UTAH STATE AT A GLANCE

Coach: Matt Wells (5th year, 28-25). Last season: 3-9 overall, 1-7 MWC (6th Mountain Division). Preseason prediction: 6th MWC West. On Orlando Sentinel Countdown: 117th nationally, 11th MWC. Returning starters: 6 offense, 8 defense, 2 special teams. Series vs. UNM: Lobos lead, 13-10.

Key players: Kent Myers, sr. QB, 6-0, 205; Tonny Lindsey, sr. RB, 5-9, 195; Ron’quavion Tarver, jr. WR, 6-3, 215; Dallin Leavitt, sr. S, 5-10, 205; Alex Huerta, sr. LB, 6-3, 235; Preston Brooksby, sr. OL, 6-5, 290.

Major question marks: The Aggies lost two all-conference linemen and their top three tacklers from a 3-9 team. Is there enough talent returning and incoming to have a better outcome this time around? Do the past two losing seasons constitute a hiccup for a program with recent success, or is this historically poor-to-mediocre program reverting to type?

Aggie factoid: Among the Aggies’ 16 losses the past two years, those to New Mexico have been perhaps the most agonizing. Before last year’s 24-21 loss, in which a disputed offensive pass interference penalty nullified what would have been the winning USU touchdown with

16 seconds left in the game, the Aggies lost 14-13 in Albuquerque when a 41-yard USU field-goal attempt was wide right with 59 seconds remaining.

Quotable: “Last season hurt. You assess it and make some changes. We’ve done that and we worked hard to not let that happen again. I think the resolve and competitiveness of our players will shine through this year.” — Wells, to the Salt Lake Tribune.

2017 Schedule

(All times MT. x-MWC games). Sept. 1 at Wisconsin 7 p.m. Sept. 7 Idaho State 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at Wake Forest 1 p.m. Sept. 23 x-at San Jose State 5:30 p.m. Sept. 29 BYU 6 p.m. Oct. 7 x-Colorado State 8:30 p.m. Oct. 14 x-Wyoming 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21 x-at UNLV 4 p.m. Oct. 28 x-Boise State 8 p.m. Nov. 4 x-at New Mexico 3:30 p.m. Nov. 18 x-Hawaii TBA Nov. 25 x-at Air Force TBA