Aggies Host BYU in Final Non-Conference Game Saturday Night

BYU (3-4) vs. UTAH STATE (4-3, 3-1 MW)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 • 8 p.m. (MT) • Logan, Utah • Maverik Stadium (25,100)
 
GAME 8 INFORMATION
TV: ESPN2
• Play-by-Play: Jason Benetti 
• Analyst: Rod Gilmore
• Reporter: Quint Kessenich
• Xfinity (Utah): Ch. 36/669 HD
• DISH: Ch. 143
• DirecTV: Ch. 129
 
RADIO: AGGIE SPORTS NETWORK
• Play-by-Play: Scott Garrard 
• Analyst: Kevin White
• Online: 1280thezone.com / Tunein.com
• National: Internet 980
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: #AGGIESALLTHEWAY
• Twitter/Instagram: @USUFootball
• Facebook: USUFootball
• YouTube: UtahStateFootball
• Live Stats: UtahState.Statbroadcast.com
 
KICKOFF COVERAGE
• Utah State has won each of its last 10 home games, which is the fourth-longest home winning streak in school history, and is 38-9 (.809) in its last 47 home games. USU is also 19-3 in its last 22 non-conference home games, including seven straight wins. All-time, Utah State is 150-105 (.588) in Maverik Stadium.
 
• Utah State has scored 60-plus points in five of its last 10 home games and at least 34 points in each of its last 10 home games, as it has won all of those games by double digits.
 
• Utah State has won eight of its last 10 home games against in-state opponents dating back to the 2009 season, which includes a 4-2 record under head coach Gary Andersen. In fact, USU has won each of its last four home games against in-state competition under Andersen.
 
• Utah State has won consecutive games against BYU for the first time in 44 years, last doing so in 1973 and 1974, when it won four straight games in the series. Overall, USU has won three of the last five games played against BYU. 
 
• Utah State has scored 40-plus points against BYU in each of its last two games, marking just the third time that has happened in series history (1922-23 and 1954-55). USU's 45 points against BYU last season were its most in the series since its 58-56 home win in 1993, and just its ninth 40-point game in series history. And, USU's 25-point win against BYU (45-20) last season was its largest since 1968 and its fifth-largest in series history.
 
• Junior WR Savon Scarver is tied for first nationally with his two kickoff returns for a touchdown and would lead the nation in kickoff returns (43.4 yards per return) if he had enough attempts. Junior LB David Woodward ranks second in the nation in tackles (13.3 per game) and is third in forced fumbles (4). Both players were All-Americans a season ago.
 
• Senior PK Dominik Eberle has scored 308 points in his career and is tied with Robert Turbin (2007-11) for the most points scored in school history. Eberle also ranks second all-time in school history in field goals made (54) and attempted (70), as well as field goal percentage (.771).
 
• Junior QB Jordan Love is celebrating his 21st birthday on Saturday. Love ranks third all-time in school history in passing yards (6,818) and completions (543), fourth all-time in touchdowns passes (48) and attempts (898), and fifth all-time in completion percentage (.605) and total offense (7,109 yards).
 
USU Game Notes (PDF) | BYU Game Notes (PDF) | Mountain West Release | Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats | Tickets

UTAH STATE HOSTS BYU IN FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE SEASON
• Utah State (4-3, 3-1 MW) concludes non-conference play this weekend as it hosts BYU (3-4) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 (Xfinity Ch. 36/669HD, DISH Ch. 143, DirecTV Ch. 129) with Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst) and Quint Kessenich (reporter) on the call. Live audio of the game is available on www.UtahStateAggies.com.
 
• Utah State is 25-12 in its last 37 games played during the month of November and is 9-3 all-time in known games played on Nov. 2.
 
