Month: December 2025

If the Utah Mammoth make the playoffs this season, it’s incredibly likely that the Winnipeg Jets don’t — and vice versa.

For that reason, their matchup on Sunday was among the more important games either team will play this year. The Mammoth pulled off the win, but it took the skin of their teeth to get it done. Here’s the story.

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Quick catchup

Utah Mammoth: 4

Winnipeg Jets: 3

When the Mammoth took a 3-0 lead 23 minutes in, it looked like they’d waltz away with a regulation win against the Jets for the second time this season.

But hockey is a 60-minute game. It doesn’t end when one team takes a three-goal lead.

Kyle Connor began the Jets’ comeback with a power play goal midway through the second period. He doubled up with a nearly identical tally late in the third, and 15 seconds later, Morgan Barron struck to tie the game.

“We would have loved to close the game right there. I think we got a little bit nervous,” said Mammoth head coach André Tourigny. “We lost our composure with the puck. I often say there’s two (important things) when you’re protecting a lead: Having poise with the puck … and to have a lot of pace defensively, which is our strength.

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“… We became a little bit too conservative and they were able to come back.”

If there’s one aspect of Utah’s game that strikes fear into opponents, though, it’s when Dylan Guenther has the puck in overtime.

He’s tied for the league lead in both overtime goals and game-winning goals this season, and he finished in the top six in both categories last year.

On Sunday, it was his passing that made him a threat.

Guenther collected the puck in the defensive zone, dipsy-doodled around his man in the neutral zone and found Clayton Keller in the offensive zone.

All it took was a perfectly placed shot for the captain to net the OT winner.

Utah winning in regulation prevents the other team from getting a point in the standings, so given the tightness of the playoff race the Mammoth would have liked to get it done earlier, but this was their second-best outcome.

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“Utah brings out the worst in us,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel after the game. “That’s a bad start by everybody, and it just got us behind the 8-ball and then we’re chasing the game.”

Of course, some of Arniel’s greatest success came in Utah: He won the Turner Cup while playing for the Utah Grizzlies in 1996.

Tidbits and takeaways

Kerfoot’s afoot

After returning from the first long-term injury of his NHL career last Friday, there was a question mark regarding how quickly Alexander Kerfoot would be able to get back to his old self.

He’d played the second-fewest minutes on the team against the New Jersey Devils on Friday and he hadn’t participated in a single proper practice this season until Saturday.

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Nobody would have blamed him for taking a few games to get his stride back, but he didn’t waste any time.

Kerfoot scored on Sunday, sneaking behind the Jets’ defenseman and sending a perfect one-timer past Connor Hellebuyck, who’s widely considered the best goalie in the world.

Additionally, Kerfoot played a perfect 1:39 on the penalty kill and increased his ice time by more than five and a half minutes game over game.

“He’s such a great player,” Keller said of Kerfoot. “He can play up and down the lineup. He’s a great leader. Something that we missed while he was out, like, just all the little things that he does on the bench, during the game, in the locker room, like, I can’t say enough great things about Kerf and how good of a person he is — and player as well.”

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Sean is on

For the second time in his NHL career, Sean Durzi is on a five-game point streak. He also has six points in his last seven games.

He’s done it quietly, though: a goal here, an assist there. Utah’s second power play unit, which he quarterbacks, has shown vast improvement in recent weeks and for the most part, Durzi has been good defensively, too.

Tourigny chalked it up to good chemistry between Durzi and his defense partner, Mikhail Sergachev, who added a pair of assists on Sunday for eight points in his last 10 games.

“Durz, every game, makes really good plays,” Tourigny said. “He needs to keep improving his consistency. The upside is there. The fact he missed a lot of hockey two seasons in a row, sometimes can affect his consistency.

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“That said, lately he’s getting better every game, so we like that.”

Every good team has a reliable top defense pairing that’s capable of playing big minutes while keeping the puck out of their net and contributing frequent offense. If Durzi and Sergachev can keep this type of play up over long stretches, the Mammoth will be in a good position going forward.

