Takeaways From Utah State Football’s 2025 Schedule
Feb 21, 2025, 4:00 PM
Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium, home of the Utah State Aggies football team, is pictured in Logan on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
LOGAN, Utah – The Utah State football program has been through the wringer since July 2024. An unexpected head coaching change 30 days before the season opener threw the program into a spiral that was ultimately unrecoverable. Interim head coach Nate Dreiling guided the ship to a respectable finish, all circumstances considered, but he wasn’t retained after going 4-8. Enter Bronco Mendenhall.
The former BYU Cougars head coach has proven himself a program builder. Director of Athletics Diana Sabau hopes the former New Mexico HC can set the program on track toward long-term success. Mendenhall is the captain of an Aggie ship that will sail into uncharted waters with membership in the Pac-12 Conference on the horizon.
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝🔓#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/dZCrmWslEs
— USU Football (@USUFootball) February 20, 2025
On Thursday, February 20, the Mountain West Conference released the first schedule for a program hoping to reach new heights.
Utah State is not scheduled to face Colorado State, San Diego State, and Wyoming during the 2025 season.
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Utah State Aggies 2025 Schedule
Week 1: Saturday, August 30 | vs. UTEP Miners (Non-conference)
Location: Logan, UT
Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
This matchup is perfect for a team with a new coaching staff and high player turnover to open the year. UTEP has gone 3-9 in the past two seasons, including 1-6 on the road in 2024. A chance to put good tape together and pick up a win should give this team momentum moving forward.
USU is undefeated in three previous matchups with the Miners. The last meeting was a 21-6 Aggie win in the 2014 New Mexico Bowl. Quarterback Kent Myers threw for just 68 yards on 5-of-12 passing but picked up 70 yards and a score on the ground. Utah State ran for 279 yards and three touchdowns as a team.
Week 2: Saturday, September 6 | @ Texas A&M Aggies (Non-conference)
Location: College Station, Texas
Stadium: Kyle Field
Let’s face it: College football is a game of haves and have-nots, leaving Utah State as Texas A&M‘s de facto preseason opponent. This game is played for the paycheck, but the experience can prove instrumental for a young team. Some players will be wide-eyed in front of the famed 12th-Man, but USU’s best bet is to escape this game, primarily healthy and ready to compete.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓!
Release ➡️ https://t.co/gc9zHNKagt
Tickets ➡️ https://t.co/JX03u4GPtd pic.twitter.com/XEgLMZsys4— USU Football (@USUFootball) February 20, 2025
Texas A&M finished a disappointing 8-5 last season, ending the year on a three-game losing skid. Annually boasting one of the best recruiting classes in the country, the Lone Star State Aggies are sure to have superior depth come September.
The only meeting between these programs came in 2009. Quarterback Diondre Borel (334 yards, 1 TD) and running back Robert Turbin (121 yards rushing) helped USU stay close in a 38-30 loss. Linebacker Bobby Wagner finished the day with 13 tackles.
Bold prediction: the Aggies win…
Week 3: Saturday, September 13 | vs. Air Force Falcons
Location: Logan, UT
Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
The first Mountain West matchup comes when Air Force visits Logan in mid-September. Always an undersized team; it’s the Falcons style that causes problems for opponents, as evidenced by a 39-21 Utah State loss in 2023.
RELATED: Falcon Ground Game Carries Air Force To Win Over Aggies
This will be a test for the Aggies, but a win would show how far they have come under Mendenhall.
The Falcons went 5-7 and 2-4 on the road in 2024 but closed the season on a four-game winning streak. Utah State is 5-7 all-time against Air Force and will look for their fourth win in Logan.
Week 4: Saturday, September 20 | vs. McNeese State Cowboys (Non-conference)
Location: Logan, UT
Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
The Cowboys went 6-6 in 2024 and 3-4 in Southland Conference play. Utah State needs to and should win this game if it has bowl aspirations.
This game is the first in back-to-back weeks where the Aggies face programs for the first time.
Week 5: Saturday, September 27 | @ Vanderbilt Commodores (Non-conference)
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Stadium: FirstBank Stadium
Heading into the first bye week, this game represents an excellent test for the Aggies. One almost certain thing: Mendenhall knows how to prepare for these matchups and will have his team ready to go.
Happy Birthday Coach Mendenhall! #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/hbbwig7beZ
— USU Football (@USUFootball) February 21, 2025
The Commodores went 7-6 and 3-5 in conference play, but an SEC-tested opponent will present matchup problems for the Aggies. How Utah State responds to this challenge could be a good barometer for what they can accomplish.
Week 6: OPEN
A bye week to open October comes at the right time for the Aggies. With five games, including a conference matchup, under their belt, USU gets a chance to reset, do some soul-searching, and head to the Islands ready to make a run.