A LOOK AT UTAH STATE
• Utah State is 4-3 on the season and 3-1 in Mountain West play following its 31-7 road loss at Air Force last weekend. Offensively, USU is led by junior QB Jordan Love, who is 147-of-246 (.598) passing for 1,620 yards (231.4 ypg) with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. Senior RB Gerold Bright leads the team in rushing with 469 yards on 89 carries (5.3 ypc/67.0 ypg) with four touchdowns, and senior graduate transfer WR Siaosi Mariner has a team-best 29 receptions for 441 yards (15.2 ypr/63.0 ypg) and three touchdowns. Defensively, junior LB David Woodward leads the team with 93 tackles, which includes 5.0 tackles for loss, while fellow senior CB DJ Williams has 49 tackles, which includes 1.5 tackles for loss. As a team, USU is averaging 29.0 points and 405.3 yards of total offense (247.6 passing, 157.7 rushing), and allowing 24.1 points and 415.6 yards (234.9 passing, 180.7 rushing).
 
• Utah State is among the top-40 teams in the nation in 13 statistical categories, including second in kickoff returns (32.33 yards per return), second in special teams touchdowns with three (two kickoff returns, one punt return), eighth in punt returns (18.0 yards per return)  and 10th in three-and-outs forced per game (5.00). USU is also tied for 12th in the nation with its two defensive touchdowns, 16th in fewest penalties per game (5.0), 18th in fumbles recovered with seven, 27th in fumbles lost with four and 27th in sacks allowed with 10 (1.43 per game). 
 
UTAH STATE MILESTONES THAT EQUAL SUCCESS
• Utah State has won 33 of its last 39 games when it has a 100-yard rusher, including a 3-1 record this year, and 36 of its last 39 contests when rushing at least 40 times in a game, including a 3-0 record this year. USU has also won 52 of its last 56 games when scoring at least 30 points, including a 3-1 record this season.
 
• Utah State has had a 100-yard rusher in 12 of its last 19 games and in 17 of its last 26 contests overall. Between the 2014 and 2016 seasons, USU had a total of nine 100-yard rushers over a 39-game span.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH UTAH STATE'S OFFENSE
• Dating back to the beginning of the 2018 season, Utah State has recorded at least 600 yards of total offense five times, at least 500 yards of total offense eight times, and at least 400 passing yards three times. During its last 18 games, USU has scored at least 30 points 14 times, at least 40 points 10 times, at least 50 points eight times and 60-or-more points five times.
 
UTAH STATE IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Utah State is 160-181-8 (.470) all-time against current members of the Mountain West with a 39-26-4 record vs. Wyoming, a 35-39-2 record vs. Colorado State, a 17-7 record vs. UNLV, an 18-20-1 record vs. San José State, a 12-17-1 record vs. Fresno State, a 12-13 record vs. New Mexico, a 10-6 record vs. Hawai`i, a 7-18 record vs. Nevada, a 5-18 record vs. Boise State, a 3-5 record vs. Air Force, and a 2-12 record vs. San Diego State.
 
• Utah State is 33-19 (.635) all-time in the Mountain West and has won 44 of its last 63 (.698) league games dating back to 2011. USU is also 12-3 in its last 15 games against MW opponents and 15-5 in its last 20 games against all opponents.
 
AGGIES IN OVERTIME
• Utah State is 6-6 all-time in overtime, winning three of its last five. All-time, USU is 4-3 in single-overtime games, 2-2 in double-overtime games, and 0-1 in triple-overtime games. USU's last overtime game was a 26-20 loss against New Mexico State in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29, 2017.
 
ANDERSEN SIXTH ALL-TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY WITH 30 WINS
• Utah State head coach Gary Andersen ranks sixth all-time in school history with his 30 wins, while his .526 winning percentage (30-27) ranks as the eighth-best. Andersen is also one of just four head coaches in school history to lead the Aggies to multiple bowl games.
 
• Utah State is 20-6 (.769) in its last 26 games under Andersen, which includes an 11-0 home record.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State is 6-1 in its last seven games following a loss and 7-2 in its last nine games following a loss under head coach Gary Andersen. The last time USU lost consecutive games was at the end of the 2017 season, a span of 20 games.
 
