USU already set for tough non-conference schedule
No more than four opponents on the team’s non-conference schedule have been revealed but its abundantly clear that Utah State is not shying away from playing tough competition in Craig Smith’s second year as the men’s basketball head coach.
Already, the task of once again winning the regular season and conference tournament titles is a tall one for the Aggies. But by the time the reigning MW champs play their first conference game — Dec. 4 at San Jose State — they will have faced three NCAA Tournament teams from 2018-19 and another formidable foe on top of that.
On Friday, college basketball insider Jon Rothstein reported that Utah State will face Florida in the 2019 Orange Bowl Classic on Dec. 21. That even will also feature a matchup between Florida State and South Florida. These come just over a week after Rothstein revealed that USU will face LSU and North Texas in the 2019 Jamaica Classic (the participants in the showcase were known since May, but the matchups were not) and that the Aggies will travel to Moraga, CA to face Saint Mary’s as part of a home-and-home series.
Sources: Florida State will play South Florida and Florida will face Utah State in the 2019 Orange Bowl Classic. Doubleheader is set for December 21st.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 26, 2019
LSU, Florida and Saint Mary’s each made the NCAA Tournament this past season. The three teams combined to go 70-35 on the season with LSU ending the season as the No. 12 team in the country according to the AP poll. The Tigers won the SEC regular season title but lost to Florida in the conference tournament. However, LSU went further than any SEC team other than Auburn by getting to the Sweet 16.
Florida made it to the SEC conference tournament final, though it lost to Auburn in that game. But the Gators did pull off an upset as a 10 seed against Nevada in its first March Madness game. Saint Mary’s lost its opening round game against Villanova but shocked the college basketball world on its path to the Big Dance when it down then-top ranked Gonzaga in the WCC conference tournament final, holding the most prolific offense in the country to just 47 points in a 60-47 win.
North Texas, the only other known out-of-conference opponent for the Aggies, did not participate on March’s biggest stage, but have posted back-to-back 20-win seasons under Grant McCasland, who will be in his third season coaching the Mean Green in 2019-20.
Utah State’s non-conference slate last season wound up having four teams that appeared in the NCAA Tournament: Saint Mary’s, UC Irvine, Houston and Arizona State. The Aggies went 2-2 against those four teams, playing all of those contests away from Logan (three true road games and one at a neutral site).
Thank you, Coach Smith, for all you’ve accomplished and importantly your role in the new tough non-conference scheduling. I grew up in Logan and was fortunate as a kid to begin attending Aggie football and basketball games from 1958 to 1975. I remember as a kid the thrill of getting the autographs of many Aggie greats; i.e., Merlin Olsen, Len Rhode, Altie Taylor, Cornell Green, Wayne Estes, Coach Ladell Andersen, and many, many more. I rarely missed a game. I used to keep those autographs, game programs, and newspaper clippings for years. I have attended Aggie games on occasion since and have watched just about every game that was broadcast on TV. I have listened to almost every Aggie game on the road or at home, mostly on the radio. I remember the great broadcasters from Karl Klagas to Al Lewis. Their great talents in broadcasting made you feel like you were actually there! We have not seen this degree of basketball scheduling since the days of Coach Ladell Andersen’s tenure, 1960-71. Many coaches prior to your arrival made all kinds of excuses to avoid scheduling tough non-conference teams. USU must play tough teams for the team to get respect and obtain a high RSI. Gonzaga has had a tough non-conference schedule for years. Great teams simply cannot shy away from this if you want to ultimately be respected. Additionally, it ultimately helps the Aggies get into the NCAA tournament with higher seeds. It will also help Coach Smith and his assistant coaches recruit quality tier-one players as those potential recruits know Utah State is a basketball perennial powerhouse! The Aggies now need more Jim Laub’s, Mike Parsons, etc. and businesses to support Aggie basketball and football. Great programs must have great supporters. Make sure you get your season tickets for both football and basketball. I’m excited about the upcoming football and basketball seasons. I’m sure football coach Gary Andersen will do the same for Aggie football. Boise State – we respect what you’ve done for years. But step aside. There’s a new football powerhouse in the MWC. The Utah State Aggies will soon be the dominant force in the MWC. I believe the Aggie football team has the talent to go undefeated this season. Teams like LSU will be overlooking the Aggies. No more annual slaughters when the Aggies play a top ten team. In a few years, Merlin Olsen Field and the Aggies will be host each season to a couple of teams fans never believed possible to see in Logan. Get your season tickets so you’ll have good seats. If you have the financial means, support the Aggies Big Blue Club. Great basketball and football programs have great community support and alumni donors. Get your tickets now and plan to attend the games no matter where you live. No reason anymore for the Aggies to be considered second fiddle to the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars, Fresno State, and Boise State. Soon and very soon the Utes and Cougars will be begging to play the Aggies home and away each season. Soon and very soon, the BYU Cougars will be begging the MWC for admission. There will no longer be any advantage or excuses not to be in the MWC.
Most of all thank you to those who had the vision to hire great football and basketball coaches. From USU School Presidents, the Board of Trustees, AD’s with vision and no fear, powerful Aggie supporters and Big Blue Club members. Thank you for the great coaches we have been fortunate to have throughout the years. Many left for greener pastures. Most regretted it later. However, I believe there’s been a paradigm shift. The Utah State Aggies are no longer going to be a trivial team you could stomp all over. The Utah State Aggies are now the basketball and football powerhouse of the MWC, State of Utah, and west of the Mississippi River. We’ll be playing annually in the NCAA basketball tournaments. A top ten team each season. The football program will be feared and respected. The Aggies will shake up the selection process for who’ll play for the National Championship. Alabama, Clemson, Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan, etc. Why not Utah State? BELIEVE!
Dennis Hendrixson – Laurel, MD – USU Alumni 1970-75