Utah State's biggest offseason storyline is behind center. BYU transfer McCae Hillstead was named the Aggies' starter in April after beating out fellow transfer Grady Brosterhous, and Mendenhall called the quarterback room the program's strongest position group this spring. Texas State didn't have to sort through any of that drama — Brad Jackson, who threw for over 4,000 total yards and scored 20 total touchdowns last season, is back and was the bowl MVP against Rice.
Retention was the story of Texas State's offseason. Keeping Jackson, receivers Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr., and running back Greg Burrell (671 rushing yards in 2025) together instead of losing them to the portal was one of the better transfer-window wins for any Group of Five program anywhere. Utah State, by contrast, is leaning on transfers to fill holes and installing new offensive coordinator Robert Anae, a familiar face from Mendenhall's BYU and Virginia days — but it's still a retool, not a return of a finished product.
Where Utah State separated itself last year was on offense — the Aggies ranked second in the Mountain West at 30.9 points per game — but the defense couldn't get off the field, and that's the swing factor heading into this one. Texas State brought in a new defensive coordinator in Will Windham to try to build on a 7-6 season that flashed real upside. Neither defense is a finished product, which sets up a matchup that could come down to whoever's offense holds up longer.
Both programs are chasing the same goal — proving their move to the new-look Pac-12 wasn't a mistake — and a head-to-head like this one is exactly the kind of game that shapes how each fan base feels about the conference jump by November.