2024 Utah State College Football Preview: Key Players, Game Schedule, Season Predictions

Utah State College Football Preview 2024

It’s sort of easy to forget that going to bowl games and fielding competitive teams hasn’t always been a given at Utah State.

There have been just 46 winning seasons in 109 years of Utah State football, and all four ten-win seasons have happened since 2012. Out of the 16 bowl appearances, 11 have been in the 2000s.

That’s not to say Utah State can’t do even more, but now what?

Head coach Blake Anderson is gone, and the game has obviously changed now. Utah State is a program that can and should be in the Mountain West title mix every season, especially this year, but the coaching situation changes the dynamic.

It has as many returning starters as anyone in the conference, there’s good depth, the transfer portal losses weren’t terrible, and the new signings helped offset the departures.

The schedule is a plus - at least in the Mountain West - and everything sets up nicely to come up with a winning season, because, yeah, it’s right to have expectations for big things at Utah State.

NOTE: The previews were published early this summer. We tried to catch the changes, but if we missed anything, please let us know at @ColFootballNews and we'll fix it right away.

Utah State Football Preview 2024: Offense

- The offense led the Mountain West with 439 yards per game and was second in scoring averaging 33 points. It’s explosive, the passing game is wonderful, and just about everyone is back except …

- The quarterback situation. There are options. Leading passer Cooper Legas is off to Tulsa and backup McCrae Hillstead left for BYU, but Utah State appears to have upgraded with Spencer Petras (Iowa) and Bryson Barnes (Utah) transferring in to throw to a LOADED receiving corps.

If Jalen Royals isn’t the best receiver in the Mountain West - 71 catches for 1,080 yards and 15 scores - he’s close. He’s the unstoppable deep threat on the outside, Micah Davis averaged over 17 yards per catch with six scores, and Colby Bowman averaged over 22 yards a grab. Broc Lane is a midrange receiver, but he’s a solid tight end option.

- The offensive line comes back experienced. Four starters are expected back, Tavo Motu’apuaka at guard and Cole Motes at one tackle are good, and the transfer portal is helping. Now they all need to be better in pass protection.

Leading rusher Davin Booth is gone to Mississippi State, but enough veterans return to add a balance. Robert Briggs should be more of a factor for an attack that will be balanced - the backs will get plenty of work.

Utah State Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The defense struggled. It had problems on third downs and got roasted for more than 30 points eight times and allowed 131 points over the last three games. On the plus side, the pass rush was good. On the negative side, top pass rusher Paul Fitzgerald left for Utah.

Second-leading pass rusher Blaine Spires is back on one side, and the tackles are rolling in from the transfer portal around veteran Seni Tuiaki.

- Top tackler MJ Tafisi is gone, and the linebacking corps needs some work. Again, the transfer portal is playing a role with Jadon Pearson coming in from Utah and former Georgia Bulldog Marlin Dean coming in to help in the middle.

- Ike Larsen makes lots of tackles. The ultra-productive safety is back after making 103 tackles last season, and with eight picks in the last two years, but the rest of the secondary is working in new parts with safeties Anthony Switzer (Arkansas) and Devin Dye (Kansas) gone.

Key To The Utah State Football Season

STOP … THE … RUN
There was a time when Utah State made its bread off a run defense that stuffed everything and everyone - the 2012 team allowed six rushing scores and three yards per carry. That was not the 2023 defense.

The Aggies allowed over 330 yards four times, gave up more than 200 two totter times, and allowed 5.1 yards per carry and 31 scores. USC, Utah, and Boise State come up in the first half of the season. This has to be better fast, so …

Utah State Key Player

Seni Tuiaki, DT Jr.
He’s not massive, but the 6-1, 290-pounder is strong, experienced, and made 40 tackles with six tackles for loss in the last two seasons - and has a 63-yard pick six. With so many changes in the front four and so many new parts, he has to be a true anchor.

Utah State Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: QB Spencer Petras, Sr. or Bryson Barnes, Jr.
Petras played a big role in the Iowa passing game over the last three seasons, but he threw 19 interceptions and 24 touchdown passes. Even so, he’s a big veteran passer who can do more with this Utah State receiving corps.

Bryson Barnes is more of a baller who filled in here and there at Utah over the last two seasons. He also threw too many interceptions. One of them has to take the gig by the horns.

Top Transfer Out: Paul Fitzgerald, DE Soph.
The Aggies lost their breakout player. Fitzgerald led the team with eight sacks with 45 tackles last season, and now it’ll take a few new options to replace him. He’ll be one of the key edge rushers for Utah.

Utah State Key Game

at Boise State, Oct. 5
Eight straight losses, most of them have been ugly, and the last win on the road was in 1996. Boise State has owned Utah State - just 5-23 overall against the Broncos, no big whoop - with a rough 45-10 loss last season.

But pull off a win here in the Mountain West opener, and the Aggies have a great shot at rolling to a conference title appearance.

10 Best Utah State Football Players

1. Jalen Royals, WR Sr.
2. Ike Larsen, S Jr.
3. Micah Davis, WR Sr.
4. Blaine Spires, DE Sr.
5. Spencer Petras, QB Sr.
6. Broc Lane, TE Sr.
7. Jaiden Francois, S Sr.
8. Bryan Barnes, QB Jr.
9. Tavo Motu’apuaka, OG Soph.
10. Cole Motes, OT Sr.

Utah State 2023 Fun Stats

- 1st Quarter Scoring: Opponents 140, Utah State 59

- Onside Kicks: Utah State 2-for-6, Opponents 0-for-3

- Sacks: Opponents 44 for 240 yards, 29 for 154 yards

Utah State Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

The schedule is just sneaky-tough enough to keep the Aggies from getting into a groove.

The 11-win team of 2021 was good enough to pull off a few stunners, but it also managed to beat all the teams it was supposed to. Even the teams this 2024 team should beat will be a bit tough - the Temple game is in Philadelphia, and going to Wyoming is rough.

However, own Logan, and everything should be okay.

Beating Utah at home is asking for a lot, but the Aggies can get by UNLV, and Hawaii, and San Diego State and New Mexico for a decent base of wins. Throw in Robert Morris, and getting to five victories shouldn’t be a problem.

It’ll be sneaking that sixth and seventh that should be difficult, but for the third straight year the team will get to six wins before a bowl game.

Set The Utah State Win Total At … 6

Likely Wins: Hawaii, New Mexico, Robert Morris,

50/50 Games: at Colorado State, San Diego State, at Temple, UNLV, at Washington State, at Wyoming

Likely Losses: at Boise State, at USC, Utah

2024 Utah State Football Schedule

Aug 31 Robert Morris
Sept 7 at USC
Sept 14 Utah
Sept 21 at Temple
Sept 28 OPEN DATE
Oct 5 at Boise State
Oct 12 UNLV
Oct 19 New Mexico
Oct 26 at Wyoming
Nov 2 OPEN DATE
Nov 9 at Washington State
Nov 16 Hawaii
Nov 23 San Diego State
Nov 30 at Colorado State

Missing: Air Force, Fresno State, Nevada, San Jose State, (Oregon State)