• Utah State's three losses have all been on the road against teams that are a combined 20-3 on the season as No. 25 Wake Forest is 6-1, No. 2 LSU is 8-0 and Air Force is 6-2. 
 
SCOUTING BYU
• BYU is 3-4 on the season following its 28-25 home win against No. 14 Boise State two weekends ago. The Cougars are led by redshirt freshman QB Baylor Romney, who is 21-of-36 passing for 294 yards (147.0 ypg) with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Senior RB Emmanuel Esukpa has carried the ball 43 times for 184 yards (4.3 ypc/36.8 ypg) with two touchdowns, and junior TE Matt Bushman has caught 28 passes for 298 yards (14.2 ypr/56.9 ypg) with three touchdowns. Defensively, junior LB Kavika Fonua has a team-best 56 tackles, which includes 1.0 tackles for loss, while senior CB Dayan Ghanwoloku has 40 tackles, which includes 2.0 tackles for loss. As a team, BYU is averaging 23.1 points and 380.1 yards of total offense per game (258.9.0 passing, 121.3 rushing), and allowing 29.7 points and 405.3 yards of total offense (188.0 passing, 217.3 rushing). BYU returns 17 starters (O-9, D-8) and 57 lettermen (O-22, D-31, S-4) from last year's team that went 7-6 and ended its season with a 49-18 win against Western Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The Cougars are coached by Kalani Sitake, who is 23-23 in his fourth season as a collegiate head coach.
 
AGGIES AND COUGARS SERIES HISTORY
• Utah State trails in the all-time series against BYU, 37-48-3, which includes a 19-17-2 home record. The first game played in the series was on Oct. 7, 1922, in Provo, with USU winning 42-3. USU has won the last two meetings with a 45-20 win in Provo last year and a 40-24 home win in 2017. Overall, USU has won back-to-back games against BYU for the first time in 44 years, while its 25-point margin of victory last year is the fifth-largest in series history and largest since 1968. 
 
MORE ON THE AGGIES AND COUGARS SERIES HISTORY 
• Utah State's 37 wins against BYU are the second-most in school history behind USU's 39 wins against Wyoming. The USU-BYU series is the second-most played in school history as this weekend's 89th meeting trails only USU's 112 games played against Utah.
 
BATTLE FOR THE OLD WAGON WHEEL 
• Utah State and BYU will be playing for possession of 'The Old Wagon Wheel,' the traveling trophy between the two schools, this weekend. The Old Wagon Wheel became part of the rivalry in 1948. Since its inception, BYU holds a 40-25 advantage in the series, but USU has held possession of the traveling trophy in each of the last two seasons. 
 
UTAH STATE AND BYU SERIES MOVING FORWARD 
• Future games currently scheduled between Utah State and BYU include meetings in Provo on Oct. 2, 2020, in Logan on Oct. 1, 2021, and in Provo on Sept. 30, 2022.
 
UTAH STATE VERSUS FBS INDEPENDENTS
• Utah State is 69-56-3 all-time against current Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Independents with a 37-48-3 record against BYU, a 31-8 record against New Mexico State and a 1-0 record against Army.
 
ANDERSEN VERSUS BYU
• Gary Andersen is 2-3 all-time as a head coach against BYU, which includes a 1-3 record at Utah State and a 1-0 record at Wisconsin. Andersen's win against BYU in 2010, while at USU, was the Aggies' first victory against the Cougars since 1993, snapping a 10-game losing streak.
 
