The 2024 season was, in a lot of ways, one to forget for Utah State football.
For the third-straight season, the Aggies finished the year with a losing record. Utah State’s four wins were the fewest for the program — in a 12-plus game season — since 2016.
The Aggies were on the losing end of multiple blowouts, couldn’t stop an opposing offense for the majority of the season and weren’t able to achieve practically any of the goals they had entering the year.
It wasn’t all bad, though.
There was a thrilling win over a rival, offensive production galore and record-breaking individual performances. Oh and a few blowouts in favor of Utah State.
It was, overall, a season with some pretty high highs and more than a few devastating lows.
About right for a program that has now entered a complete rebuild under new head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
Here are 10 moments, games or decisions that defined Utah State’s 2024 football season
Termination of Blake Anderson: You cannot accurately talk about the Aggies’ season without talking about their former head coach. Entering July, Anderson was the second-longest tenured head coach in the Mountain West Conference. He’d won a conference title at USU and despite back-to-back 6-7 seasons there was optimism that Utah State could make a run at the conference crown again in Year 4 of his tenure. That optimism disappeared in a flash, however, when Utah State announced on July 2 that Anderson had been placed on leave and that the university’s intention was to fire him, deputy athletic director Jerry Bovee and the football program’s director of player development and community Austin Albrecht. Anderson was officially fired on July 18 and defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling was named the team’s interim head coach. Anderson’s firing led to the hiring of multiple coaches — an attempt to put experience around the then-33 year-old Dreiling — plus altered roles for many on the coaching staff. All less than a month before the start of fall camp. The fallout of the decision to fire Anderson remains ongoing too, as Anderson sued USU for $15 million in damages on Nov. 20.
Death of Andre Seldon Jr.: A former Michigan Wolverine and New Mexico State Aggie, Andre Seldon never got the opportunity to play for USU, despite transferring to the program ahead of the 2024 season. Only two days after Anderson was officially fired, Seldon died in a cliff diving accident at Porcupine Reservoir in Cache Valley. It was a cruel blow to a team already dealing with the unexpected firing of their head coach. Seldon was one of a handful players who followed Dreiling from New Mexico State to Utah State and the expectation was that he would be a key figure in the Aggies’ secondary, maybe even a catalyst for much hoped for — and needed — improvement on defense. Instead, Seldon’s death was a devastating emotional blow for a program that was desperate for stability with the season fast approaching.
Bryson Barnes to the rescue: The Aggies started the season at home against a low-level FBS program in Robert Morris and things did not go well at first. With a new starting quarterback in Spencer Petras, the Aggies struggled to do much of anything on offense through a half of play and to add insult to injury, Petras limped off the field just before halftime with an injury that would sideline him for the next two games. Things looked bad for Utah State and then Bryson Barnes took over. Barnes led the Aggies on a 26-0 second-half run, helping the Aggies rally from a 14-10 halftime deficit. He did some of it with his legs — Barnes finished the game with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown — and some more through the air (198 yards passing, two touchdowns and one interception). Barnes’ 63-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter sealed the win and endeared the University of Utah transfer to Aggie fans everywhere.
Upset bid against rival Utah falls agonizingly short: Following the season-opening win against Robert Morris, Utah State played back-to-back games against Power Four conference opponents. The first was at USC and unsurprisingly the Aggies were handled. The 48-0 loss was par for the course for USU against top-end (perceived) programs. The following week USU hosted rival Utah in the renewal of the Battle of the Brothers. The Aggies didn’t get blown out in this game and actually led 14-3 early in the second quarter. Things were working great for USU — the offense was moving the ball effectively against the Utes’ stout defense and the Aggies’ much maligned defense was playing well. A giveaway in the end zone by wide receiver Kyrese White (Utah defensive back Smith Snowden ripped a touchdown reception out of White’s hands); two missed field goals by kicker Elliott Nimrod, one of which was blocked; and a Barnes interception all combined to prevent the Aggies from staying with the Utes who walked out of Maverik Stadium with a 38-21 win. A perceived moral victory at the time, as the season went on it became readily apparent that it was a real missed opportunity for Utah State.
