With Ohio State, Georgia, and Clemson already on our slate this season, we figured somehow we needed to get pre-season No. 1 Alabama on our schedule. Originally considering the Texas A&M clash on October 8, the prices exceeded our budget. Figuring Alabama fans might take the Utah State Aggies for granted in the season opener on September 3 in Tuscaloosa, we found prices very affordable. We will see Penn State visit Purdue on Thursday, September 1. Lacking a local game near Nashville that really stirred our interest two days later, CFF.com figured we had to come up with a better contest than FCS Elon at lowly Vanderbilt in Week 1 on Saturday night. We found much better than we ever anticipated.
In addition to seeing No. 1 Alabama, we anticipate seeing the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. We project that QB Bryce Young will repeat his performance of 2021 to take home the hardware once again. Among his competition this year, we will see Ohio State’s QB CJ Stroud, RB Treyveon Henderson, and WR Jaxon Smith Njigba when they play Penn State. Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman will be on our slate if he recovers from injury before the Vanderbilt game that we will attend. Former Oklahoma candidate QB Spencer Rattler shows off his stuff this year when he steps under center for South Carolina against Kentucky. RB Bijan Robinson of Texas appears on our watch list when we see him and his Longhorns face Baylor. Even Pryce’s No. 1 Alabama teammate LB Will Anderson vies for attention for that elusive recognition given to defensive players.
Aggies on the rise
Last season, we got to see these Aggies play in with the friendly confines of Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah. They defeated Hawaii, 51-31. Last season under first-year HC Blake Anderson, Utah State improved from 1-5 in the Covid-19 abated season before to 11-3 in 2021. They matched their program’s high mark for wins in a season. Their 7-2 Mountain West mark put them in the conference championship game. There, they defeated San Diego State on the road, 46-13. In the LA Bowl, the Aggies triumphed over Oregon State to rank at No. 24 at the season.
QB Logan Bonner established five single-season passing records at USU. Accumulating 3,628 yards and 36 TDs, he missed the LA Bowl due to a knee injury. In his place, Cooper Legas took over and earned MVP honors. All five starters return on this year’s offensive line. RB Calvin Turner churned out 884 yards behind their push. Good experience returns up front defensively led by DEs Byron Vaughns and Patrick Joyner. Hunter Reynolds, playing a LB/S combo, returns as their leading tackler in 2021 with 83.
Better than expected?
This Utah State program may not be up to par with a top-recruiting team like No. 1 Alabama. However, the players State returns should add some more formidable, experienced players than what The Tide usually faces early. Plus, Bama may be thinking more past this game to their meeting the following week at Texas and their former OC Steve Sarkisian. We think this really adds a great game to our already formidable schedule with nine to ten teams among various pre-season Top 25s. Check it out our 2022 schedule by clicking here!
Our football history
In the annals of collegefootballfan.com’s history, this will be our first visit ever to Bryant-Denny Stadium. However, two of our first three Crimson Tide games attended were played at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL, former permanent home of the Iron Bowl. Back then, we actually watched Paul “Bear” Bryant prowl the sidelines. Over the years, Alabama’s record in our presence is 9-1. Utah State falls on our slate for the fourth time. Their record stands at 2-1.
ed. by Steve Koreivo, Author of Tales from the Tailgate; From the Fan who’s seen ’em all! Please click on the title to purchase our book about how we’ve seen 120 FBS teams (at that time) play for the first time in our ongoing 42-year adventure (we’re up to 130 now and adding JMU this year)! . And, please submit your review for us. Thanks!
