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Provo • Taysom Hill's favorite moment over the course of his five-year career at BYU didn't even happen during a game in which he played. His best memory at LaVell Edwards Stadium came in the second game last year, against Boise State, when BYU's student section raised signs with Hill's No. 4 on them to show their support for the quarterback who had suffered a season-ending foot injury the previous week at Nebraska.
Hill has said that moment is one of the reasons why he chose to return for his fifth season.
Nobody has to ask him his least-favorite moment at LES. Or his second-least-favorite.
Obviously, those came against Utah State, Hill having suffered his two other season-ending injuries in home games while facing the in-state rival.
So there is some irony involved, but no bitterness on Hill's part, that the quarterback's final home game comes against the 3-8 Aggies, Saturday at 8:15 p.m.
"I have been here for five years, had great moments, and great memories, and I can't wait to be out at LES one more time," Hill said Tuesday.
The Pocatello, Idaho, product will move on as one of the greatest dual-threat QBs in school history. He needs just 166 passing yards and 227 rushing yards to become the sixth QB in NCAA history with 7,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards. He is No. 5 on BYU's total offense list with 9,597 yards and should pass Jim McMahon (9,723) for fourth some time Saturday night.
"Taysom is a tremendous competitor and I have a lot of respect for him and what he's gone through in his career — the ups and downs, the struggles and injuries," Utah State coach Matt Wells said. "To see him and what he does is a testament to that young man's character, talent and ability."
Twenty other members of BYU's 7-4 team, a team that "overall did pretty well," according to Hill, will be honored before the game, including all-time leading rusher Jamaal Williams (3,560 yards), leading receivers Nick Kurtz, Colby Pearson and Mitchell Juergens, and star defenders Sae Tautu, Logan Taele, Harvey Langi, Kai Nacua and Travis Tuiloma — the latter's senior season having been cut short by a knee injury.
"A great group," said BYU coach Kalani Sitake. "We have relied on them heavily, especially because it was my first year as a head coach, to be great leaders and [continue] the good things they already had established. … This is a special group, and the atmosphere and the bonds that we have will last a long time."
It is USU's bowl game, for all intents and purposes, because the Aggies have lost four in a row and seven of their last eight and will miss postseason play for the first time since 2010. They would like nothing better than to spoil Senior Night for the Cougars and put a happy ending on a miserable season marked by several close Mountain West Conference losses.
It appears to be a matchup of teams heading in opposite directions, but that was also the case in 2014 when undefeated BYU (4-0) entertained the 2-2 Aggies the night of Oct. 3, only to see Hill go down with a broken ankle and torn ligaments in the second quarter and see USU pull off a 35-20 upset to end a 17-game road losing streak to BYU that dated back to 1978.
Like they were last year when they traveled to Logan and took a 51-28 win, the Cougars are thrilled to be playing a rivalry game at the end of November. But they are wary of the Aggies, who they say are much better than their record indicates. It will also mark the return of former BYU safety Dallin Leavitt, now a mainstay in the USU secondary.
"It will be exciting to play against them because they are going to bring it and they always have," Nacua said. "It will be a good game. I feel a little bit more energy than I would if it was somebody else, them being an in-state team, and we want to make sure we get the win."
Besides bragging rights, the Old Wagon Wheel is at stake, the Cougars having seized it back from the Aggies last year in Logan by outscoring the home team 27-7 in the second half.
"I know we can't sleep on Utah State," BYU's Tautu said. "We have to be ready to give them our best shot. We know they'll do the same to us. They have nothing to lose so they will put it all out there."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Utah State at BYU
P At LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo
Kickoff • 8:15 p.m.
TV • ESPNU
Radio • 1160 AM, 102.7 FM, Sirius XM 143, 610 AM
Records • BYU 7-4, Utah State 3-8
Series history • BYU leads 47-35-3
Last meeting • BYU 51, Utah State 28 (Nov. 28, 2015)
About the Aggies • They have lost seven of their last eight games, including four in a row. … They have not lost five straight games since 2007. … They have lost eight consecutive road games, going back to last season. … They are 0-6 this season when committing more turnovers than their opponent. … Junior QB Kent Myers needs 182 yards of total offense to reach 6,000 in his career. … Senior TE Wyatt Houston has at least one pass reception in 17 straight games.
About the Cougars • They have won six of their last seven games, including a 51-9 conquest of UMass last Saturday. … They are 34-6 in November games over the past 10 seasons, and have not lost a November home game since 2005. … They lead the nation in forcing turnovers, having made 18 interceptions and recovered nine fumbles. … They will honor 21 seniors playing in their final home games, including all-time leading rusher Jamaal Williams, who is expected to play after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.