Aggie football remains highly ranked in FBS and WAC statistical leaders

LOGAN -- Utah State football remains among the nation and conference’s leaders in this week’s Football Bowl Subdivision and Western Athletic Conference statistics released Sunday.

The Aggies are fifth in the country and first in the conference in rushing offense, with 316.0 yards per game, while ranking 16th in the nation and second in the league in total offense with 483.3. USU is 14th in the FBS and first in the WAC in scoring offense, notching 42.0 points per game.

Defensively, USU is 12th in the FBS and first in the WAC in total defense at 269.7 ypg, as well as ranking 16th in the nation and first in the league in rushing defense, yielding just 82.7 ypg. The Aggie defense is also 13th in the country and second in the conference in sacks with 3.33 pg.

On special teams, USU remains tops in the WAC, but slid to fourth in FBS in net punting with 44.0 ypg after leading the country last week. Junior punter Tyler Bennett is third in the country and first in the conference individual punting at 48.5 ypp.

Other Aggie individuals among the nation’s leaders include junior running back Robert Turbin, who remains ranked 11th in the FBS and leads the WAC in rushing at 121.7 ypg. Turbin is third in the country and tops in the conference in scoring with 16.0 ppg.

Freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton is 50th in the FBS and third in the WAC in passing efficiency (142.77), while ranking 82nd in the country and seventh in the conference in total offense (198.3 ypg).

Junior Kerwynn Williams is sixth in the nation and first in the league in punt returns (19.8 ypr) while ranking 38th in the country and fifth in the conference in all-purpose yards (139.0 ypg).

Senior linebacker Bobby Wagner is sixth in the FBS and first in the WAC in tackles with 12.7 pg. Fellow senior linebacker Kyle Gallagher is tied for 43rd in the country and is fifth in the conference in tackles with 9.0 pg.

Senior defensive end Levi Koskan is tied for 24th in the nation and fourth in the league in sacks with .83 pg, while junior linebacker Maurice Alexander is tied for 53rd in the country and fifth in the conference in sacks with .67 pg. Koskan and Alexander are both tied for 74th in the nation and tied for fifth in the league in tackles for loss (1.2 pg).

Utah State will return to action on Friday, Sept. 30 when it travels to Provo to face in-state rival Brigham Young in a nationally televised game on ESPN beginning at 6 p.m.

The Aggies return home to host Wyoming on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium.

Doug Hoffman is the assistant athletic director for Utah State University.