COLUMN: Remember the Aggie football team?
Remember the Utah State football team.
Many might have written the Aggies off by now, but I don’t think so. The Aggies started the season 0-5, but since then they’ve won three straight.
Three straight wins take a lot when you know the chance of getting a bowl bid is zero. How does a team keep playing hard when they don’t even have a conference championship to play for? Our players have heart, that’s why. They’ve played ball for the love of the game and the love of winning.
Emmett White hasn’t let up an inch and still leads the nation in all-purpose yardage. He’s also been suffering from other nagging injuries and running so much, but he keeps on playing.
This Saturday will be the last time he’ll play in front of the home crowd along with Ryan Duncan, Tony Newson, John Roberts, Jess Schuck, Joe Solosabal, Tony Walker, third-year player Tyler Olsen and junior college transfers Nathan Barber, Scott Collins, Eric Gwilliam, Nick Onaindia, Ed Powell, Marshall Sanders, J.R. Suguturaga and Jim Walker.
Kevin Curtis has certainly not slowed any. All the teams are still trying to figure out how to stop him as he’s still averaging 9.57 receptions per game, tops in the nation.
The Aggies have lost some big games, but they’re also playing against some of the best teams in the country. They’ve played against three ranked teams and they still have to face Fresno State in December.
What is the difference between a team at the bottom of the Mountain West Conference with a 2-7 record and the 10-0 BYU Cougars? Apparently, the difference is one batted down pass. The fact is, games turn on small hinges no matter how much effort these guys have put into the season.
Central Florida learned a little lesson here in Logan, even though they were supposed to have one of the best defenses in the nation. It didn’t take too much for Utah State to score the needed 30 points and get the win.
Connecticut has felt that effort when the Aggies exploded with a touchdown from Jose Fuentes to Casey Poppinga after only two minutes had run off the clock. They built a 38-10 lead into the third quarter until Connecticut woke up.
Expect another win this weekend and more through the rest of the season. The Aggies have always shone in November with a 23-11 record since 1990. By the end of the season, the Aggies could be 6-5 with a winning record.
I say hats off to the Aggies. There may be a lot of hype about some other game this Saturday, but I hope no Utah State alumni dare stray south to Provo when we’ve got all we need in first class football right here in Logan. There’s 16 Aggie players that won’t set foot on this field again. I’ll be there to watch a win streak extended to four.
Ryan Malnar is a junior majoring inLiberal Arts. Commentsfor Ryan can be sent toRdean28@yahoo.com