USU Football Announces Three-Game Series with BYU; Resumes Series with Utah
Aggie football at Utah State University will continue its long rivalries with a pair of in-state opponents as the Aggies face Brigham Young University and Utah through at least the 2015 season.
Utah State and BYU were already scheduled to play each other Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in Provo and the new deal extends the series to include Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 at Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium in Logan, along with Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, and Friday, Oct. 2, 2015, both at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. USU is 34-43-3 all-time against BYU dating back to 1922, including 18-15-2 in Logan, 16-25-1 in Provo and 0-3 at neutral sites.
Utah State also resumes its series with Utah in 2012 after a two-year hiatus as the two schools will conclude its current four-year home-and-home series playing in Logan on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, and Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, along with games in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, and Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015. The Aggies are 28-77-4 all-time against the Utes dating back to 1892, including a 11-25 mark at home and a 17-52-4 record on the road.
“Playing BYU and Utah is important for our fan base and the state of Utah,” USU Director of Athletics Scott Barnes said. “Traditional rivalries aren’t as easy to come by with recent conference re-alignment, and having only six conference games in the foreseeable future makes these in-state games even more significant. The four game home-and-home series with Utah starting again in 2012 is where we want to be and we’ll continue to work towards a similar arrangement with BYU for the next series. In the meantime, we are excited to open up the new series with BYU at home in 2013. The two additional games at BYU meet our future scheduling needs.”
As for the 2011 season, the Aggies and Cougars will tangle on Friday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. (MT) in Provo, as a nationally televised audience will watch the battle for the Old Wagon Wheel on ESPN in the 81st meeting between the two schools, including the 14th time on Friday night in the last 18 meetings dating back to 1987.
“Playing in-state games is important to us as a program, and important for the fans,” USU head coach Gary Andersen said. “It is a matter of pride between the programs and has the Old Wagon Wheel and Beehive Boot on the line, which only heightens the excitement. Playing a two-for-one deal is not as ideal as a home-and-home, but it is important to keep the rivalry going.”
Last season, USU beat BYU, 31-16, in Logan on ESPN, claiming the Old Wagon Wheel for the first time since 1993. The win also helped the Aggies earn possession of the Beehive Boot trophy, the symbol of gridiron supremacy in the state of Utah.
Other non-conference opponents on Utah State’s upcoming schedules include Colorado State, UNLV, San Diego State, Southern California, Southern Utah and Weber State.
In 2012, USU will host in-state foe Southern Utah Saturday, Sept. 1, marking the second time in four years meeting the Thunderbirds, after facing SUU in the 2009 home-opener and Andersen’s home debut as the Aggies’ head coach. Utah State will then host Utah Saturday, Sept. 8, in what will be the 110th meeting all-time between the two schools, USU’s longest series. The Aggies make the return trip to Colorado State Saturday, Sept. 22, then open a two-year home-and-home series with UNLV, hosting the Rebels Saturday, Sept. 29. USU then plays at BYU Friday, Oct. 5.
In 2013, the Aggies will play at Utah Thursday, Aug. 29, then open a two-game homestand, taking on San Diego State Saturday, Sept. 7, and hosting Weber State Saturday, Sept. 14. USU will then play at Southern California Saturday, Sept. 21, then continue on the road by playing at UNLV Saturday, Sept. 28, before hosting BYU Friday, Oct. 4.
Entering the 2011 season, Utah State has 46 returning letterwinners (29 offense, 16 defense, one special teams), including 17 starters (10 offense, six defense, one special teams) from last season’s 4-8 overall mark, and 2-6 in WAC play, in head coach Gary Andersen’s second season at the helm of the Aggie program.
After its season-opener at Auburn, Utah State’s home opener is Saturday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. (MT), taking on in-state foe Weber State, marking the first time that USU and WSU have squared off since 2001, and Utah State leads the all-time series, 11-1. The Aggie-Wildcat match-up will have special meaning for Andersen, who will be facing his mentor, Weber State head coach Ron McBride. Andersen played for McBride at Utah in 1985-86.
For USU football ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, or by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305.
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.
Contact: Zach Fisher, (435) 797-2066
Utah State football continues its long rivalries with a pair of in-state opponents as the Aggies face Brigham Young and Utah through at least the 2015 season. (photo from Athletics website)
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