypg)... Enderle's primary target is senior WR Eddie Williams, who is tied for fourth in the league and tied for 89th in the nation in receptions per game (4.7) and is fourth in the WAC and 66th in the NCAA with 72.3 receiving yards per game... Defensively, junior SS Shiloh Keo is tied for fifth in the league and tied for 58th in the nation with 8.7 tackles per game... Keo also leads the WAC and is 25th in the NCAA in punt returns, averaging 14.8 ypr... Senior P T.J. Conley also leads the conference and is fourth in the country in punting (48.1 ypp).

TONNEMACHER ON RIMINGTON TROPHY WATCH LIST -- For the second year in a row, offensive center Ryan Tonnemacher has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, given annually to the nation's most outstanding center in college football..

Tonnemacher (pronounced Tawn-uh-mawker), a 6-3, 292-pound senior from Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton HS), is one of 43 players named to the Watch List. Tonnemacher is one of four centers from the Western Athletic Conference to be recognized, as he's joined by John Estes from Hawai'i, Adam Korby of Idaho and Nevada's Dominic Green.

Tonnemacher is the only center from the state of Utah on this season's list.

As a junior last season, Tonnemacher started all 12 games at center, one of eight Aggies to start every contest. His 759 offensive plays tied him with offensive guard Shawn Murphy and offensive tackle Derek Hoke for most on the offense and were the fourth-most on the team.

Tonnemacher enters his senior season with a team-leading 24 consecutive starts after starting all 12 games in both 2006 and 2007. He is a three-year letterwinner after starting three games as a freshman in 2005.

A total of 17 centers were repeat selections from last year's preseason Watch List, including Tonnemacher, Korby and Green, as well as last year's winner, Jonathan Luigs from Arkansas. The Rimington Trophy has not had a repeat winner in its history.

HUTTON AND IGBOELI IN BUTKUS TROPHY WATCH LIST -- Utah State linebackers Jake Hutton and Paul Igboeli were both named to the 2008 Butkus Award watch list, given annually to the top linebacker in college football, announced by the Butkus Foundation.

Hutton, a senior, and Igboeli, a junior, were one of 10 sets of teammates on the 66 player list. The Aggie duo were two of four Western Athletic Conference players on the watch list, joining Adam Leonard of Hawai'i and Josh Mauga of Nevada. Hutton and Igboeli are also two of the three players from Utah schools, joining Utah's Stevenson Sylvester.

Hutton, a native of Pocatello, Idaho (Pocatello HS), earned second-team all-WAC honors last year after he led USU and ranked eighth in the WAC as well as tied for 71st in the NCAA with 102 tackles, including 58 solo stops. The 58 solo tackles ranked tied for fifth in the league. His 58 solo tackles were also the most for an Aggie since Jesse Busta had 64 in 2002. Hutton registered a USU single-game season-best 16 stops at New Mexico State.

Igboeli (pronounced Ig-bo-lee), a Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie HS) native was second on the team and 13th in the WAC with 95 tackles, including 51 solo stops, which ranked among the top 15 in league. He was tied for second on the team with eight tackles for loss and also tallied three pass break-ups and one fumble recovery. Igboeli posted two of USU's top five tackle outings on the year with 15 at New Mexico State and 12 at Fresno State. In 2006, Igboeli was the WAC Freshman of the Year.

The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, has been given annually to the top linebacker in college football. The Award, named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, is regarded as one of the elite individual honors in college football. This year, the Butkus family has taken stewardship of the Butkus Award to fully realize it's original purpose of honoring athletic achievement and service to the community. It will be presented by the Butkus Foundation. The Butkus Award will be presented January 13, 2009, at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago.

HEAD COACH Brent Guy -- Brent Guy (Oklahoma State, 1983) is in his fourth year as head coach after coming to Utah State from Arizona State where he was the defensive coordinator for four years. Guy was an assistant coach (linebackers) at Utah State from 1992-94 under then head coach Charlie Weatherbie. During that time, USU posted its only bowl victory in school history, claiming the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl. Guy was involved in eight bowl games in 19 years as a collegiate assistant coach. Previous stops include Oklahoma State (1986-91 - graduate assistant 1986-87, recruiting coordinator 1988, linebackers 1989-91), Utah State (1992-94 - linebackers), Oklahoma State (1995-97 - linebackers), Boise State (1998-2000 - defensive coordinator) and Arizona State (2001-04 - defensive coordinator) before being named the Aggies' 25th head coach in December of 2004. In his first year at USU, the Aggies were 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Utah State Head Coach
    All WAC
2005    3-8 2-6
2006    1-11    1-7
2007    2-10    2-6
2008    0-3 0-0
Total   6-32    5-19

