Utah State is one of 130 FBS teams and has played a lot of different schools for over a century. However, there are several schools that the Aggies have never played. Just recently the Aggies scheduled a game with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2024 which will be the first matchup between the two teams.
There are 50 FBS teams that USU has never played. Today we look at 5 new teams the Aggies should look at scheduling for the first time. So far there are no teams scheduled for 2025 or 2026 so it will be interesting to see who the Aggies get on the schedule those years.
Michigan: Nothing is bigger than the Big House in terms of stadium capacity. The Utes enjoyed success over Michigan in a 2015 matchup at Rice Eccles Stadium and BYU lost 31-0 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While it would certainly be a tough game for the Aggies, it would be a good chance to get a big payout and allow student athletes and fans to travel to one of the more famous venues in college football history.
Ohio State: While we are exploring Big 10 teams out east that the Aggies have never played, why not take a look at one of the most successful teams in the country? The Buckeyes have 3 College Football Playoff appearances and won a title in the inaugural playoff. They are a great team and while the chances to beat them would be even more bleak for USU, it would still again be a great venue for the fans and athletes to visit and they would get a seven-figure paycheck out of it.
Navy: The Aggies have a lot of familiar ties to this school even though they’ve never faced off. Navy is one of the three military schools and the familiar Mountain Division foe for USU in the Air Force Falcons competes annually with Army and Navy for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. While the Falcons have been great they haven’t won the trophy since 2016.
Many Aggie fans will also remember that Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo was in that Netflix Documentary Meet the Mormons. He applied for the BYU coaching job but ultimately rejected it and decided it wasn’t for him. If and when the Aggies schedule a series with the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, then it will be quite an experience. They currently compete in the American Conference and usually do pretty well. This one would be a winnable one for USU if they play a good game of football.
Notre Dame: This game would fall under the category of a tough game for Utah State to win. While they have been successful recently against the in-state FBS Independent, the Catholic flagship school in Notre Dame is a different story. They have already made one CFP appearance and are usually ranked in the Top 25 in the nation. Since they are Independent there is plenty of room to schedule their first visit with the Aggies.
Virginia: This one has a familiar face to it. Bronco Mendenhall coach the BYU Cougars for over a decade before taking the job at Virginia. He has gradually built the Cavaliers from a laughingstock to an Orange Bowl participant last year. They would be a tough opponent but another good team to have on the schedule.
There are plenty more matchups that have yet to be scheduled but these ones stuck out the most. They seem mostly difficult for the Aggies to win but it’s always possible. The Aggies need the big money games. They have almost won a few close ones in these types of games so it is possible that at some point they break through.