The newest member of the 300-goal club

On a night when Sidney Crosby passed Mario Lemieux for most points in Pittsburgh Penguins franchise history, Kyle Connor won’t get as many flowers as he otherwise might, so we’ll give him some here.

Connor scored career goals number 300 and 301 on Sunday, and they’ve all come in a Jets uniform. He trails only Mark Scheifele and Ilya Kovalchuk for most goals in franchise history, and he’s second in that category since the franchise’s move to Winnipeg.

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On the league-wide all-time list, he jumped active San Jose Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli and tied himself with Ulf Dahlen for 239th place, and at age 29, he has plenty of time left to soar much higher.

Also, he’s the second-fastest American to reach the 300-goal plateau.

“Pretty cool milestone,” Connor said after the game. “Once you look back on your career, that’s the kind of stuff you’ll remember, but right now, it’s focusing on winning and trying to be the best player I can and help out, so it doesn’t really mean much right now.”

Goal of the game

Lawson Crouse opens the scoring

At this point last season, Lawson Crouse had six goals and nine points. This year, he’s at nine and 15, respectively — a pace much closer to what his norm from Arizona.

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“I think probably my mindset,” he said when asked what the difference between the two seasons is. “Trying not to let little things bother me, try to be a little bit easier on myself, and I think that’s been paying off.”

Utah State and Washington State are set to meet in a bowl game for the first time before the Aggies join the Cougars in the new-look Pac-12 in 2026.

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl has been a frequent postseason destination for Utah State (6-6), which is making its sixth appearance in the game Monday. Coach Bronco Mendenhall brought the Aggies back to a bowl game for the first time since 2023 in his first season in Logan.

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After clinching bowl eligibility in the regular-season finale with a win over rival Oregon State, Washington State (6-6) lost first-year coach Jimmy Rogers to Iowa State. Defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit is in charge as the interim for the bowl game before former Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore takes over as the Cougars’ next coach.

Washington State routed Utah State, 49-28, when these teams met in 2024, but both teams’ personnel — and coaching staffs — have changed considerably since then. The Cougars lead the all-time series, 3-2. More matchups are on the way when these teams become conference mates next fall.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State Odds, Details

Location: Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho
Kickoff: Monday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Utah State -2.5
Over/Under: 49.5
Announcers: Chuckie Kempf, Darius Walker

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Washington State vs. Utah State: Keys to Victory

Why Washington State Will Win

The Cougars might be a better team than their record would indicate. Washington State lost by three on the road to Ole Miss and James Madison, two College Football Playoff teams, and by two at ACC runner-up Virginia. There’s nothing necessarily flashy about this team, but it’s sound on both sides of the ball.

Quarterback Zevi Eckhaus added another element to the offense when he took over as the starter. Eckhaus has eight rushing touchdowns in 10 games, and with running back Kirby Vorhees in the transfer portal, he’s the team’s top rusher. The Cougars’ passing attack doesn’t create many explosive plays as Eckhaus’ 6.7 yards per attempt is one of the lowest marks in the FBS. But he has a strong connection with wide receivers Joshua Meredith and Tony Freeman, who account for the lion’s share of Wazzu’s receptions and receiving yards.

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Though the Cougars gave up 59 points in back-to-back games to North Texas and Washington back in September, they allow just over 20 points per game on average. Washington State has held six opponents (counting Oregon State twice) to 10 points or fewer and ranks 13th nationally in passing yards allowed. The Cougars don’t create many turnovers, but defensive end Isaac Terrell (seven sacks) leads a potent pass rush.

Why Utah State Will Win

The Aggies have the best player in this game in quarterback Bryson Barnes, who was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team. Barnes and Co. almost knocked off UNLV and Boise State in the last month of the season, losing by three in double overtime to the Rebels and by one in the regular-season finale to the Broncos.

