‘I’ve sensed it building’: Utah State eyes another step against Fresno State
Nov 3, 2026, 1:07 PM
Recapping Utah State football's Week 10 press conference before hosting Fresno State at Maverik Stadium on Saturday, November 7. (Photo courtesy of Utah State athletics)
(Photo courtesy of Utah State athletics)
LOGAN – Utah State’s win over Colorado State proved its offense was finding a rhythm and its defense was cultivating a disruptive identity.
Now comes the next test: carrying those improvements into Saturday’s home game against the Fresno State Bulldogs.
For coach Bronco Mendenhall, the challenge isn’t proving that one productive afternoon was more than a favorable matchup. It’s continuing a progression he believes began before the Aggies’ latest victory.
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“Sometimes it just takes time and discovery to craft plans and get the right people together and have the execution reach the level necessary,” Mendenhall said during the team’s Week 10 media availability. “But I’ve seen that now for three. Not just last game, but for three weeks. I’ve just kind of sensed it building.”
The Aggies enter the Nov. 7 matchup at 3-5, facing a Fresno State team coming off a win over Oregon State. Utah State sees an opportunity to build momentum entering the final month of the season, but doing so requires the same ingredients that helped against Colorado State: offensive efficiency, ball security and timely defensive takeaways.
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Building on the offensive breakthrough
Mendenhall acknowledged that Colorado State’s struggling defense helped explain Utah State’s performance. He also made clear that the opponent’s shortcomings should not erase USU’s progress.
“We know that Colorado State’s defense had been struggling. And so there’s a contextual point,” Mendenhall said. “But there is also still, you have to execute and you have to do it. And we did. I thought it was our best game of the year.”
That assessment came while discussing an offensive line whose development has been gradual. Against CSU, Mendenhall saw improvement in both pass protection and running the ball.
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The ground game also benefited from a deliberate effort to incorporate different running styles.
“That was a focus of the week, and we thought we had to run it more effectively. We thought we also had to run it differently,” Mendenhall said.
Using multiple backs alongside the quarterback gave the Aggies different ways to attack. Six different USU players carried the ball at least once, not including McCae Hillstead’s 11 rushing attempts for 79 yards and a touchdown.
The next step is making that approach effective against a Bulldog defense Mendenhall praised for generating pressure and keeping Oregon State off balance.
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Wide receiver Anthony Garcia said Utah State’s focus remains on its own execution, even with a different level of defensive challenge ahead.
“I think we just got to continue to protect the ball and score when opportunities are there in the red zone and stay efficient,” Garcia said.
Finishing those opportunities with touchdowns is particularly important.
Mendenhall pointed to Fresno State’s red-zone stops against Oregon State as a key part of the Bulldogs’ victory, making Utah State’s ability to finish drives central to Saturday’s matchup.
Winning the turnover battle
Utah State’s offensive and defensive improvement starts with possession.
The Aggies avoided turnovers against Colorado State while producing two defensive takeaways. Mendenhall sees that combination as essential in conference games where small margins can decide the outcome.
“So we’re creating more, and also we’re giving up fewer. That’s allowing momentum to happen,” Mendenhall said.
For linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr., repeating that success begins on the practice field. Attacking passes and working to dislodge the ball are habits the defense intends to carry into Saturday.
“Again, it starts with practice, the habits that we’re training,” Olevao said. “That’s going to be an emphasis this week against Fresno, getting after the quarterback, punching the ball out in any way that we can to help play complementary football with our offense as well.”
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Olevao said the defense’s growth also reflects an increasingly consistent commitment to effort, physicality and trust. Even as injuries have forced personnel changes, the expectations have remained intact.
“It’s that next man up mentality,” Olevao said. “Doesn’t matter who’s out there, whether you’re a receiver, whether you’re a linebacker or a D-lineman, is that the standard doesn’t change.”
That belief extends beyond the defense. Garcia said the team’s offseason bond has helped keep players engaged despite a record that has fallen short of their expectations.
“You go in the locker room, you’ll feel that there’s joy, there’s excitement,” Garcia said. “Like, we want to win. We want to finish this season strong.”
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Saturday offers a chance to show that the Colorado State win was a step forward rather than a one-week breakthrough. Mendenhall expects a physical, confident opponent, and believes the Aggies can meet that challenge.
“I like the matchup. I think they’re tough. I think they’re physical. I think they’re well coached,” Mendenhall said. “I think they’re confident defensively. But I think we are too.”
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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.