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND BYU 
• Utah State defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Justin Ena played at BYU from 1998-2001 and graduated from BYU in 2001. BYU defensive coordinator and defensive line coach 'Ilaisa Tuiaki spent three seasons (2009-11) at Utah State as the running backs and special teams coach under Gary Andersen. Tuiaki also played for Andersen at Southern Utah in 2003 and coached for Andersen at Oregon State in 2015 as the linebackers and special teams coach. Tuiaki was also on staff with Andersen at Utah in 2008 as a graduate assistant. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake spent the 2015 season as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Oregon State under Andersen. USU offensive line coach TJ Woods was also on staff at OSU in 2015. Sitake also coached for Andersen at Southern Utah in 2003 and was on staff with Andersen at Utah from 2005-08. BYU passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick was on staff at Utah with Andersen from 2005-08 and was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Andersen at Southern Utah in 2003. BYU tight ends coach Steve Clark was on staff at Utah with Andersen in 2002 and 2004. USU Assistant AD for Football Operations Zach Nyborg graduated from BYU in 2011 and spent the 2014 season at BYU as the Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations. BYU's stadium namesake, LaVell Edwards, is a 1952 Utah State alum, and was a three-year letterman for the Aggies from 1949-51, collecting unanimous all-Skyline Six Conference honors in 1950 at linebacker. Edwards was inducted into USU's Athletics' Hall of Fame in 2011. USU RB Riley Burt is a graduate transfer from BYU. 
 
DID YOU KNOW
• Utah State has 38 players in its program from the Beehive State, while BYU has 54 players on its roster from Utah.
 
PLAYER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND BYU
• There are 61 connections between Utah State and BYU football players. USU senior RB Riley Burt attended Box Elder HS in Brigham City, Utah, as did BYU redshirt freshman DL Darius McFarland. USU senior WR Siaosi Mariner, senior TE Caleb Repp and junior DE Nick Heninger all began their collegiate careers at Utah, as did BYU senior WR Batchlor Johnson IV, senior DB Austin Lee and sophomore OL Mo Unutoa. Mariner also attended Tustin (Calif.) HS, as did BYU sophomore TE Alema Pilimai. Heninger and sophomore LB Daniel Langi attended Bingham HS in South Jordan, Utah, as did BYU sophomore WR Dax Milne and redshirt freshman WR Brayden Cosper. USU senior DT Fua Leilua, junior RB Jaylen Warren and junior WR Derek Wright all attended Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, as did BYU sophomore DB Matthew Criddle. Leilua also began his collegiate career at Weber State, as did BYU sophomore DB Shamon Willis. Warren and freshman DE Addison Trupp both attended East HS in Salt Lake City, Utah, as did BYU sophomore TE Joe Tukuafu. USU junior DE Jaylin Bannerman and junior S Cash Gilliam both attended Arizona Western Junior College, as did BYU senior DB Austin Kafentzis. USU redshirt junior LB Justus Te'i attended Mission Hills HS in San Marcos, Calif., as did BYU senior DB Troy Warner. USU junior TE Travis Boman attended Coronado HS in Las Vegas, Nev., as did BYU sophomore WR Koy Harris. USU junior TE Mosese Manu attended Bountiful (Utah) HS, as did BYU sophomore OL Brady Christensen and redshirt freshman LB Max Tooley. USU junior WR Savon Scarver attended Centennial HS in Las Vegas, Nev., as did BYU senior DL Trajan Pili. USU junior OL Ty Shaw and redshirt freshman OL Karter Shaw both attended Herriman (Utah) HS, as did BYU redshirt freshman OL Harris LaChance. USU junior TE Carson Terrell attended Lehi (Utah) HS, as did BYU junior WR Austin Whetzel. USU sophomore OL Chandler Dolphin and freshman DT Diamond Faamafoe both attended Alta HS in Sandy, Utah, as did BYU senior DB Austin Lee, freshman DB Kimball Henstrom and freshman OL Brayden Keim. USU redshirt freshman OL Wyatt Bowles attended Syracuse (Utah) HS, as did BYU junior LB Kavika Fonua. USU redshirt freshman OL Andy Koch attended Eleanor Roosevelt HS in Eastvale, Calif., as did BYU senior DB Chris Wilcox. USU redshirt freshman OL Heneli Avendano attended Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah, as did BYU senior DB Austin Kafentzis. USU freshman OL Aric Davison attended Richland (Wash.) HS, as did BYU senior DB Sawyer Powell. USU freshman DE Connor Larsen attended American Fork (Utah) HS, as did BYU sophomore OL James Empey. USU freshman DE Kaleo Neves and freshman WR Kyle Van Leeuwen both attended Timpview HS in Provo, Utah, as did BYU sophomore LB Chaz Ah You, sophomore DL Devin Kaufusi, redshirt freshman DL Keenan Pili and freshman DB Will Watanabe. 
 
