Utah State looks to carry progress into Pac-12 opener against Boise State
Sep 28, 2026, 7:18 PM
The Utah State Aggies are looking ahead to their week 5 opponent: the Boise State Broncos.(Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
LOGAN – A win brought a lighter mood to Utah State’s Monday meetings. Now the Aggies want to make sure the progress that produced it lasts longer than the good vibes.
“So fun to see smiles and optimism and hope that always follow a win,” coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “Plenty to work on, but encouraged and really anxious to get into our Pac-12 schedule and to play more football.”
The challenge this week is turning improvement against Troy into something USU can build on against Boise State.
RELATED: Taggart’s return sparks Utah State in Homecoming win over Troy
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More consistent blocking, an offense finding explosive plays, and a defense generating turnovers gave the Aggies reasons to be optimistic.
Saturday’s Pac-12 opener will test whether those gains carry over into conference play — and whether Utah State can clean up the interceptions and penalties that still threaten to undermine them.
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An offense finding its footing
For Mendenhall, the offensive improvement wasn’t the result of one adjustment. It came from more consistent execution, a clearer understanding of his personnel, and a scheme better suited to those players.
That started up front against an aggressive Troy defense.
“We were more consistent. We were more sound,” Mendenhall said. “We were more, I think, coordinated and just performed at a higher level in relation to what that defense posed and the unique challenges.”
Wide receiver Javon Robinson noticed something else: Players were enjoying each other’s successes.
“We started to come a little closer, celebrating the little things,” Robinson said.
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The next step is making those encouraging stretches repeatable.
Robinson said the offense can produce more explosive plays, but the path starts with taking what the defense allows rather than forcing opportunities.
Quarterback Grady’s development is another piece of that equation. After three weeks as the starter, Mendenhall sees a player benefiting from the repetition.
“I think Grady just continues to get more confident and more poised and perform at a higher level,” Mendenhall said.
Robinson offered a more personal endorsement, pointing to the quarterback’s response after another interception against Troy.
“He’s become the leader. He’s not letting the past disrupt the future,” Robinson said.
Confidence meets a physical challenge
Utah State’s defense has its own progress to carry forward after forcing three turnovers against Troy.
Cornerback Markie Grant credited the secondary’s practice habits and the players’ willingness to challenge one another.
“I think we got dogs in the back end,” Grant said. “We go hard every day at practice, so I think that really helped us a lot. Like, we really push each other.”
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Rewind our Homecoming weekend victory! 🏠🤘 pic.twitter.com/pbMtf0LC8V
— USU Football (@USUFootball) September 28, 2026
Grant isn’t looking for opponents to avoid him, either.
“It’s a target on my back, but it’s what I wanted,” he said. “I want them to come my way. I want to make plays, so I’m grateful for it.”
Against Boise State, that confidence will need discipline. Mendenhall described the Broncos’ running backs as physical, dynamic runners who can win with both speed and power. Their play-action attack remains a concern even when it isn’t producing big gains.
Grant’s approach is straightforward.
“Just eyes and discipline really,” he said. “And be physical when your opportunity to show up. That’s all you can do.”
Progress doesn’t erase the mistakes
The win gave the team evidence of improvement, not permission to overlook its problems.
Asked about the interceptions that have persisted in the passing game, Mendenhall acknowledged the work hasn’t produced the necessary results yet.
“Yeah, we’re working on it. Clearly hasn’t been addressed to the level needed yet,” he said. “Eventually the results will show.”
Penalties remain another concern. Mendenhall said attempts to vary the snap count and disrupt Troy’s defense instead caused miscues among some of Utah State’s most experienced players.
“And it was at home,” he said. “So all those things were uncharacteristic. I didn’t see it coming. And so now we have to address it.”
Those details matter against a program that left Mendenhall thinking about missed opportunities after last season’s meeting. He pointed to two unsuccessful fourth-down plays as pivotal moments in that matchup.
The Aggies don’t need much convincing that a few snaps can swing a game against Boise State.
A fresh start, with something to build on
The win also carried an emotional lift from Harrison Taggart’s surprise appearance.
Robinson recalled seeing Taggart at halftime with Utah State down three points. His presence gave Robinson the motivation he needed.
“He made it here to see us win,” Robinson said. “So let’s put on a show for him.”
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Now the Aggies have a different opportunity to rally around: the beginning of their first Pac-12 conference schedule.
“Every Pac-12 team is zero and zero,” Mendenhall said.
That reset doesn’t erase the lessons of non-conference play. It gives Utah State a chance to put them to use, with the improvement against Troy serving as a starting point rather than a finished product.
“One of the coolest things to be part of a conference is the goal for every team is to win the conference championship,” Mendenhall said. “And really that starts Saturday.”
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Utah State travels north to face No. 22 Boise State on Saturday, October 3. Kickoff from Albertsons Stadium is 5:30 p.m. MT.
Find Utah State football’s entire 2026 schedule here.
Find the entire 2026 Pac-12 schedule here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in the NFL, Locals in MLB, and the Utah State Aggies. Follow Brian’s coverage here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
Parts of this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team.
