Previewing Utah State football vs. Idaho State
Sep 5, 2026, 10:07 AM | Updated: 10:26 am
LOGAN –Utah State opens the second chapter of the Bronco Mendenhall era Saturday when it hosts Idaho State at Maverik Stadium.
Mendenhall ran closed practices throughout the spring and fall, shielding a roster reshaped by transfers and position changes from public view. The secrecy has built intrigue around a program entering its first season as a Pac-12 member, but it also means Saturday’s 5 p.m. kickoff doubles as a reveal — the first honest look at what the Aggies’ retooled roster can do.
Despite being an FCS team, Idaho State’s dismantling of VMI in Week 0 proves Utah State can ill afford to overlook its opponent Saturday.
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Aggie Nation, It’s finally GAMEDAY!!🤘🐄
🆚 Idaho State
⏰ 5:00 PM (Gates open at 3:30)
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McCae Hillstead is back in Aggie blue after two seasons on the BYU sidelines, where he developed and physically matured behind starters Jake Retzlaff and Bear Bachmeier. Saturday’s start under center will be the first season opener of Hillstead’s collegiate career.
Running back Javen Jacobs gives him a reliable outlet, but question marks abound at the receiver and tight end spots, where a host of transfers, developing players and quarterback-turned-receiver Anthony Garcia are all looking to make a mark.
“They’ve got some pretty good athletes that, when you get them in open space, have the ability to take off and take the play to the house,” Bengals defensive coordinator Grant Duff said at Idaho State’s weekly news conference. “Up front, they’re gonna be big and have size. We’ve gotta be able to attack all those different things and build in the mindset with our guys that we’ve got the solutions to be able to keep what they do corralled.”
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Idaho State crushes VMI
Five different players carried the football four or more times, but Idaho State built its Week 0 success through the passing game. A 28-point third-quarter explosion helped the Bengals roll to a 38-10 victory.
Fifth-year senior QB Jordan Cooke lit up VMI for 325 yards and four touchdowns on 18 of 29 passes (62.1%). Fifth-year wideout Julian Mason caught a team-high eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, while senior WR Eli Aragon-Cruz added seven grabs for a team-high 97 yards and a TD.
Former Timpview standout Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio showcased his breakaway speed with an 83-yard catch-and-run TD, the longest of his career and the fifth-longest play from scrimmage in Bengal history. WR Chedon James added a 49-yard TD reception.
Seven Bengals caught a pass, displaying depth at the skill positions. The quick-strike attack produced three touchdowns of 38 yards or more, giving Utah State’s defense plenty to consider in its Week 1 preparations.
Aggie Nation & @usuhurd, we need you at The Mav tomorrow! Gates open at 3:30pm!! 🤘
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— USU Football (@USUFootball) September 5, 2026
“This is probably the deepest receiver room we’ve had since I’ve been here,” head coach Cody Hawkins said. “I think we probably have eight guys capable of starting games for us and producing. Juice is consistent and reliable and brings a ton of energy, and Zed is a legitimate burner — he’s probably the fastest guy we’ve had since we’ve been here.”
ISU’s defense held its own, too. The Bengals limited VMI to 240 yards of total offense and forced three fumbles, recovering one. Idaho State’s special teams unit added a punt block returned for a touchdown during the third-quarter onslaught.
Looking ahead
But VMI is not Utah State, and the Bengals know it.
Cooke and his receivers will face a longer, more physical Aggie front, and Mendenhall’s defense — even shrouded in offseason mystery — figures to present a different caliber of challenge.
The real question Saturday isn’t whether Utah State wins. It’s how much Mendenhall is willing to show before Pac-12 play begins — and whether Hillstead and a retooled roster can reward the faith placed in them when the lights come on at Maverik Stadium.
Week 1 | Utah State Aggies vs. Idaho State Bengals
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Venue: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
Location: Logan, Utah
Kickoff: 5 p.m. MT
Despite Utah State’s up-and-down history as a successful program, the Aggies have dominated ISU over the years in one of their oldest rivalries.
USU is 19-2 all-time against their neighbors to the north, and 16-1 at home, riding a six-game winning streak in the series. The Bengals haven’t won in Logan since 2000.
What channel is Utah State football on?
The USU football game against Idaho State is available on CBS Sports Network.
Listen to the Utah State Aggies on KSL Sports Zone
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| Mobile | KSL Sports app |
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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.
Parts of this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team.
