Utah State (0-3, 0-0 Pac-12) vs. Troy (2-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)
- Kickoff: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MDT
- Venue: Maverik Stadium
- TV: CBS Sports Network
- Radio: Aggie Sports Network (KZNS 1280 The Zone)
- Series: Utah State has played Troy only three times, that being in three consecutive seasons between 2002 and 2004. Utah State went 1-2 in those games. Its only win came in 2002, a 19-16 overtime victory.
The trends
For Utah State: The honest truth is that Utah State is looking for any life on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback play, the offensive line and a lack of a run game have been the most significant issues. Through three weeks, the Aggies have scored only 31 total points. Last week, Utah completely shut them out.
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Meanwhile, the defense has generally played pretty well. Last week, it opened slowly but then allowed only one touchdown in the second half. However, losing linebacker Harrison Taggart will be significant. Taggart went down against Utah and had to be taken off the field in an ambulance. He’s since posted videos of himself up and walking on his social media.
The special teams have played well, especially punter Landon Rehkow. Because the offense struggles to move the ball, head coach Bronco Mendenhall has leaned into the field-position game, as Rehkow has often pinned teams inside the 20.
That showed especially on Saturday, when Mendenhall chose to punt three times on fourth down between the Utah 35 and 45.
“I like the way the game was managed,” Mendenhall said. “There are three of those opportunities that I can recall, and I like the way it was managed. I do, and felt like it gave our team in that game the best opportunity.”
For Troy: Troy is 2-1 on the year with wins over Sam Houston and the FCS’ Alabama State. The Trojans played a tight game against a ranked opponent in Missouri but lost 27-17.
In that game, Troy lost the turnover battle 2-0 and Missouri scored 24 points in the second quarter to take the lead. The Trojans kept it a one-score game through most of the second half, but the offense was shut down after halftime.
Troy’s defense played very well on third downs against Missouri. The Tigers went just 2-for-11 on third downs. They were also held to just 230 total yards.
The Trojans are by no means a sure win for Utah State, especially if their offense continues to struggle.
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What to watch for
Can Utah State finally win the turnover battle? The Aggies have absolutely failed at taking care of the ball so far this season. Quarterbacks McCae Hillstead and Grady Brosterhous have thrown eight interceptions while scoring only four touchdowns through the first three games.
Troy played well against Missouri, but two turnovers proved costly in the loss. To avoid yet another disaster, the Aggies desperately need to hold onto the ball.
Is there any life to be found in the offense? How much Mendenhall will have to rely on the field-position game depends on whether the offense can find any stability at all. Through the first three games, the answer has been a resounding no. However, if Hillstead can return and look better than he did against Idaho State and open up the pass game, that would be a game changer.
With the play from last year and this season, it’s unlikely that the offensive line will suddenly become a strength. But if they can open up a few more lanes for Javen Jacobs to get going, then it may just have some life. Mendenhall did hint that the offensive line may be a bit thin due to injuries against Troy.
Troy will offer resistance, as it showed against Missouri, but the Aggies will be starving for their first win of the year.
“We’re continuing to look, continuing to assess and continuing to find the best way to leverage our best players,” Mendenhall said of the offensive struggles.
Quotable
“I think (staying motivated through losses) is the challenge for any of us, grown-ups or young people. Every day in the team meeting, I point out what improvement I see. We know that research-driven (feedback) is 3-to-1 positives to negatives are the way, and simple successes are the way that you keep gaining traction and momentum. A sense of improvement is one of the greatest motivators of all for any of us. So, I make sure that they see, and our team sees, and I see wherever I see progress, regardless of just the outcome. That’s the simplest thing teams can improve before you see the change on the board.” –Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall
“Coach Mendenhall has done this for a long time. Sound football coach, really great at his job, put championship football teams on the field his entire career. They play great defense. They’re sound; They run the football, play team defense, mostly a zone team but still play some man. … Struggling on offense, finding ways to still find yards and figuring it out with two quarterbacks. … They’re good enough in the skill positions once they get going. We know what we’re expecting. We’re going to expect a very edgy group that plays with an edge. They play defense similar to us in how edgy they are and play through the whistle. It’s a product you can tell that’s a veteran head coach that’ll have his team ready to go get their first win.” –Troy coach Gerad Parker
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Next up
- Utah State: at Utah, Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1:30 p.m.
- Washington: vs. Eastern Washington, Saturday, Sept. 19, at 5:15 p.m.
Utah State schedule/results
- Sept. 5 — Idaho State 29, Utah State 17
- Sept. 12 — Washington 17, Utah State 14
- Sept. 19 — Utah 33, Utah State 0
- Sept. 26 — vs. Troy
- Oct. 3 — at Boise State
- Oct. 9 — vs. Washington State
- Oct. 24 — at Texas State
- Oct. 31 — vs. Colorado State
- Nov. 7 — vs. Fresno State
- Nov. 14 — at San Diego State
- Nov. 21 — at Oregon State
- Nov. 28 — Pac-12 flex game (projected to be at home against Boise State)