Utah State is among the most experienced teams in the country this season, according to a national college football expert. Utah is not far behind.
Using a system that charts the number of starters and players on the two-deep by grade classification, Phil Steele has the Aggies as the third-most experienced team in the country. Utah State has 12 senior starters, seven junior starters and three sophomore starters, according to Steele, and collects 87 points in the rankings, four points shy of top-rated Michigan.
The Utes, meanwhile, are tied for eighth nationally with 80 points and have 11 senior starters, six junior starters, four sophomore starters and one freshman starter. Utah also has 12 juniors on the two-deep in Steele's ratings.
BYU is tied for 29th at 72 points and is more balanced on the depth chart than the other local FBS schools, with nine senior starters, seven junior starters and six sophomore starters.
Steele's rating awarded three points for a senior starter, 2.5 for every additional senior on the two-deep, two points for a junior starter, 1.5 for an additional two-deep junior, one point for a sophomore starter and 0.5 points for an additional two-deep sophomore. They also substracted one point for a freshman starter and 0.5 for an additional freshman on the two-deep.
Steele explained that the two teams at the top of last year's experience rankings, Louisiana Tech and Air Force, saw a marked improvement in the wins category. The Bulldogs improved from 4-8 to 9-5, while the Falcons went from 2-10 to 10-3.
This is significant to the state of Utah, as Michigan — this year's top team in the experience ratings — plays both the Utes and Cougars in September. The Wolverines went 5-7 a year ago and are now coached by first-year head man Jim Harbaugh.
See Steele's full experience rankings here.