Utah State emerges from bye week healthier, hungry for Texas State
Oct 20, 2026, 3:37 PM
The Utah State Aggies are looking forward to facing Texas State on Saturday, October 24. (Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)
LOGAN – Utah State needed a breather. Now the Aggies want to make it count.
After rallying past Washington State for their first Pac-12 win, the Aggies face the test of whether they can make their progress consistent.
The bye gave USU time to recover, evaluate its shortcomings, and sharpen its preparation. Now, against a fast, physical Texas State team, the Aggies need to turn that reset into faster starts, finished drives, and four quarters of dependable defense.
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For coach Bronco Mendenhall, the break offered more than extra preparation time.
“I think I’ll have a motivated, excited, and eager team for the stretch run with many of their goals still available,” Mendenhall said Monday.
Utah State entered the bye with something to build on, erasing a 13-point halftime deficit for its first Pac-12 victory. The comeback delivered a win, but it also left the Aggies with work to do.
The week offered a chance to address that work while tending to a roster feeling the cumulative effects of a long, punishing season.
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A timely reset
Utah State entered the bye after erasing a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Washington State 17-16. The comeback gave the Aggies momentum, but the narrow margin underscored how much room remained for improvement.
Reaching the midpoint also took a physical toll.
Mendenhall said Utah State had begun changing practices before its previous two games to account for the toll of preparation and play. He said the bye came at a “critical time.”
“We anticipate three, maybe four players back for this week, which will be great. And at positions of need,” Mendenhall said.
He declined to identify those players, leaving their potential returns for the injury report. Still, the prospect of replenishing depleted positions adds to the optimism surrounding the Aggies’ return.
Safety Brevin Hamblin said the team approached the week focused on recovery and preparation.
“Getting our bodies back, but still, preparing us for the next week, like our game against Texas State,” Hamblin said.
Dear Offenses,
Beware of @CarsonTujague & @TyreeMorris12.
Sincerely,
The Mob 〽️ https://t.co/6rtj7sONID— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 13, 2026
Running back Javen Jacobs described a similar balance on offense. Players kept putting in extra film work and building their understanding with the quarterback while getting their bodies ready for the rest of the schedule.
Mendenhall welcomed the mental break, too. Time away from coaches — and time for staff members to step away from one another — offered a chance to renew the team’s appetite for practice and competition.
The next question is whether that renewed energy produces cleaner execution.
Bring the best defense from the opening snap
Texas State gives Utah State little room to ease back into the season.
“They play really fast. They score a lot of points. Super aggressive, really well coached,” Mendenhall said.
He cautioned against viewing the Bobcats’ spread offense as simply a passing attack. Their running game is physical, their backs are difficult to tackle, and their quarterback (Brad Jackson) can create problems with his arm or legs.
Running back Torrance Burgess Jr. leads the Pac-12 with 838 rushing yards, averaging just under 140 yards per game. The Bobcats lead the league with 16 rushing touchdowns this season, five of them from Burgess Jr.
Recap our PAC-12 After Dark win last week! 🎥 https://t.co/iY2ygztWXh
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 13, 2026
Hamblin sees that challenge as a reason to be eager, not apprehensive.
“I feel like it was kind of exciting because it just gives us an even bigger challenge to prepare for this coming Saturday, to hold on to our pillars and to do what we have to do on defense to win this game,” he said.
Wrapping up tackles and limiting explosive plays will be essential. So will finding the Aggies’ defensive rhythm before halftime.
Hamblin pointed to Utah State’s strong second-half performances as evidence of the unit’s potential. The goal now is to make that standard evident from the opening possession.
“Something that we’re focusing on is coming out, in the start of the game with that dominant performance,” Hamblin said. “Holding teams, getting off the field quick, giving the ball back to our offense.”
Finish the opportunities
Jacobs wants the offense to start faster, too.
Utah State has shown signs of improvement, but he said its next step is capitalizing on early possessions and converting red-zone chances into points.
“Coming up empty-handed in the red zone too many times all season has been a problem that we are continuing to address,” Jacobs said.
Better ball security helps. So does an offensive line that Jacobs said has made gains in recent weeks. But those improvements need to translate into sustained drives and scoring opportunities that do not slip away.
.@_JavenJacobs PUNCHES IT IN FOR THE LEAD!
#ShowMe | @TheCW_Sports https://t.co/DMgZfkT3JF
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 10, 2026
He said Texas State’s defense flies to the ball, plays hard, and tackles well. Jacobs sees the matchup as a chance for Utah State’s offense to prove what it can become.
The first half of the season provided lessons. He does not want it to define the second.
“I’m excited. I’m optimistic,” Jacobs said. “I think that there’s a lot of opportunity for this team in front of us, and we have a chance to do something special.”
The bye gave Utah State breathing room, but Saturday will demand more than fresh legs. The Aggies need their defense to set the tone early and their offense to finish the chances it creates. That is how a timely break becomes more than recovery, and how a team that has shown it can rally begins to show it can take control.
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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.
