Utah State football sets 34 school records during 2018 season

Utah State players celebrate after their victory over North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl NCAA college football game in Albuquerque, N.M., Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State’s 2018 football season will go down as one of the best ever as the Aggies took the field for the 121st time in school history this fall, culminating in its historic 52-13 win against North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl to finish with an 11-2 record.

Statistically, the 2018 campaign may never be duplicated as Utah State set 34 school records and tied six others this past season.

Overall, Utah State set school records with its 10 consecutive wins (9 in 1960), a 10-1 start to the season (9-1-1 in 1961), being nationally ranked in The Associated Press poll for four straight weeks (3 in 2012), four 60-point games (2 in 1961), seven 50-point games (3 in 2017) and nine 40-point games (6 in 2012).

Utah State also posted 60-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time in school history, set school records with 50-plus points in three-straight games (twice in 2013 and 2015), 30-plus points in six straight games to start a season (3 in 2011) and 40-plus points in five straight games at any point in a season (3 in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1971, 1990, 2012), along with posting 10 wins by double digits (9 in 2012 and 2014) and seven wins by 30-plus points (5 in 2012).

Offensively, school records set this year include USU’s 700-plus yards of total offense twice in a season for the first time ever, its 600-plus yards of total offense four times in a season (twice in 1996), its 600-plus yards of total offense in three straight games for the first time ever and its 52 first-half points versus New Mexico (49 vs. Weber State in 2013).

Other offensive records eclipsed this year include 79 touchdowns (60 in 2011), including 20 players with touchdowns (18 in 2015), 618 points (454 in 2012), 47.5 points per game (38.7 in 1961), 497.4 yards of total offense per game (469.8 in 2012), 6.07 touchdowns per game (5.5 in 1961), 6,466 yards of total offense (6,108 in 2012), 3,825 passing yards (3,493 in 1996), 303 completions (297 in 2013), 6.84 yards per attempt (6.83 in 2012), 75 extra points (57 in 2011), 30.3 kickoff return yards per attempt (25.6 in 2007 and 2015), 164 passing first downs (163 in 2011), 29 scoring drives under one minute (16 in 2012), and 804 yards of total offense in a single game versus San José State (704 vs. New Mexico in 2018, 684 vs. Nevada in 1992 and 684 vs. Weber State in 2001).

Defensively, Utah State set school records with its six interception returns for touchdowns (3 in 1961 and 1991) and 475 interception return yards (423 in 1948), while the team’s 10 non-offensive touchdowns (7 in 2014 and 2017) were also a school best.

Utah State also tied single-season school records with 11 wins (2012), seven conference wins (2013), 18 all-conference honorees (1997), eight wins by 20-plus points (8 in 2012), six home wins (1907, 2012, 2014) and an undefeated home season (31st time).

Individually, sophomore quarterback Jordan Love set five school records in 2018, including 32 touchdown passes (27 by Chuckie Keeton in 2012), 3,567 passing yards (3,373 by Keeton in 2012), seven 300-yard passing games (6 by Anthony Calvillo in 1993), 234 points responsible for (210 by Keeton in 2012) and being named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week five times (four by Keeton in 2012). Love also tied the single-season school record with a pair of 400-yard passing games (Tony Adams in 1972 and Joes Fuentes in 2000).

Furthermore, Love also tied the single-game school record for touchdown passes with five against both UNLV and San José State, becoming just the fifth quarterback in school history to accomplish the feat.

Junior placekicker Dominik Eberle also put his name at the top of the record books as he set four school records this past fall with his 141 points (138 by Robert Turbin in 2011), 75 extra points made and attempted (57 made and 58 attempted by Josh Thompson in 2011) and 10.8 points per game scoring average (10.5 by Jack Hill in 1956). Eberle also tied the single-season school record with his 28 field goal attempts (28 by Bran Bohn in 1998) and is one of just seven kickers in school history to not miss an extra point during the entire season. In fact, Eberle has made all 122 of his extra points during his career, which is a school record.

Eberle also set several Utah State single-game records in 2018, including tying two NCAA records in USU’s 60-13 home win against New Mexico State on Sept. 8. First, Eberle tied the NCAA record for points scored in a game by a kicker with 24. Eberle also tied an NCAA record with his three 51-yard field goals, becoming just the sixth player ever to kick three 50-plus yard field goals in a game. Eberle also set school and Mountain West records with his six made field goals, while his six field goal attempts tied his own school record that was set last season. In all, those six made field goals are tied for the third-most in a single-game in NCAA history.

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