If you listen to a lot of BYU football players, they definitely agree with the sentiment expressed by a classic Willie Nelson song:

“On the road again … just can’t wait to get on the road again.”

Cougar junior defensive back Chaz Ah You, for example, said earlier this week that playing in front of a hostile crowd is thrilling.

“I love it,” Ah You said. “The more hostile the environment, the better for me. It kind of just brings out different competitive sides to me, more of my swag that that I like to put into my game.”

No. 13-ranked BYU will put that mentality truly to the test for the first time in 2021 when the Cougars head to Logan to play Utah State in Maverik Stadium (Arizona was officially the home team in the contest at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to start the season but anyone who was there would say it felt more like a BYU home game).

Although Maverik Stadium only seats 25,513, it is often one of the most boisterous crowds the Cougars face all year.

“Their fans like to talk a lot, their players like to talk a lot, so it is going to be really high intensity game,” Ah You said.

There is something about trying to succeed when most of the audience is rooting for you to fail that drives players to play even harder.

“We’re excited,” BYU junior wide receiver Neil Pau’u said. “As awesome as LaVell Edwards Stadium has been the past two weeks with how loud it’s been, we’re excited for the challenge of playing away from home where you can kind of hear the boos. I know a lot of athletes get up for that when they hear boos and they hear taunting. Utah State definitely is hostile. I think we will be more than capable with coming out with the ‘W’ as long as we keep our composure.”

Cougar junior running back Lopini Katoa said that he doesn’t feel like it will require any acclimation to being on the road. He expects the BYU offense to come out strong.

“I feel like it’s almost easier to get your energy going because everybody’s yelling at you,” Katoa said. “I love away games. It’s a good feeling when you come out and they’re yelling and hollering as you start the game. Then if you make plays and hear the crowd go silent, it’s a good feeling. We have our own energy on the sideline at that point.”

But silencing the Aggie fans won’t be easy, since this is a Utah State team that has had a good start to the 2021 season, winning three of its first four games.

Cougar wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Fesi Sitake said that the Aggies have a veteran group in the secondary that will present some difficulties for the BYU offense.

“They’re returning two starting corners and their safeties have experience,” Fesi Sitake said. “That’s definitely a unit that we feel is experienced. They can they do a lot of things defensively that can that can create challenges for an offense, and you can’t do that stuff unless you have an experienced group of guys that you can rely on. We’re excited for the opportunity to face a really solid defense.”

Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake said he’s glad to have a chance to go against a familiar, in-state rivalry foe this week.

“We missed it last year so I’m happy we can get it going this year,” Kalani Sitake said. “I have tons of respect for the fan base and the program. I’ve been really impressed with my interactions with the team’s head coach, Blake. From what I have seen so far on film, they’ve added some new faces to the roster. They have a lot of explosive athletes. It will be a fun game to go up there on Friday night.”

No. 13/15 BYU at Utah State

TIME: 7 p.m. MT

TV: CBS Sports Network

WHERE: Maverik Stadium

THE WORD: This will be the 90th meeting between BYU and Utah State with the Cougars leading the series, 49-37-3. That includes the 42-14 BYU win in Logan in 2019 … This is the first of two games where BYU will play an opponent from the Mountain West Conference this season, including the game against Boise State in Provo on Oct. 9 … BYU is tied for ninth in the nation in turnover margin as the Cougars have eight takeaways and only two giveaways. BYU has won 18 consecutive games when either ahead or even in turnover margin.

Courtesy BYU PhotoThe BYU football team huddles prior to its game against Utah State at Maverik Stadium in Logan, on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019.

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