Week 7: Saturday, October 11 | @ Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Stadium: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex
Throw out the records when a team travels to the Hawaiian Islands. A long flight and more than enough distractions allow the Rainbow Warriors always to have a home-field advantage.
This game represents a critical juncture in the season for USU. Dates with San Jose State and New Mexico loom, offering a chance for the team to stack some wins. Weathering the travel in week seven would go a long way to learning if Utah State is bowl-worthy in 2025.
RELATED: Utah State Explodes for 45-Point Win Over Hawaii
The Aggies lead the 18th-most-played series in program history 13-6 overall, having won the past eight matchups. Utah State crushed Hawai’i 55-10 in Logan in 2024. Hawai’i finished 2024 5-7, winning four of seven at home.
Week 8: Saturday, October 18 | vs. San Jose State Spartans
Location: Logan, UT
Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
The Spartans finished 2024 7-6 after falling 41-39 in five overtimes to South Florida in the Hawai’i Bowl. San Jose State made great strides as a program and looks to carry the momentum into 2025.
RELATED: Spartans Beat Utah State For First Time Since 2008
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙮!
Congrats to @RoyalsJalen on being invited to the 2025 @NFL Combine.
➡️ https://t.co/ptVYRu6E7y pic.twitter.com/qG3AD45pUa
— USU Football (@USUFootball) February 13, 2025
SJSU leads the all-time series 21-20-1, including a 42-21 win in Logan during the 2023 season. USU holds a 12-8 advantage at home and is 15-14-1 as conference opponents.
Week 9: Saturday, October 25 | @ New Mexico Lobos
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Stadium: University Stadium
New Mexico will recognize several faces on the Aggie sideline. After Bronco Mendenhall signed on, a series of assistants and players followed suit. The dynamic all but assures higher-than-usual emotions in Albuquerque for Mendenhall’s return. It’s safe to say players and coaches on both sides probably circled this game on their calendars already.
Mendenhall led the Lobos to a 5-7 finish in his lone season with the program, their most wins since 2016. New Mexico ended a seven-game losing streak to the Aggies with a 50-45 October win.
RELATED: New Mexico Stuns Utah State On The Road
USU is 17-14 against the Lobos and 8-9 on the road.
Week 10: OPEN
Another well-timed bye to open November. Fresh off of an undoubtedly emotional game in Albuquerque, the Aggies have a chance to regroup. Injuries have created depth problems down the stretch in recent years, making this a good opportunity to re-assess where the program stands with four games left.
Week 11: Saturday, November 8 | vs. Nevada Wolfpack
Location: Logan, UT
Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
The Wolf Pack will look to turn things around after suffering through a 3-10 season in 2024. The wheels fell off in conference play, going 0-7, including a six-game losing skid to close the year.
RELATED: Faison Carries Aggies To Meaningful Win Over Nevada
The Aggies scored more than 40 points in the last matchup, pulling away for a 41-24 win in Logan. All time, USU trails the series 8-19.
Week 12: Saturday, November 15 | @ UNLV Rebels
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Stadium: Allegiant Stadium
Potentially, the most challenging stretch of the season for Utah State begins in Las Vegas, with the first of three straight on the road.
Can the Rebels recapture the success from an 11-3 2024 season? UNLV overcame early season turmoil to earn a berth in the Mountain West title game. After falling to College Football Playoff-bound Boise State, UNLV downed Cal in the Art of Sport LA Bowl.
RELATED: Utah State Can’t Overcome Turnovers In Loss To UNLV
The Rebel’s magical season included a 50-34 throttling of the Aggies in early October. Utah State leads the all-time series 18-9, including 9-4 in Las Vegas.
Week 13: Saturday, November 22 | @ Fresno State Bulldogs
Location: Fresno, California
Stadium: Valley Children’s Stadium
This is the second of three in a row on the road; the Aggies head to Fresno for a date with the Bulldogs. A back-and-forth series over the years, Fresno State holds a 19-13-1 all-time advantage. USU has won just four games in 18 tries in Fresno since 1952.
RELATED: Utah State Pleased With Complete Game Effort Despite Loss
The Bulldogs went 6-7 last season, finishing 4-3 in the Mountain West.
Week 14: Saturday, November 29 | vs. Boise State Broncos
Location: Logan, UT
Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
When the Broncos travel to Logan for the final regular-season game, they will have had plenty of time to find a suitable replacement for future NFL running back Ashton Jeanty.
Given the history between these programs, a Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm might be Utah State’s best chance at an upset. If the Aggies can reach the season’s final week with a winning record, expect the Hurd to turn out in droves, rain, snow, sleet, or shine.
RELATED: Utah State Football Fails First Mountain West Test
Boise State entered the College Football Playoff with a 12-1 record in 2024. The Broncos’ season ended unceremoniously with a 31-14 loss to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.
It is no surprise that Boise State has dominated this series. Utah State has lost 24 of 29 games all-time.
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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on Twitter and Instagram at @bpreece24.
