Utah State Football End of Season Summary

UTAH STATE AGGIES (10-4, 6-2 MW)

AGGIES' 10 WINS SECOND-MOST IN SCHOOL HISTORY

Utah State concluded the 2014 season with a 10-4 record, marking just the second time in school history that USU has won double-digit games, trailing only the 2012 team that finished with an 11-2 record.
Utah State has won 35 of its last 47 games (.745) and those 35 wins are the third-most in the West behind Oregon (41) and Boise State (36).
Utah State recorded its fourth-straight winning season this year, which is its longest since posting five-straight winning seasons from 1971-75.
Utah State's senior class won a school-record 37 games, bettering the 2013 class that won a then-school record 31 games.
Utah State received 11 votes in the final Associated Press poll to rank 32nd nationally and eight votes in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll to rank 34th nationally. Overall, it is the third time in as many years that USU has finished the season ranked among the top teams in the nation as the 2012 team was 16th in the final AP poll, while the 2013 team received two votes in the final AP poll to rank tied for 37th nationally.

AGGIES WIN THIRD-STRAIGHT BOWL GAME

With its 21-6 win against UTEP in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, Utah State has now won three-straight bowl games for the first time in school history. In 2013, USU posted a 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl and in 2012 it recorded a 41-15 win against Toledo in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Utah State played in its fourth-straight bowl game for the first time in school history and its 10th bowl game all-time this season with its appearance in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. Overall, USU is now 4-6 all-time in bowl game appearances. Utah State's other bowl win was in 1993 when it posted a 42-33 victory against Ball State in the Las Vegas Bowl II.
Utah State is one of just four Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs to win at least 30 games and record three bowl victories in the past three years joining Clemson, Michigan State and Oregon.

WELLS' 19 WINS MOST BY ANY AGGIE COACH IN HIS FIRST TWO YEARS
Utah State head coach Matt Wells already ranks as the 11th winningest coach in school history with his 19 wins, while his 67.9 winning percentage (19-9) ranks second all-time in school history with a minimum of 15 games coached following John Ralston (1959-62) who won 73.3 percent of his games (31-11-1). Furthermore, Wells' 19 wins is a school-record for a coach in his first two seasons, bettering the 15 wins Phil Krueger produced in 1973 and 1974.

UTAH STATE'S DEFENSE FINISHES THE SEASON NATIONALLY RANKED
Utah State's defense finished the 2014 season ranking among the top 30 defenses in the nation in 10 categories, including ranking first in the Mountain West and 12th in the nation in scoring defense at 19.7 points per game. USU also ranked first in the MW and fourth nationally in both sacks (3.57 pg) and tackles for loss (8.1 pg), second in the MW and eighth in the nation in passes intercepted (19), second in the MW and ninth in the nation in defensive touchdowns (5), second in the MW and 11th in the nation in turnovers forced (30), second in the MW and 17th nationally in passing efficiency defense (111.42), first in the MW and 24th in the nation in rushing defense (130.7 ypg), second in the MW and 25th in the nation in opponents third down conversion percentage (.358), and second in the MW and 30th nationally in total defense (356.1 ypg).

Zach Vigil SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR CAREER TACKLES FOR LOSS

Senior LB Zach Vigil finished his career with 43.5 tackles for loss, breaking the previous school record held by Jermaine Younger (1990-93) who had 43.0 career tackles for loss. Vigil also finished his career with 389 tackles to rank fifth all-time in school history.
Vigil finished his senior season with 156 tackles, which ranks third all-time in Mountain West history and fourth all-time in school history. Vigil also had 20.5 tackles for loss this season tying the Mountain West single-season record set a year ago.
Vigil finished the year ranked second in the Mountain West and seventh in the nation in tackles (11.1 pg), second in the MW and 13th in the nation in tackles for loss (1.46 pg), and tied for third in the MW and tied for 39th in the nation in sacks (0.64 pg).

A FINAL LOOK AT UTAH STATE
Utah State ended its 2014 season with a 10-4 record after posting a 21-6 win against UTEP in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. USU finished in third-place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 6-2 record. Offensively, USU was led by freshman QB Kent Myers who was 79-of-119 passing for 866 yards (123.7 ypg) with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Freshman RB LaJuan Hunt rushed for 540 yards on 111 carries (4.9 ypc) with one touchdown, and junior WR Hunter Sharp had 66 catches for 939 yards (14.2 ypr) with seven touchdowns. Defensively, senior LB Zach Vigil had a team-high 156 tackles, including 20.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks, while sophomore LB Nick Vigil had 123 tackles, including 16.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks. As a team, USU averaged 26.9 points and 378.8 yards of offense (198.7-passing, 180.1-rushing) and allowed 19.7 points and 356.1 yards of offense (225.4-passing, 130.7-rushing). All-time, USU has a 525-517-31 (.504) record in 117 seasons.

Read much more in the End of Season press release on the Athletics website or see the PDF below.

End of Season Release

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.