Utah State Picked To Finish Third In 2022 Mountain West Preseason Polls

SALT LAKE CITY – The defending Mountain West champion Utah State Aggies are picked to finish third in the Mountain Division in the 2022 preseason polls.

It was announced ahead of the 2022 Mountain West Media Days that Utah State was not predicted to repeat as conference champions in the preseason polls.

In 2021, Utah State went 11-3 overall and 6-2 in Mountain West play while defeating San Diego State to win their first-ever conference championship in the Mountain West era. They went on to beat Oregon State in the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.

The bright lights are calling!@CHbanderson, @LoganBaneBonner and @hale_676 are set for @MountainWest Media Days in Las Vegas!

Tune in today and tomorrow!

➡️ https://t.co/SnS8kxmAN5#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/bahmOzNPlv

— USU Football (@USUFootball) July 20, 2022

Boise State was picked to win the Mountain Division, finishing with 151 points and 14 first-place votes. Air Force was picked to finish second in the division with 136 points and 10 first-place votes. Utah State received 122 points and three first-place votes.

In the West Division, Fresno State was picked to finish first with 20 first-place votes and 160 points. The 2021 West Division champion San Diego State Aztecs were predicted to finish second in the division in 2022 with eight first-place votes and 148 points.

It’s the 10th and final season that the Mountain West will have two divisions. They will eliminate the two divisions beginning in 2023.

In 2021, the Aggies set 10 school records with 41 touchdown passes (32 in 2018), 4.248 passing yards (3,825 in 2018), 8.45 passing yards per attempt (6.84 in 2018), 334 first downs (310 in 2013), 180 passing first downs (164 in 2018), three receivers with 10-plus TD catches, two blocked punts in one game (in the MWC championship game), eight road/neutral site wins, seven road wins, two wins against Power 5 schools.

Utah State also tied a school record with 11 wins and 14 games played, 13 100-yard receiving games and five passing touchdowns in a single game.

Here are the full voting results for the Mountain West preseason polls (first-place votes):

Mountain Division

1. Boise State, 160 points (14)
2. Air Force, 136 points (10)
3. Utah State, 122 points (3)
4. Colorado State, 90 points (1)
5. Wyoming, 60 points
6. New Mexico, 29 points

West Division

1. Fresno State, 160 points (20)
2. San Diego State, 148 points (8)
3. San Jose State, 105 points
4. UNLV, 66 points
5. Nevada, 58 points
6. Hawai’i, 51 points

Utah State will open the 2022 season at Maverik Stadium on Saturday, August 27 against UConn. Every game can be heard on KSL Sports Zone.

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