Assistant Totals Record Notes Oklahoma State (1986-91, 95-97) 51-51-1 3 Bowls Utah State (1992-94) 15-19-0 1 Bowl Boise State (1998-99) 26-10-0 2 Bowls, 2 10-win seasons Arizona State (2001-04) 13-19-0 2 Bowls Totals (19 years) 118-103-1 8 Bowls, 10 winning seasons

GUY VS. IDAHO -- Aggie head coach Brent Guy has coached against Idaho six times in his career and is 3-3 vs. Idaho, with three meetings coming while he was an assistant at Boise State and three as head coach at USU. Here is a closer look:

1998 (BSU Assistant) - L 35-36 (OT) at Boise
1999 BSU Asst. - W 45-14 at Pullman, Wash.
2000 - BSU Assistant - W 66-24 at Boise
2005 - USU Head Coach - L 13-27 at Moscow
2006 - USU Head Coach - L 21-41 at Logan
2007 - USU Head Coach - W 24-19 at Moscow

DID YOU KNOW? -- Utah State offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey was 4-3 vs. Idaho while head coach at North Texas, losing in 1998, 1999 and 2000 before winning four straight from 2001-04.

AGGIE ASSISTANT COACHES -- Utah State had one changes on its coaching staff from last year, as Thomas Dunson joined the staff. Offensive Coordinator - Darrell Dickey (Kansas State, 1984, 2nd Year)... Former head coach at North Texas... Guided Mean Green to four consecutive conference championships from 2001-04. Wide Receivers - Greg Stevens (Eastern Oregon, 1992, 4th Year)... Former offensive coordinator at S.F. Austin... USU interim off. coord. for eight games. Running Backs - Shaun Johnson (Utah State, 1995, 3rd Year)... Former Aggie wide receiver, coached Division I-AA rushing leader at Brown in 2005. Tight Ends - Tracy Smith (LSU, 2003, 3rd Year)... Worked with LSU quarterbacks in 2005... Is son of former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Carl Smith. Offensive Line - Vance Vice (Oklahoma State, 1990, 4th Year)... As an Oklahoma State tight end was a key to Barry Sanders winning the Heisman in 1988. Def. Coord./LB - Mark Johnson (UC Davis, 1990, 4th Year)... Has coached at four different WAC schools (San Jose State, Boise State, Nevada and USU). Def. Line - Danilo Robinson (Utah State, 1997, 4th Year)... Holds USU single-game sacks record with five vs. San Jose State in 1995. Safeties - Jeff Copp (Boise State, 2001, 4th Year)... Was an all-conference defensive end while playing at Boise State. Cornerbacks - John Rushing (Washington State, 1995, 6th Year)... Was a freshman All-America corner at Washington State... Older brother of former USU WR Kevin Robinson. GA-Offense - Thomas Dunson (LSU, 2003, 1st Year)... Comes to USU after one season at Rice... Was on Darrell Dickey's staff at North Texas for three seasons (2004- 06). GA-Defense/Special Teams - Tony Flores (Utah State, 3rd Year)... Moved up from serving as a work study in the football office in 2005.

DID YOU KNOW? -- USU head coach Brent Guy and offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey played against each other when Guy was a linebacker at Oklahoma State and Dickey was a quarterback at Kansas State... Oklahoma State won all four meetings during Guy and Dickey's tenures, winning 42-15 in 1979, 10-0 in 1980, 31-10 in '81 and 24-16 in '82... Oct. 20 marked the 25th anniversary of Guy and Dickey's last meeting of 1982 when Oklahoma State hosts Kansas State... In the 1982 Cowboy-Wildcat clash, Guy had 18 tackles, including one TFL and two pass break-ups while Dickey was 17-of-35 passing for 185 yards with two TD's and one INT.

USU NOTE-ABLE --

OFFENSIVE NOTES -- The Aggie offense did not have a turnover in the Oregon game, marking the first time since Oct. 7, 2006 vs. Fresno State that USU did not have a turnover... The USU offense has had seven different players rush the ball (five different ball-carriers at UNLV, six at Oregon and five vs. Utah), as well as 12 different players with a reception (seven at UNLV, 10 at Oregon and seven vs. Utah, including OL Tariq Polley making the rare offensive lineman reception on a deflected pass)... The Aggies had a season-high 314 yards of total offense at UNLV including a season-best 111 yards rushing... USU had a season-high 218 yards passing at Oregon... Utah State totalled a season-best 18 first downs at Oregon... Sophomore RB Curtis Marsh had a career-high 51 yards receiving in the Utah game, boosted by a career-long 31-yard reception.