STATS FOR AGGIES WITH MULTIPLE GAMES PLAYED vs. BYU
• The following is a look at what current Utah State players have done against BYU in at least two games played. Senior DE Dalton Baker has two tackles in three games. Senior RB Gerold Bright has 14 carries for 61 yards (4.4 ypc), to go along with two catches for 10 yards and one touchdown in three games. He has also returned three kickoffs for 57 yards. Senior P Aaron Dalton has 18 punts for 757 yards (42.1 ypp), including a long of 56, and five downed inside the 20-yard line in three games. Senior PK Dominik Eberle is 3-for-5 on field goals (.600), 10-for-10 on extra points and has kicked off 16 times for 988 yards (61.8 ypk) and seven touchbacks in three games. Senior CB Cameron Haney has four tackles in three games. Senior NG Christopher Unga has seven tackles in three games. Senior DE Jacoby Wildman has three tackles in three games. Redshirt junior DE Justus Te'i has eight tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss, in three games. Junior DT Ritisoni Fata has two tackles in two games. Junior QB Jordan Love is 18-of-31 (.581) for 165 yards and four touchdowns, as well as three carries for eight yards and another score, in two games. Junior WR Jordan Nathan has returned one punt for seven yards in two games. Junior WR Savon Scarver has returned two kickoffs for 31 yards (15.5 ypr) in two games. Junior TE Carson Terrell has two catches for 42 yards (21.0 ypc) in two games. Redshirt junior OL Mohelika Uasike has five tackles in two games.
 
UTAH STATE HAS SIX BOWL TEAMS ON ITS 2019 SCHEDULE
• Utah State's 2019 schedule features six teams that played in bowl games a year ago as Wake Forest played in the Birmingham Bowl (W, 37-34 vs. Memphis); San Diego State played in the DXL Frisco Bowl (L, 27-0 vs. Ohio); LSU played in the Fiesta Bowl (W, 40-32 vs. UCF); Nevada played in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl (W, 16-13 OT vs. Arkansas State); BYU played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (W, 49-18 vs. Western Michigan); and Boise State played in the First Responders Bowl (Canceled vs. Boston College). Furthermore, Stony Brook played in the NCAA Division I Football Championship (L, 28-14 vs. Southeast Missouri).
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• Utah State and BYU spent 37 years as conference foes as members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from 1922-37 and the Mountain States/Skyline Conference from 1938-61. As conference foes, USU was 21-13-3 (.608) against BYU.
 
SERIES NOTABLES BETWEEN UTAH STATE AND BYU
The following are series notables between Utah State and BYU dating back to 1993 and encompassing the last 20 meetings.

• Utah State has won consecutive games against BYU for the first time in 44 years, last doing so in 1973 and 1974. In fact, USU won four straight games in the series from 1971-74. Overall, USU has won three of the last five games played in the series, including two of the last three in Provo and two of the last four in Logan.
 
• Utah State has scored 40-plus points against BYU in back-to-back games for just the third time in series history (1922-23 and 1954-55). Overall, USU has scored 40-plus points against BYU just nine times in series history. Furthermore, USU's 45 points last season were its most in the series since its 58-56 home win against BYU in 1993.
 
• Utah State's 25-point win against BYU (45-20) last season is the largest since 1968, when it posted a 34-8 road win. It is also the fifth-largest margin of victory for USU in series history.
 
• Utah State's last four wins against BYU have all been by double digits with an average margin of victory of 17.8 points. 
 
