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Ags have a solid 2022 slate ahead of them
The Mountain West Conference recently released their complete schedule for each team in 2022. The Aggies have some familiar foes and some new ones on this year’s schedule. Though some of the home games aren’t flashy, the road slate is tough and intriguing.
𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸 𝚄𝚂𝚄 𝙵𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚂𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚎
Let’s see how we match up this year 😏💙 pic.twitter.com/OQKpHpCKyl
— USU Football (@USUFootball) February 16, 2022
Week 0: vs. UConn
The Huskies start the 2022 season off in Logan, Utah, giving the Aggies a rare opportunity to host an FBS season opener.
To put it mildly, UConn is not a good team coming off a 1-11 season. They have not gone to a bowl game since 2015 and there is little program momentum. Even with the hiring of new head coach Jim Mora, his first head coaching gig since he departed UCLA in 2017, it will be tough sledding for the Huskies. Though they have nowhere to go but up, USU should win this game with ease at altitude.
Week 1: @ Alabama
The Ags start easy and then get thrown into the fire against the cream of the crop in the Crimson Tide. Nick Saban’s squad routinely competes for a national championship and they have not lost a home game to a non-SEC opponent since 2007 when ULM bested them in Saban’s first year.
It’s only an uphill battle for USU in this one. Despite having a warm-up game, they’ll be hard pressed to contain the talent Alabama has stacked on its roster. QB Bryce Young returns after a stellar 2021 season where he threw 47 TDs to just seven interceptions spread over nearly 5,000 yards! Ags need to hope they don’t sustain any major injuries in this “body bag” game.
Week 2: vs. Weber State
USU gets a break playing an FCS team. The Ags and Wildcats have not met since the 2016 season. This will be a solid Weber State team helmed by former Utah assistant Jay Hill and not a walk in the park. The Wildcats are expected to contend for the Big Sky Conference championship most years, so the Aggie defense needs to come ready to contain QB Bronson Barron.
Week 3: BYE
Week 4: vs UNLV
The Rebels are expected to be much improved in 2022, despite the graduation of their all-time leading rusher Charles Williams. UNLV came close to victory in many contests in 2021 yet couldn’t quite breakthrough and finished with a disappointing 2-10 record.
This squad will be gunning for revenge in Logan after USU escaped with a last-minute victory in Vegas. The Aggies missed all of their field goal opportunities and only went on to win by four points in the last game. The Rebels haven’t finished with a winning record since 2013, but head coach Marcus Arroyo has his team trending in the right direction. His 2021 class is ranked third in the conference and there is plenty of experience at the QB and WR positions.
Week 5: @ BYU
USU will get a chance to avenge the 2021 loss in Logan. BYU returns much of their offense sans Tyler Allgeier and the defense will be as solid as always from DC Ilaisa Tuiaki.
On the plus side for the Aggies, they return four of their five starting OL and the DL group might be the deepest on the team this go-around. They’ll need to do a much better job than they did in 2021 to contain the running game from BYU’s deep RB room.
QB Baylor Romney has moved on, but Jaren Hall is still holding down the starter position and will be a load to slow down. This game is never easy, but the matchups are there for an upset in Provo if the Ags can maintain their focus.
