LOGAN — The Utah State Aggies are under no illusion.
When they walk onto the field at Tiger Stadium, otherwise known as Death Valley, Saturday morning for an 11 a.m. kickoff (10 a.m. MDT), they know they will be the prohibitive underdog.
All but four teams in the country would be, in a road matchup with the No. 5 ranked LSU Tigers.
Arguably no Utah State team has ever faced an opponent as highly regarded as the Tigers.
Sure, the Aggies have faced ranked Power Five opponents on the road before, teams like Wisconsin in 2017, Michigan State last year and even Wake Forest this season, a team which is No. 22 in the latest AP Poll.
LSU is a different caliber of team, though, a member of that highest-tier of college football, a regular top-10 program.
This year, they appear to be even better, too, even College Football Playoff-worthy.
“We have a tremendous opportunity,” Utah State head coach Gary Andersen said. “A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly to Baton Rouge and play in that stadium against a Top 5 team. (These kids) will never get that opportunity again in their lives. This team will never get that opportunity again.”
It is an opportunity that the Aggies don’t take for granted.
“You don’t really get chances like that, to play playoff teams and teams of that caliber,” linebacker David Woodward said. “It is going to be a great experience and a good challenge for us.”
Good might not sufficiently describe the challenge.
Per Andersen, there isn’t a weakness on this LSU team, no “chinks in the armor,” so to say.
“You throw on that film, the offense starts the game and all of a sudden it is 35-0,” Andersen said. “They are not who they are and are not ranked where they are because they are not deserving. You don’t look out there and say, ‘Oh, there’s an average guy, we can work to take advantage of him’. They fly around, they play hard and they have high expectations.”
Caleb Repp, one of a trio of University of Utah graduate transfers who made their way to Logan this season, along with Siaosi Mariner and Nick Heninger, has seen his fair share of talented teams, going back to his days in the Pac-12.
Teams like the 2016 Pac-12 champion and College Football Playoff participant Washington Huskies, or the Sam Darnold-led 2017 Pac-12 champion USC Trojans.
This year’s LSU team is at that level, if not higher.
“You can’t discredit LSU,” Repp said. “They definitely are one of the best teams in the country. Talent-wise this will be one of the best teams I have played in my career.”
For as talented as the Tigers are, though, the Aggies aren’t intimidated. At least, they profess not to be.
“Just like any team on any Saturday, they can be beat,” Repp said. “We are gonna go out there and do our best to execute our plays and take our shots. We won’t be intimidated by them or anything, we just have to go out and make our plays.”
Some players, like cornerback Cameron Haney, relish the underdog role.
“Growing up, I’ve always been the underdog,” he said. “It is a great experience to go against these higher-tiered guys, but it really doesn’t matter if you were a five-star or a two-star (athlete) coming out of high school now. It is all about how you match up. We probably don’t get as much recognition as these high-tiered programs, but we live for these matchups.”
The trip to Baton Rouge means a little extra for senior running back Gerold Bright, more than just the chance to potentially show up a traditional powerhouse.
A native of Pensacola, Florida, which is just under a four-hour drive from Baton Rouge, the trip to LSU is like going home.
“I am happy,” he said. “(LSU) is like three hours from where I am from and this will only be the second game my mom will ever see me play in college.”
“Hopefully I play real good,” he added bashfully.
Ultimately, that is all the Aggies can ask for, to play at their best.
“It is a special opportunity and they are excited,” Andersen said. “We have a really good team that fights like crazy and we will fly over there and do all we can to represent Utah State the best way possible.”
And who knows. Perhaps “any Saturday,” will be Oct. 5, at Tiger Stadium.
• • •
Aggies on the air
Utah State (3-1) at No. 5 LSU (4-0)
Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Saturday, 10 a.m. MDT
TV: SEC Network
Radio: KZNS 1280 AM/97.5 FM