• In the last 20 meetings, Utah State is 4-5 when leading at the half, while BYU is 11-0. USU is also 4-7 when scoring first, while BYU is 8-1 with its only loss coming in 2014. USU has scored first in eight of the last 10 games and has led at the half in five of the last nine games. USU has also rushed for more yards in five of the last nine meetings.
 
• Utah State has gained more yards in three of the last five meetings and controlled the time of possession in four of the last five meetings. Prior to that, BYU had more yards in 14 of the previous 15 meetings and controlled the time of possession in 11 of the previous 15 meetings.
 
• The team with fewer turnovers has won 15 of the last 20 games.
 
• Neither team has recorded 500 yards of total offense in the last 12 meetings. However, BYU had 500 yards of total offense six times in the previous eight meetings, while USU had 500 yards twice in the previous eight meetings.
 
• In the last 20 meetings, BYU has had a 300-yard passer seven times, a 100-yard rusher seven times, with two of those players rushing for 200 yards, and a 100-yard receiver 14 times. USU has had a 300-yard passer four times in the last 20 meetings, a 100-yard rusher four times and a 100-yard receiver seven times.
 
• In USU's 58-56 win in 1993, BYU tied the NCAA record at the time for most points scored by a losing team, tying Purdue's 56 points against Minnesota that same season.
 
• The winning team in the Utah State vs. BYU series has scored at least 27 points in 29 of the last 30 meetings, with the only exception being BYU's 6-3 win in Provo in 2012, which was the lowest scoring game in series history since a 0-0 tie in 1939 in Logan.
 

LAST MEETING vs. BYU
PROVO, Utah - Sophomore QB Jordan Love accounted for five total touchdowns and Utah State's defense scored its third touchdown of the year as the Aggies dominated in-state rival BYU from the get-go, beating the Cougars 45-20 on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
               
Love completed 18-of-28 passes for 165 yards and a career-high four touchdowns for Utah State (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West), which scored the first 21 points of the night and never looked back. Love also scored on a 2-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that gave the Aggies a 42-13 lead.
               
With the win, Utah State retained possession of The Old Wagon Wheel – the traveling trophy between the two schools. The Wheel became part of the rivalry in 1948.
               
Love threw touchdown passes of 2, 6, 6 and 4 yards, respectively, to help Utah State win back-to-back games against BYU (3-3) for the first time in 44 years. The 25-point margin of victory is the fifth-largest in series history and largest since 1968.
               
Senior WR Ron'quavion Tarver caught two of Love's touchdown passes, while fellow senior WR Jalen Greene and junior RB Gerold Bright each caught one. Greene led the Aggies, who finished with 388 total yards, with a career-best five catches for a career-high 53 yards.
               
Junior RB Darwin Thompson led all rushers in the game with a career-high 109 yards on a career-best 17 carries. Bright added 61 yards on a career-high-tying 14 carries as Utah State tallied 223 yards on the ground as a team.
               
BYU QB Tanner Mangum was 27-of-46 passing for 270 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with an interception. The pick was one of three turnovers the Aggies forced on the night.  Utah State's defense limited the Cougars to just 39 yards rushing (2.4 yards per carry).
               
Junior DE Tipa Galeai set the tone early for the Aggies. BYU had the ball fourth-and-1 at the Utah State 39-yard line and elected to go for it. Galeai foiled the Cougars' plans by intercepting Mangum's pass and returning it 56 yards to the house, giving the Aggies a 7-0 lead with 7:35 to go in the first quarter.
               
After the defense forced BYU to go three-and-out on the ensuing possession, the Aggies took over on their own 29 following a punt and drove to the Cougars' 2-yard line, where they faced their own fourth-down situation. USU went for it and the decision paid off as Love threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Bright, making it 14-0 with 1:50 remaining in the first.
               
On BYU's next series, sophomore LB David Woodward forced a fumble by Dallin Holker that senior LB Chase Christiansen recovered just before it bounced out of bounds.
               
