Cougars are off Aggies' sked for a long time

LOGAN — When Utah State released a partial non-conference football schedule through 2011 last week, BYU was noticeably absent.

First-year athletic director Randy Spetman is looking to get the Cougars back on the schedule sooner than later.

The Aggies currently have the 13th longest rivalry in the nation with the University of Utah with 104 games, and have played BYU 75 times, but for the second straight year the Aggies haven't played the Cougars.

"I think we need to continue to do that," Spetman said. "I think it's healthy for this state when you have three Div. I-A programs and they ought to be playing each other."

Scheduling conflicts with the recent changes in the Mountain West Conference has had a little bit to do with it, but Utah still has left an opening for the Aggies through the changes. Spetman thinks it's still manageable.

"Does that mean we have to play them every year like Utah? No, but I don think we have to have each other on the schedule," Spetman said. "We've adjusted our schedule for them for years to play on Friday for the (LDS) General Conference weekend. I think that's good for this state and good for our two institutions."

The Aggies are 33-39-3 against BYU and 18-14-2 in Logan.

With their 48-6 loss to Utah last Saturday, the Aggies are 28-72-4 against the Utes.

Also, the Aggies are 11-1 against Weber State and 1-0 versus Southern Utah. The Aggies could host one of those two schools to open the season next year.

STADIUM RECOUNT: Last Saturday's crowd with Utah was announced at 24,750, some 5,509 fans shy of what the Utah State football media guide says is a sellout of 30,257.

"I'll be real honest with you, the stadium wouldn't hold 30,000. We'll have to change that," Spetman said. "I think at one time it held 30,000 but we've put chair-backs and bleachers in and it's gone down."

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Beginning with Saturday's game at UNLV, the Aggies will play six of their next seven games on the road, and five of them will be in the south.

"Pack a lunch and make it a big one," Utah State football coach Mick Dennehy joked.

The Aggies travel to Troy on Oct. 2 before hosting North Texas in their third home game of the year Oct. 9. Then they travel to Clemson, have a bye week and then travel to Middle Tennessee, La.-Monroe, and Arkansas State.