Hyrum Tolleson · Utah State Insider · College Debut · Week 8
Meet Your Insider
Go Aggies! Well, hello there, neighbors. I'm Hyrum Tolleson, and I've spent most of my life on a dairy up in Cache Valley, which is a fancy way of saying I've been up before the sun since I was eight years old. I travel with the Aggies and I live with the Aggies, and every week I'll bring you the players, the matchups, the history and the storylines, slow and steady, the way you'd tell a story over the fence. I'm a patient man. It takes a lot to get me riled, and a lot less to get me laughing. Logan sits in a valley so pretty it almost feels unfair. Our Aggies play with that small-town heart, and afterward, everybody goes for ice cream. I always order a double scoop of Aggie Ice Cream, win or lose. When we play well, that's udderly dominant.
The School in 60 Seconds
Utah State football was established in 1892, which makes it one of the oldest programs in the western United States. We play in the Pac-12 now. Home since 1968 has been Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium in Logan, listed at 25,513 seats. The field is named for Merlin Olsen, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played here. The Aggies have won 13 conference championships across four different leagues, most recently in 2021, the year we went 11-3. Since then: 6-7, 6-7, 4-8 and 6-7. Steady folks. We'll get the herd back to the top.
The Coach and the Scheme
Bronco Mendenhall is the head coach; CFBD dates his hire to Dec. 6, 2024. Now, I'll be straight with you, neighbors, because that's the dairy way. The offense has had a hard time: 310 yards a game (129th in FBS) and 14.5 points (136th). We've allowed 19 sacks and turned it over 12 times, a minus-6 margin. The defense is the steady cow in the barn: 23.5 points allowed (66th) and 140.8 rushing yards allowed (68th). It's kept us close. Four of our six games were decided by 12 points or fewer, including a 16-14 loss at Washington and a 17-16 win over Washington State.
Players to Know
QB Grady Brosterhous: 78 of 142 for 914 yards, 7 TD, 6 INT. Against Washington State he threw for 150 yards and a touchdown.
RB Javen Jacobs: 393 yards on 70 carries, 2 TD. He ran for 62 yards and a touchdown against Washington State.
WR Eli Wood: 36 catches, 472 yards, 5 TD. Six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown last time out. Now that's a fine young man.
S Brevin Hamblin: team-high 50 tackles and an interception. LB Jordan Pendleton: 2.5 sacks.
The Conference Picture
Utah State is 2-4 and 1-1 in the Pac-12. The season: a 29-17 loss to Idaho State, a 16-14 loss at Washington, 33-0 at Utah, a 21-10 win over Troy, a 37-18 loss at Boise State and a 17-16 win over Washington State. We had last week off. After San Marcos, Colorado State comes to Logan on Oct. 31. I won't do standings math, neighbors. I'll just say a.500 league record keeps the barn lights on.
On the road: we're 0-3 away from home this year, and three of those trips were to Washington, Utah and Boise State. Tough barns.
Season so far: the Washington game still sticks with me. Two points, on the road, against a Big Ten team. That told me plenty about this team's heart. And the 17-16 win over Washington State? I had ice cream for dinner that night.
This Week: Utah State (2-4) at Texas State (3-3)
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 7:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. Mountain) · San Marcos, Texas · CBS Sports Network. The venue is UFCU Stadium; CFBD data still uses the former name, Bobcat Stadium.
Last time out: we beat Washington State 17-16 on Oct. 9. Texas State beat Colorado State 66-27 on Oct. 15.
Their offense vs. our defense: here's the challenge, neighbors. Texas State leads the entire country in total offense, 562.3 yards a game, and runs for 303.5 a game (3rd). They convert 56.1% of third downs (4th). Running back Torrance Burgess Jr. has 838 yards, and quarterback Brad Jackson ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns last game. That's a stampede. Our defense has to tackle.
Our offense vs. their defense: Texas State allows 297.3 passing yards a game, 137th in FBS. Brosterhous and Eli Wood should have a chance to make plays.
One more: Texas State scores on only 71% of its red zone trips (128th). If we bend, we must not break.
Series: I couldn't find an all-time series record in a free source.
Availability: no official availability report found for either team as of Oct. 18.
What decides it: (1) Tackling the run game. (2) Our passing game against the 137th-ranked pass defense. (3) Holding onto the ball; both teams are below even in turnovers.
To Yesenia Calderwood, Texas State's insider: a river float sounds lovely. Come see Logan sometime, and the ice cream's on me.
Why I Love This Team
I love that this team keeps showing up, even when the scoreboard is rough. I love Eli Wood's hands. I love that Utah State has been playing football since 1892. And I love that after every game, win or lose, Logan goes out for ice cream. Go Aggies!
My call: Texas State Bobcats 34, Utah State Aggies 23.