Utah State is out of the WAC, with the Aggies going 4-8 overall in 2010. USU played three ranked teams last year and was spanked against Boise State and Hawaii but put a huge scare into Oklahoma before losing last year’s opener in Norman 31-24. Utah State should be much better on offense this year. That unit was decimated by long-term injuries in 2010, particularly to tailbacks Robert Turbin and Michael Smith and wide receivers Matt Austin and Stanley Morrison. All four should be back this season — Utah State ranked 12th in the nation in total offense in 2009 with 439.3 yards per game. That ranking plummeted to 84th in 2010 with 347.3 yards per game. Turbin has been named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List, an award given to the nation's top running back every season. He rushed for 1,296 yards and 13 TDs in 2009 but missed all of last year with an ACL injury. It remains unclear who will start this opener at quarterback for Utah State, as both Adam Kennedy, a junior college transfer, and Chuckie Keeton, a freshman, split reps in camp.

As for Auburn, the Tigers go with Barrett Trotter to try and fill Newton’s rather large shoes. Trotter, a redshirt junior, won a three-man competition for the job. Trotter is the only one of the three with game experience, appearing in six games in 2010 and completing 6-of-9 passes for 64 yards. Auburn no doubt will lean heavily on sophomore RB Michael Dyer, the Offensive MVP of the BCS national title game win vs. Oregon. Last year Dyer averaged 6.0 yards per rush on his way to setting an Auburn freshman record with 1,093 yards. Overall, however, Auburn lost 16 starters from last year.

This will be the first-ever meeting between USU and Auburn.

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