Former UCLA Special Teamer Becoming Focal Point Of Utah State Football Passing Game
Sep 16, 2025, 3:30 PM
Former Utah State wide receiver Braden Pegan is expected to join the Utah Utes for the 2026 season. (Photo by Joe Buvid/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Buvid/Getty Images)
LOGAN, Utah – Former UCLA Bruin Braden Pegan has earned a chance to contribute with Utah State football, and is taking full advantage 12 quarters into his Aggie career.
Pegan set career-highs with seven catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-30 win over Air Force to begin Mountain West Conference play.
“It was fun,” Pegan said when asked about his career night. “I credit it to my teammates. Helping me out during practice, helping me get better every day. It’s been fun. The offense is getting better and better every week, and it’s exciting.”
RELATED: How To Watch, Stream, & Listen To Utah State Football Vs. McNeese
Peep the Braden x Brady celly at the end 👀
📺 @FS1 pic.twitter.com/Lf3hkZmxbX
— USU Football (@USUFootball) September 14, 2025
Pegan’s first touchdown was on a busted coverage, showcasing his speed.
His second score came after a Bryson Barnes rollout and nullified two Air Force penalties, including a pass interference call that nearly knocked him out of the play.
Have a day BP! Braden Pegan with ANOTHA ONE for 6⃣!
📺 @FS1 pic.twitter.com/gZX8n696K7
— USU Football (@USUFootball) September 14, 2025
Utah State doesn’t return any production from its 2024 wide receiver room, meaning a leadership void will inevitably be filled. Through three games, Pegan is getting the job done.
He leads the team with 14 catches, 208 yards, and three touchdowns this season. Pegan and Miles Davis are the only Aggies with multiple touchdown grabs.
“It’s not an easy thing,” Pegan said of building the WR room from scratch. “We’re all different guys from different colleges. We’ve just got a lot of great guys surrounding us.”
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About USU’s Braden Pegan
Pegan was considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com after a standout career with San Juan Hills High School.
The San Juan Capistrano, California native caught 72 passes for 971 yards and 14 touchdowns as a prep senior.
RELATED: Bryson Barnes Earns Mountain West Honor
Newcomer Braden Pegan is excited for the season to start and says USU’s secondary is helping the wide receiver room get better every day pic.twitter.com/5tSKMWJKtc
— Eric Frandsen (@efrandsen) August 5, 2025
Pegan signed with UCLA out of high school but never got the chance to make a significant impact on the football field.
After playing four games on special teams as a freshman in 2022, Pegan made his first and only career start in the 2023 LA Bowl against Boise State.
Pegan recorded the only catch of his career that season in a game against the Cal Bears.
He did not play in 2024.
Utah State Aggies 2025 Schedule (2-1, 0-0)
- UTEP Miners vs. Utah State Aggies | W 28-16
- Utah State Aggies @ Texas A&M Aggies | L 44-22
- Air Force Falcons vs. Utah State Aggies | W 49-30
- Saturday, September 20 – McNeese State Cowboys vs. Utah State Aggies | 6 p.m. MT
- Saturday, September 27 – Utah State Aggies @ Vanderbilt Commodores | 10:45 a.m. MT
- BYE
- Saturday, October 11 – Utah State Aggies @ Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors | 10 p.m. MT
- Friday, October 17 – San Jose State Spartans @ Utah State Aggies | 7 p.m. MT
- Saturday, October 25 – Utah State Aggies @ New Mexico Lobos | 1 p.m. MT
- Saturday, November 8 – Nevada Wolfpack @ Utah State Aggies | 5:30 p.m. MT
- Saturday, November 15 – Utah State Aggies @ UNLV Rebels | 5 p.m. MT
- Saturday, November 22 – Utah State Aggies @ Fresno State Bulldogs | 8:30 p.m. MT
- Friday, November 28 – Boise State Broncos @ Utah State Aggies | 2 p.m. MT
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Listen to USU football games on KSL Sports Zone with Scott Garrard and former Aggie QB Kevin White on the call.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
