HONOLULU-The Utah State Aggies, who are ranked #18 in The Associated Press polls this week, ensue in their successful season by visiting Hawaii late Saturday evening.
The 7-1 Aggies are 4-0 in Mountain West play this season and face the 6-4 (3-2 in Mountain West play) Rainbow Warriors, having won the last four in the series as well as the last two at Aloha Stadium.
Utah State’s ranking is their first since the 2012 season and the Aggies are 4-1 all-time as a ranked team.
The Aggies are off to their best start since 1965 and are seeking to improve to 8-1 for the first time since 1963.
During the Aggies’ current seven-game winning streak, they are averaging 52 points and 489.5 yards per game. Additionally, they have converted 45.3 percent of their third downs and committed 11 turnovers.
The Aggies also surrender only 20 points and 337.6 yards per game and have forced 19 turnovers during this winning streak.
Overall, Utah State’s offense is 18th nationally in yards per game at 471.3 yards, tying them with Nebraska for that distinction.
Their 49.4 points per game is the third-best mark in the nation, trailing only Alabama and Houston.
Signal-caller Jordan Love continues to improve as well as in Saturday’s 61-19 win over New Mexico, he completed 25 of 34 passes for 448 yards and four touchdowns.
On the season, Love has passed for 2,058 yards, 18 touchdowns and just 4 INT’s while completing 64.5 percent of his passes.
The Aggies’ backfield is led by Darwin Thompson (80 car, 593 yards, 10 TD’s) and Gerold Bright (85 car, 513 yards, 4 TD’s).
Utah State’s receiving corps are led by Jalen Greene (26 rec, 420 yards, 3 TD’s) and Ron’quavion Tarver (37 rec, 417 yards, 5 TD’s).
The Aggies will face one of the nation’s best offenses as the Rainbow Warriors’ run-and-shoot attack is led by signal-caller Cole McDonald, who is third in the NFL in passing yards with 2,832 yards.
McDonald’s 314.7 passing yards per game is ninth-best in the nation and he is tied for a national-best 30 touchdown passes on the season with Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins.
His top receiver is John Urusua, who leads the nation with 14 scoring receptions on the season.
He also has 76 receptions for 1,083 yards, while he is second nationally in receiving yards. His 108.3 receiving yards per game ranks him 7th nationally.
This series dates back to 1927 while Utah State is 9-6 all-time against the Rainbow Warriors.