Breaking Down Utah State’s Top PFF Graded Players Ahead of Battle of the Brothers

The final week of non-conference play for the 17th-ranked Utah Utes is almost here as they welcome the Utah State Aggies to Rice-Eccles Stadium for the Battle of the Brothers. It marks the first time Utah State has visited Rice-Eccles since Sept. 11, 2015, when Utah won 24-14. It’s the second game of a home-and-home between the schools, which sit just 90 minutes apart. The first half took place in Logan as the Utes trounced the Aggies 38-21 before unraveling in the 2024 season. Utah comes into the game after demolishing the Arkansas Razorbacks, while Utah State travels south after keeping the then-No. 19 Washington Huskies close before eventually losing 16-14. Let’s take a look at Utah States’ top rated PFF graded players before they visit their brothers in the Beehive State What’s Happening on D In their tight matchup against former Pac-12 member Washington, the defensive unit for the new Pac-12 Aggies delivered an impressive four quarters. Defensive tackle Carson Tujague led the charge against the Dawgs, posting a team high 81 grade. Last year, the Virginia native posted 72 tackles on the season, the most ever by a defensive tackle in school history and the second most by a defensive lineman in a single season. Over 54 snaps, Tujague recorded three tackles, broke up a pass, earning an 83.4 run-defense grade alongside a 76.8 tackling grade. Brevin Hamblin, a strong safety for the Sagebrush Boys, posted the second highest PFF grade at 75.9. The Syracuse High alum tallied seven tackles against the Huskies, with five coming solo. The Utah Tech transfer, now in his second season with Utah State, posted an 81.5 pass rush grade, a 79.4 run defense grade and a 69.5 tackling grade. The Aggies on Offense On the offensive side, wide receiver Eli Wood paced the PFF grades with a 73.2 offensive grade across 38 total snaps. The 6’2” senior from Lynchburg, Virginia, who transferred from Virginia, caught six passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Following right behind him was fellow wide receiver Demick Starling, who posted a 70.3 grade. He led the team with an 82.9 run blocking grade. The Western Kentucky transfer from Nashville caught one pass for 21 yards across 17 total snaps. Utah State as a whole posted a 66.3 overall grade, with a 68.9 defensive grade and a 58.9 offensive grade.