Bowl a Just Reward for Utah State and Memphis
by Art Garcia
The Utah State Aggies weren’t focused on bowl destinations back in late September. A 1-4 start tends to change priorities in a hurry.
But the Aggies started winning, slowly turning things around despite the team being decimated by injuries. Utah State coach Blake Anderson estimates that at least 25 players have missed games, many with season-ending injuries.
So the chance to continue on after reaching six wins is a sweet reward for Anderson and the Aggies, who will face the Memphis Tigers in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Both programs are in the Dallas-based bowl at SMU’s Ford Stadium for the first time.
“Excited to get the news to be going to Dallas ... and love the matchup against Memphis,” said Anderson, in his second year at Utah State said. “There are a lot of positives about this particular game for us and this matchup. But mainly (excited) about the opportunity itself, to be bowl eligible two years in a row and to add to a wonderful bowl history here at Utah State over the last 15 years. And the possibility to get win No. 7.”
Anderson is from Hubbard, Texas, so the trip to Dallas represents a sort of homecoming. He’s led his teams to eight bowls in nine seasons as coach.
The Aggies won five of their last seven games to finish 6-6, and posted a 5-3 league mark to tie for second in the Mountain West’s Mountain Division.
“7-6 would feel much better for this group than 6-7,” Anderson said. “That’ll be a huge challenge. I expect us to be an underdog. I love the matchup against Memphis. Really good football team.
“I’m familiar with those guys, having played them and been in that footprint during my time at Arkansas State. I’ve watched them several times this year and know what kind of challenge they’ll be.”
The Tigers (6-6) are making their ninth consecutive bowl trip, the longest active streak among non-Power Five schools. Memphis tied for eighth in the American Athletic Conference at 3-5.
Memphis also ended the regular season with a heartbreaking 34-31 loss at SMU. Returning to the same stadium just weeks later isn’t an issue for Tigers coach Ryan Silverfield. It’s more of a blessing.
“Just getting back (to Dallas) will be a wonderful opportunity,” Silverfield said. “We know what a great host city it is. The experience I had as my first time as a head coach down there at one of our bowl games, I’m just excited to get back down that way.”
The Tigers played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in nearby Arlington in 2019 in Silverfield’s first game as head coach. His first home game the following season was against Arkansas State, which was coached by Anderson.
Utah State had nine football players earn various all-Mountain West accolades, including offensive lineman Alfred Edwards on the first team. Three earned second-team honors: receiver Brian Cobbs, running back Calvin Tyler Jr. and safety Ike Larsen. Honorable mentions went to safety Hunter Reynolds, offensive lineman Chandler Dolphin, junior defensive end Daniel Grzesiak, linebacker MJ Tafisi and receiver Terrell Vaughn.
Six Tigers earned all-AAC honors, led by defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard on the first team. Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier "Zay" Cullens were on the second team, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named honorable mention.