Expectations for 2012: The Utah State game

The Battle of Brothers is back! If only temporarily.

Utah and USU will meet for the first time since playing each other to kickoff the '09 season (Utah won 35-17). It's also the Utes' first trip to Logan since the 2008 season and we all know how that year turned out.

I'm not saying things are aligning (that was also a presidential election year), but, you know, just putting it out there.

Of course, a lot has changed since these two teams met nearly three years ago. Gary Andersen, Utah's old defensive coordinator, has turned the program into something far more competitive than what we're used to seeing out of the Aggies. Last year, they even made a bowl game and came within a handful of plays from having a truly breakout season.

This isn't your typical bodybag game that has made up the last 12 meetings - all Utah victories. Of course, this isn't the '11 Aggies, either, as they've gone under the knife considerably since losing to Ohio in the Potato Bowl. Mike Sanford, you'll remember him for his time as Utah's offensive coordinator in 2003 and 2004, and then UNLV's head coach up until 2010, is now calling the plays for the Aggie offense and he's got to find a way to replace Robert Turbin, who killed it last season. Not an easy task for a coaching staff that is still trying to figure out this whole winning thing.

History suggests this game won't be close, but it is in Logan and you've got to think Utah State is drooling at the prospects of upsetting another southern rival on their home field (see BYU '10). Will it happen? I don't think so, but they could make things interesting.