Provo » Having inherited a football schedule when he got the head coaching job at BYU in 2005 that did not include yearly meetings with Utah State, Bronco Mendenhall repeatedly has said the Aggies and Cougars should play annually.

Last year's game at Romney Stadium convinced him even more.

"After traveling to Logan last year, certainly their fans are passionate about supporting their team, and care a lot about the rivalry. And so I think our fans are the same way," Mendenhall said. "....You can tell there is a lot of competitive spirit in both programs. So I would like to play Utah State every year. I like the idea of there being a state champion on a yearly basis between Utah, Utah State and ourselves."

Tonight, the Cougars will play host to the Aggies at LaVell Edwards Stadium and it appears Mendenhall's wishes will continue well into the future. Next year, the series shifts back to Logan.

Although no contract is in place yet for 2013 or beyond, according to BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, he and USU athletic director Scott Barnes have both said they would like to play annually.

The current two-for-one deal (two games in Provo, one in Logan) expires after Friday's game.

Holmoe said he and former USU athletic director Randy Spetman signed another two-for-one deal before Spetman left for Florida State that carries the series through 2012.

"Our games against them go way back [to 1922] and they should continue," Holmoe said earlier this year.

The series got a shot in the arm last year -- at least in the minds of BYU coaches and players -- because Utah State made a spirited comeback in the fourth quarter and was extremely competitive in the 34-14 loss.

Add new USU coach Gary Andersen to the mix, after Andersen participated in many rivalry games against the Cougars as Utah's defensive coordinator, and the Cougars are convinced that the rivalry is as heated as ever, even if they have defeated USU nine straight times.

"It is a rivalry game no matter how you look at it, and they are going to come out ready," said BYU tight end Andrew George. "They are going to come out prepared and ready to play hard, and they are going to play until the end of the game. They are not going to give up. That's how they played us last year."

The Cougs and Ags went from 2003-2005 without playing each other, the longest stretch (not counting the war years of 1943-45, when BYU didn't field a team) since the Cougars started playing football in 1922.

Utah State is an attractive opponent for BYU, in part because it agrees to play the Cougars on Friday nights in early October to avoid conflicts with LDS Church general conference, which is Saturday and Sunday.

"I definitely like playing Utah State. Instate rivalries and things like that are what make college football fun. So it is nice to be able to do it," said BYU defensive end Jan Jorgensen.

While some of the games have been lopsided the past 30 years, and while the Cougars are 24-point favorites in this one, BYU players to a man say they have noticed USU's high-powered offense and are saying they expect one of the tighter battles in the history of the series.

"Utah State is extremely motivated for this game," Jorgensen said. "This is a huge game for them, and it is a game that, if they win, they will hang their hat on for the rest of the season.....when they play us, and when they play Utah, it is their bowl game."

Remembering last year's game, Mendenhall said: The Aggies "fought and scratched and clawed right to the very last whistle."

drew@sltrib.com