DEFENSIVE NOTES -- After forcing three turnovers in the Utah game, the Aggie defense has caused at least two turnovers four times in last five games and 10th time in last 14 games dating back to last season... Also dating back to last year, the Aggie defense has at least one interception in 11 of their last 15 games... Junior LB Paul Igboeli snared his first career INT in the Utah game, and now shares the team lead with senior S Caleb Taylor with one each.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES -- Utah State's game at Oregon marked the first time since Nov. 11, 2006 at Nevada that USU did not have a kickoff return of at least 20 yards... The Aggies remain perfect on the season in both PAT's (6-of-6) and FG's (3-of-3)... Saturday against Utah was the first time that USU did not have a punt return since at Idaho last season (Nov. 24, 2007).

USU TIDBITS --

A CHANGE IN ALTITUDE -- There are nine Division I schools that are located in cities with an elevation of at least 4,000 feet about sea level... Utah State's home of Logan ranks seventh on the list with an elevation of 4,534 feet... This season the Aggies will play at only one of those other locations giving USU seven games this season at 4,000 feet above sea level after playing eight in 2006 and seven last year. USU will play at Reno, Nev. (#8 at 4,505 feet) against Nevada on Oct. 18... The Aggies will face two of the other teams on the list in #6 BYU (Oct. 3) and #9 Utah (Sept. 13).

RECORD BOOK WATCH -- Senior linebacker Jake Hutton entered his final season in Aggie blue and white with 218 career tackles, in need of 95 more to reach USU's top 10 list, as Blake Eagal currently holds the No. 10 spot with 313 career stops from 1997-2000... After 11 stops Saturday against Utah, Hutton currently has 243 career tackles, leaving him 70 shy of cracking the top 10.

VETERAN EXPERIENCE -- USU has 17 seniors on its roster which matches last season as the biggest senior class in head coach Brent Guy's three seasons at USU and the largest Aggie senior class since 1999's 21 seniors.

THREE "A" AGGIES -- Out of the 17 seniors on the roster, 12 of them are three-year letterwinners.

TIME TRAVELERS -- Utah State will play in three different time zones this season: Central (at Louisiana Tech on Nov. 15), Mountain (all home games, at Boise State on Nov. 8) and Pacific (at UNLV on Aug. 30, at Oregon on Sept. 6, at San Jose State on Oct. 11 and at Nevada on Oct. 18).

While Utah State only plays in three different time zones this season (Mountain for all home games and at Boise State, Pacific at UNLV, at Oregon, at San Jose State and at Nevada, Central at Louisiana Tech), the Aggies have at least one player from five different time zones, Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific and Hawaiian-Aleutian.

BEEHIVE BUNCH -- Utah State has 23 players from the state of Utah on its roster.

TALL HOKE -- Senior offensive tackle Derek Hoke is the tallest player on USU's roster at 6'9" - Hoke is one of seven players on the Aggie roster listed at 6'5" or taller... He is also unofficially, the second-tallest player in NCAA Division I this season, behind 6'10" Alejandro Villanueva of Army.

BIG BOOKENDS -- Utah State's bookends at offensive tackle, senior Derek Hoke on the left and sophomore Spencer Johnson on the right, are two of the combined tallest tackles in the country, with Hoke towering at 6'9" and Johnson at 6'5"... The Aggie duo's combined height of 13'2" unofficially trails the 13'5" Colorado tandem of Nate Solder (6'8") and Ryan Miller (6'7") and the 13'3" Wisconsin duo of Gabe Carimi (6'8") and Eric Vanden Heuvel (6'7").

BIRTHDAY BOYS -- In all 20 Aggie players have birthdays from the time camp opened on Aug. 1 to the end of the season... Two Aggies have a birthday on a football game day: senior RB Chris Forbes (Sept. 13 vs Utah) and senior DE Gregg Clark (Oct. 11 at San Jose State).

SEVEN 2008 OPPONENTS WENT BOWLING -- USU will face seven teams that went to a bowl game last year, including a stretch a four weeks in a row.

Oregon (Sept. 6) - Sun Bowl vs. South Florida - W, 56-21
Utah (Sept. 13) - San Diego Co. Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl vs. Navy - W, 35-32
BYU (Oct. 3) - Las Vegas Bowl vs. UCLA - W, 17-16
Nevada (Oct. 18) - New Mexico Bowl vs. New Mexico - L, 22-0
Fresno State (Oct. 25) - Roady's Truckstop Humanitarian Bowl vs. Georgia Tech - W, 40-28
Hawai'i (Nov. 1) - Allstate Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia - L, 41-10
Boise State (Nov. 8) - Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl vs. East Carolina - L, 41-38

USU is one of four WAC teams to play three non-conference games against a team that was in bowl game last year, joining Boise State, Fresno State and Hawai'i.

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