The offense cashed in on the takeaway when Love connected with Tarver for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors a commanding 21-0 lead. BYU finally got on the board with 4:52 remaining in the second quarter, but missed a 43-yard field goal wide right as time expired on the half.
               
Utah State opened the second half with the ball and marched 81 yards in 10 plays, capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass from Love to Greene to help the Aggies open a 28-7 lead.
               
Junior PK Dominik Eberle capped the scoring for USU in the fourth quarter when he drilled a 47-yard field goal to give the visitors their largest lead of the night, 45-13.
               
Woodward and sophomore CB  Ja'Marcus Ingram led the Aggies with six tackles apiece, while Ingram added a career-best three pass breakups. Senior S Jontrell Rocquemore added four tackles, including the game's only sack as part of his 2.0 tackles for loss. On the sack of Mangum, Rocquemore forced a fumble and then recovered it.
 
LAST HOME MEETING vs. BYU
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State senior CB Jalen Davis intercepted a career-high three passes and returned two of them for touchdowns as USU closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 40-24 home win over BYU on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, at Maverik Stadium.
               
Davis, who set a school record with his two pick-sixes, now has five interceptions on the season and 11 in his career, which is tied with three other players for the fourth-most in school history. Furthermore, the three picks tied a Mountain West record.
               
Senior QB Kent Myers was 16-of-27 passing for 176 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with 33 yards rushing, including a 19-yard touchdown run that gave the Aggies (3-2, 1-0 Mountain West) a 33-21 lead with 14:52 to go in the fourth quarter.
               
Utah State, which rallied from 14 points down, regained possession of the Old Wagon Wheel, the traveling trophy between the two schools. That 14-point deficit overcome is USU's largest since rallying from 20 points down (27-7) against Nevada in 2015.
               
Davis' three interceptions were a part of seven takeaways by the Aggies, including fumble recoveries by junior linebackers Derek Larsen and Suli Tamaivena, and redshirt freshman CB Ja'Marcus Ingram. Additionally, senior S Dallin Leavitt, who began his collegiate career at BYU, had an interception, seven tackles and a pass breakup.
               
Freshman RB Ula Tolutao led BYU (1-4) with 102 yards rushing on 21 carries, while quarterbacks Koy Detmer Jr. and Beau Hoge combined to go 12-of-29 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with four interceptions.
               
Junior WR Ron'quavion Tarver led all receivers in the game with six receptions for 76 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown pass from Myers that tied the game at 21-all with 1:11 remaining in the first half.
               
Senior RB LaJuan Hunt led Utah State's ground game with 65 yards on 18 carries.              
               
Tamaivena recorded a career- and game-high 13 tackles for the Aggies, while fellow junior LB Chase Christiansen added a career-best 10 stops, including 1.0 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
               
Utah State took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Myers to redshirt sophomore TE Dax Raymond and the Aggies led 7-0 with 11:40 left in the first quarter.
               
However, the tide turned in favor of the Cougars after Micah Hannemann intercepted a pass by Myers and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown. BYU ended up reeling off 21 unanswered points to open a 21-7 lead with 13:30 left in the second quarter.
               
But, just as soon as the Cougars grabbed the momentum, the Aggies got it back - courtesy of their own pick-six. Davis intercepted a pass by Hoge and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown, bringing USU to within 21-14 with 11:02 left in the second.
               
After Leavitt intercepted a pass by Detmer, the Aggies turned the pick into three more points. Sophomore PK Dominik Eberle connected from 32 yards out to send Utah State into the locker room with a 24-21 lead.
               
BYU turned it over again on its very first drive of the second half. USU senior DE Ian Togiai forced the fumble and Ingram recovered it. The Aggies then scored on a 40-yard field goal by Eberle to make it 27-21 with 12:56 to go in the third.
               
After BYU pulled within 33-24 following a 37-yard field goal with 12:28 to go, Davis sealed it for the Aggies with 50-yard interception return for a touchdown with 3:00 to go.