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Provo • Under coach Bronco Mendenhall, the BYU Cougars aren't the type of program to seek revenge for past losses. The Cougars say they prefer to treat opponents like "nameless, faceless" teams and insist they prepared as hard for Wagner as they did for Michigan.

That's why the Cougars aren't calling Saturday's regular-season matchup with Utah State anything more than an intriguing rivalry, although the Aggies stunned them 35-20 last year.

Receiver Mitchell Juergens said the Cougars talked on Monday about what happened last year, but haven't dwelt on it. They are more focused on USU's talent this year, which is just as good.

"It's going to be a dogfight from the beginning," Juergens said. "We just really need to be prepared, fundamentally sound and ready to go."

Last year, the Aggies added new wrinkles that caught the Cougars off guard, adjustments they hadn't shown in previous games.

Linebacker Nick Vigil carried the ball 16 times for 57 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Darell Garretson threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns out of a max-protection package, repeatedly burning the Cougars on deep throws to Hunter Sharp, who had five catches for 173 yards.

"They like to take shots downfield," BYU linebackers coach Kelly Poppinga said. "Against Air Force they completed three of them and that kept them in the game. Last year, against us, they completed three of four deep balls down the field. … They want to chuck it deep, so we have to cover down field and prevent those."

Keeton or Myers?

It appears senior Chuckie Keeton will start against BYU after Kent Myers suffered a shoulder injury in the Aggies' 31-27 win over Nevada. Poppinga said the Cougars prepared for both quarterbacks this week, because of their different strengths.

"I would say that [Myers] is a little better athlete. He can run around a little faster, makes guys miss a little more. He's a better athlete, but I think Chuckie throws it a little better," Poppinga said. "But they both can throw it deep, man. ... Those guys just step back and huck that thing deep, 60 or 70 yards in the air, and they are catching them, too."

Connections

USU assistant head coach and offensive line coach Mark Weber was BYU's OL coach from 2007-12. The Aggies' offensive administrative assistant Kelly Bills was a graduate assistant and offensive quality control coach at BYU from 2008-12 and USU director of player personnel Reed Hornung was a long snapper for the Cougars from 2010-12 and graduated from BYU in 2013.

"They have seen everything about our program, and know the motives, know the intent and know a lot of the operations," Mendenhall said. "That doesn't necessarily mean a win, but it certainly is knowledge and knowledge is helpful."

Briefly

BYU has 42 players from Utah on its roster, while USU has 40 players who call the Beehive State home. … The Cougars are 7-3 under Mendenhall in regular-season finales. … BYU is the No. 1 offensive team in the nation in red-zone scoring, picking up points at a rate of 95.3 percent when inside an opponent's 20-yard-line. … The Aggies are currently on a 14-game winning streak at home. BYU's 31-14 win in 2013 snapped a nine-game USU home winning streak.

Twitter: @drewjay