BSU going to make Aggie seniors blue
Oh, boy (sigh).
That’s what crosses my mind every time I glance at the schedule and see the USU football team’s next opponent.
Who is it?
The 2007 Fiesta Bowl champions.
A team on a seven-game winning streak and averaging more than 40 points per game along the way.
You guessed it, it’s the 19th-ranked Boise State Broncos-a team I believe is just a little better than the 14th-ranked Hawaii Warriors.
According to common sense and almost every statistical comparison, the Broncos are destined to destroy the USU football team Saturday at Romney Stadium.
The Aggies are 0-9 and have lost their last 15 games.
Oh, boy is right.
Maybe it’s the true Aggie in me. Maybe I just don’t get it. But with each new week and different Aggie opponent, something inside of me says, “What if? What if the Aggies win? There’s a chance. It could happen.” I admit I’ve had the feeling before every game-with the exception of Oklahoma-the Aggies could win. Now that I’ve compared myself to the two little boys on “Angels in the Outfield,” allow me to try and display my crazy optimism once again, but for this week’s game.
The primary question to be answered is: Do the Aggies have even a microscopic shot at downing the Broncos?
Microscopic, yes. Realistic, no. In other words, it’s about the same odds of getting rain when the weatherman says there is a 10 percent chance of showers.
In contemplating the odds for an Aggie win, it’s necessary to discuss what it would mean against such a prestigious opponent. Considering the agony and struggles this USU squad has endured for the past three years, it would be one of the top five upsets in college football this year. It would immediately knock the Broncos out of the Top 25 and thwart their shot at the Bowl Championship Series.
Aside being bad for the Broncos, an Aggie win would be the exact jump-start USU needs to be able to reach its full potential.
Why go to the game?
First of all, it’s a golden chance to see a hot Bronco team that could make the BCS for a a second year in a row if they win the remainder of their games.
Second, don’t worry about the outcome. It’s Senior Day. That means it will be the final game played in an Aggie uniform in Romney Stadium for wide receiver Kevin Robinson, quarterback Leon Jackson III, 335-pound offensive guard Pace Jorgensen, defensive lineman Frank Maile, defensive end Carl Singleton, tailback Aaron Lesue and 10 others.
Robinson now holds the school record for all-purpose yards. He’s also only eight receptions and six touchdowns away from being the all-time leader in those two categories.
No matter what you might think, Jackson is among the top 10 quarterbacks in Aggie history. He ranks second in the Aggie record books in all-time completion percentage (.578). Jackson is also seventh in pass completions, eighth in total offense and ninth in passing yardage and attempts.
Jorgensen has made 35 career starts and has been the highlight of the Aggie o-line.
“It’s been a tough four years for my senior class,” Robinson said Monday. “We’ve been through pretty much everything possible. Two head coaches, all sorts of offensive coordinators, defensive coordinators, everybody. We’ve been through it all. I’m one of those people that no matter where I go, I’m going to stick it out through the end, no matter what happens and no matter what changes go on. That’s just the kind of person I am.”
That’s a great summation by one of the Aggies’ best players. I have worried about give-up-itis hitting this team hard with so much opposition, and it will be a shame if this game isn’t competitive for at least three quarters. A senior class that has been through so much deserves to go out on something better than a blowout.
Theoretically, the Aggies should be able to make it a game. They came close to both Hawaii (52-37) and Nevada (31-28). Nevada went four overtimes before losing to the Broncos, 69-67, in Boise.
This USU senior class contains players worthy of watching in person at least one more time, regardless the outcome of the game.