Season-breaking collapse at Temple: The Owls were a bad football team in 2023 and finished the season 3-9 overall. So when Utah State arrived in Philadelphia, it was expected that the Aggies would come away with an easy win, even with a 1-2 record and an interim head coach. And for a time it appeared that was going to happen. Pennsylvania native Rahsul Faison ran wild against the Owls in the first half and nearly outrushed the entire Temple offense by himself. Utah State led 14-0 early in the game and took at 21-17 lead into the break. Right before the half, Temple kicker Maddux Trujillo made a 64-yard field goal, which presaged what was to come. Everything went Temple’s way in the second half. USU’s defense was nonexistent and the offense couldn’t generate points when it mattered. The result? Temple outscored USU 28-8 in the second half and won the game 45-29. It can be argued that the loss to Temple ended Dreiling’s bid to be the Aggies’ head coach permanently. It was a brutal showing against poor competition, far beneath anything USU would’ve hoped for.
Jalen Royals’ NFL moment: After falling to 1-3 to start the season, wins became extremely hard to come by for the Aggies. USU lost the next game, a road trip to Boise State, in convincing fashion. The Aggies followed up that loss with a similar looking defeat at home to UNLV. The Aggies rallied in the second half in both games, but garbage time points did little but make the final scores more palatable. There were real bright spots, though, against the Broncos especially — from Jalen Royals to be specific. The Aggies’ star receiver had been held in check — by his standards — through the first four games of the year, but he broke out in a big way against Boise State. Royals hauled in nine passes for over 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns, one of which became arguably the highlight of the season for USU. Royals’ performance drew national attention and announced for all those who hadn’t yet figured it out — he is going to be a NFL receiver.
Late interception all but ends hope for bowl eligibility: Losers of five straight games, the Aggies hosted Mendenhall and New Mexico in early October in search of their first win since early August. The game was a shootout from the get-go, with neither defense proving capable of making a play against two of the better offenses in the Mountain West Conference. UNM quarterback Devon Dampier was intercepted three times in the game but it was a late pick throw by Aggie QB Spencer Petras that decided things. After New Mexico took a 50-45 lead with just over a minute remaining, USU’s offense had the chance to march down the field and steal a victory. Instead, only a few plays into the drive, Petras was intercepted and that was that. Though technically still possible, a 1-6 record through the first seven games meant USU was going to miss a bowl game.
Walk-off field goal for rivalry win: After so many setbacks, more than a few in heartbreaking fashion, the Aggies finally came out on the winning side of things against Wyoming. Down many starters, including Royals, the Aggies struggled for most of what proved an ugly rivalry game against the Cowboys in Laramie. Ugly or not, a Petras-led drive late in the fourth quarter had the Aggies in position to walk away with victory. All they needed was a 40-yard field goal from kicker Tanner Cragun. Cragun delivered, his make giving USU its second win of the season and first over a rival since 2018.
Bryson Barnes runs wild: For much of the season, Barnes played sparingly behind Petras, coming into the game on obvious short-yardage situations where he could get the Aggies a first down. An injury to Petras’ throwing arm late in the second quarter of the Aggies’ game against San Diego State gave Barnes an opportunity to lead the offense, however, and he ran with the opportunity. Literally. Barnes led USU to a blowout victory over the Aztecs, rushing for the most yards by an Aggie quarterback in a game ever. He ran for 193 yards and a touchdown against the Aztecs, and was nearly flawless as a passer too, completing 13 of 15 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns. It was arguably one of the best single game performance by a quarterback in program history.
Epic collapse perfect end to season: Riding a two-game winning streak into the season finale, Utah State had the look and feel of a team that had figured things out. And for awhile against Colorado State, that continued. Late in the third quarter in Fort Collins, Utah State took a 30-13 lead and appeared assured of victory. What happened next was fitting for a season with extreme highs and unbelievable lows. Colorado State outscored Utah State 29-7 in the fourth quarter, using a pair of interceptions thrown by Barnes to great effect. It was an epic collapse, defined by poor decisions and even worse execution on the part of the Aggies. And though USU made an effort to claw back, scoring a touchdown with 14 seconds left to play and then recovering the subsequent onside kick, it was too little too late. Utah State’s season ended the way the majority of the season was spent.