USU coach says ‘everyone on this team was probably hoping they got recruited by Utah.’ Can the Aggies upset their ‘Brothers’?

If you ask Kyle Whittingham, Utah State is a rival.

Just not the rival.

The Utes and Aggies’ “Battle of the Brothers” dates back to 1892.

On Saturday, when No. 12 Utah (2-0) meets USU (1-1) in Logan, the in-state foes will face off for the 113th time overall and the first time since 2015.

“Well, it’s an in-state rival and it’s good for the state of Utah,” the Utah head coach said this week. “I believe it doesn’t have as high of a profile as the rivalry game with the guys down south. But it is certainly a game that captures the attention of the state.”

It has the Aggies and Utes’ attention for different reasons.

“We know we’re going to be amped up. Everyone on this team was probably hoping they got recruited by Utah but probably didn’t, right?” USU interim head coach Nate Dreiling said. “So we know our players are going to have that chip on their shoulders of proving to themselves they can play at the highest level.”

The game has a nickname and a history, but most Utes won’t be treating the matchup like a cold-blooded rivalry. Sure, Whittingham remembers the sting he felt from 2012 when the U. lost in Logan, but the game hasn’t often been competitive. The Utes have a 75-28-4 all-time record vs. the Aggies.

Brant Kuithe sees it as just another contest. The redshirt senior tight end said he’s excited to go up against the hostile crowd of 25,513 fans. But, he didn’t even know the rivalry game’s name before having it explained to him by a reporter.

“No,” Kuithe said, when asked if he sees USU as a rival. “I’ve never played Utah State before, but I don’t really kind of see rivalries. I just see, OK, whoever we have next on the schedule, we have to play them, prepare just like it’s in the other team, and go to work and see them on Saturday.”

So how is Utah State taking the game?

“I think the important thing is making sure we control our emotions,” Dreiling said. “... We know the energy is going to be unbelievable. But it’s also making sure you play inside yourself and in this system. We don’t need you to do anything special. We just need you to do your job to a high level of detail. And if we can keep that energy and concentration right, that’s when greatness happens.”

The Aggies have something to prove, especially after the offseason turmoil they endured. Former USU head coach Blake Anderson was fired in July after violating the school’s Title IX policies regarding the reporting of sexual misconduct cases from an incident dating back to April 2023.

USU senior quarterback Bryson Barnes will also have something to prove. The former Ute spent three years at Utah but transferred this offseason to the Aggies in search of more playing time. Dreiling said the Milford native — along with everyone else on his team — is amped up about the game.

“Both teams are going to be fired up,” Dreililng said. “I wish they played this game every single year.”

According to the interim head coach, USU students will be camped outside Maverik Stadium waiting to grab the best seat in the house. The Utes’ return to Cache Valley has certainly caused a buzz around Logan.

“It’s going to be hectic,” Dreiling said. “I’m sure there’s going to be some red in the stands, but hopefully not much. Just listening to my neighbors and people around town, it might be the most packed Maverik Stadium has been in a long, long time.”

Certainly, the Aggies and Dreiling will hope for a result like 2012. Utah State defeated the Utes 27-20 in overtime in Logan after former Utah quarterback Jon Hays failed to score a touchdown in the final moments.

USU players stormed the field.

Then-head coach Gary Andersen raised his hands in the air.

Aggie fans shouted from the stands.

“(I remember) that we got beat,” Whittingham said, while recounting the 2012 loss. “They were ready to play. And they came out and they executed. We were not as good as we needed to be. We ended up, again, getting beat.”

It’s a calamity the Utes hope to avoid, even if they view the rivalry as less important than some others.