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LOGAN — The Aggies (1-4) are not off to the start they had hoped.
Losers of their last four, all while giving up 38 or more points to each of its opponents, it doesn't get easier this week as the Aggies take on previously ranked UNLV.
Though the story of former UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka put conference championship aspirations on hold, the Rebels have found success under new quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams.
How can the Aggies get back in the win column against UNLV?
Contain the quarterback
Williams is a great quarterback on the run. Through three games, Williams has rushed for 260 yards on 34 carries. Not only is he lethal with his legs, he is deadly accurate with the ball, with just seven incompletions in 41 attempts. The sixth-year senior, who spent five seasons at Campbell, has always been a running quarterback but found a new gear at UNLV.
Utah State has to be efficient in containing the quarterback run, but they also have to respect the passing game.
Saying the Aggies have struggled on defense this year is an understatement, being outscored 193-80 in losses. They will need to play the best defensive game of the season to take down Williams and UNLV.
Get the ball to the best players
Running back Rahsul Faison has taken a new stride after Robert Briggs Jr. went down with a season-ending injury. Faison has 504 rushing yards, with a 5.4 average, to lead the Aggies. The next closest back is Herschel Turner with 133 yards.
The other playmaker who needs the ball more is Jalen Royals, who caught 71 passes for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns for Utah State last year and was pivotal in their offense. While Royals is still producing well, getting the ball in his hands will allow the Aggies to get results like this:
Jalen Royals is GONE!!! 😎 @USUFootballpic.twitter.com/jS0sMmXBEy
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 6, 2024
Royals' elite speed and change of direction will keep any defense guessing.
Don't fall behind early
The Aggies have done well when keeping games close this season. They were within one score of then-No. 12 Utah heading into the fourth quarter before Utah pulled away.
But in three different games this year, Utah State has dug themselves a hole that is too deep to climb out of.
They allowed Boise State to mount a 49-14 lead in the first half, USC was up 27-0 over the Aggies through two quarters, and even Temple pulled away early in the third quarter.
The Rebels pulled away against Kansas, scored 38 second-half points against Fresno State, and have put up 21 or more points in three different quarters this season.
Not letting UNLV take a big lead early will allow the Aggies to keep the home-faithful crowd in the game, keep the energy flowing, and potentially overcome a 19-point spread against UNLV.
While the keys to the game may sound simple, it will be crucial for the Aggies to succeed in those three aspects. Aggies and Rebels will kickoff for one of the last times as members of the Mountain West Conference at Maverik Stadium on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. MDT on CBSSN.