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Barnes is even more of a mobile threat than Eckhaus and a bigger threat as a passer, though he’ll be without his top receiver, Braden Pegan, as he’s in the portal. Without Pegan, Utah State’s offensive production will come from running back Miles Davis, the team’s No. 2 rusher behind Barnes, and wide receiver Brady Boyd, who leads the team with seven receiving touchdowns.

The Aggies finished second in the Mountain West in points per game and third in yards, but their biggest improvements came on defense with Mendenhall’s arrival. Although Utah State is still no defensive juggernaut, linebacker John Miller (109 tackles) and Noah Avinger (three interceptions) earned first team all-conference honors on a team that went blow for blow with the Mountain West’s best.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Prediction: Utah State 24, Washington State 21

Don’t expect a shootout on the blue turf with two of the best offensive weapons in this game set to sit out. Barnes will be the difference for the Aggies, whose defense will keep Eckhaus in check to secure Utah State’s first winning season and bowl game win since 2021.

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ATS: Utah State -1.5
O/U: Under 49.5

Related: Bowl Game Predictions: College Football Expert Picks for Every Postseason Game in 2025-26

Related: Way-Too-Early Heisman Trophy Contenders for the 2026 College Football Season

Related: Bowl Game Best Bets: ATS Picks for 35 Bowl Games

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

When Utah State woke up for their game against the CSU Rams Saturday morning, they must have gotten confused, thinking that they were about to play the other Colorado-based MWC team: Air Force. Otherwise, I have no rational explanation for the absolute thrashing that took place at the Spectrum.

In a much-hyped matchup between the Mountain West’s top two teams, Utah State completely embarrassed Colorado State by a final score of 100-58, in a game that wasn’t even as close as what the final score would suggest.

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It was an absolutely crushing affair for the Rams (9-3, 0-1 MWC), who were dominated in every single statistical category, and whose flaws were plainly exposed by a lethal Utah State defense. This game really says quite a bit about both teams, obviously in different ways.

Scoring Summary

1st Half

Colorado State 24 – Utah State 45

2nd Half

Colorado State 34 – Utah State 55

Final: Colorado State 58 – Utah State 100

Game Recap

The Rams never led in this contest, and the only tie was at 0. Utah State set the tone of the contest early by racing out to a 12-0 lead. 10 of those points came from USU guard Mason Falsev, making each of his first four shots. It took until over five minutes of game time had passed until Jevin Muniz got the Rams on the board with a layup, which was immediately overshadowed by Falsev adding another layup to his tally, sitting at 5/5 with 12 points and 3 rebounds just under six minutes in.

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Josh Pascarelli cut the lead to 16-5 with a three-pointer, but the Aggies went on another prolonged run of 21-6 to essentially put the game outt of reach midway through the first half. Utah State even let off the gas going into halftime, with the Rams entering the break on a 13-11 run, trailing 45-24.

Any hope of a comeback just kept fading more and more as the game went on. After keeping the gap at 24 for the first five minutes of the second half, the Rams allowed the Aggies to go on another long 19-5 run to all but put the game out of reach. All of USU’s starters were out of the game for good by the midway point of the second half, with the backups coming in to finish off the dominant 100-58 win.

Colorado State was simply outmatched for the entirety of this matchup. All of the problems from their previous close wins and losses showed up here, namely in USU’s 48-20 lead in points in the paint. The major issue, however, was that the taller Utah State lineup also dominated 40-20 in rebounds.

Falsev was the Aggies’ leading scorer, going 7/9 for 18 points in just 22 minutes, adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists as well. A further five Aggies scored in double-figures, three of them being guards. MWC leading scorer MJ Collins Jr. had 15 points in 22 minutes, while forward Adlan Elamin had 15 points and 8 rebounds. Senior bench guard Kolby King had 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists in his 30-minute night.

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Carey Booth and Brandon Rechsteiner were the only Rams to do much of anything. Booth was rather efficient with 14 points in his 22 minutes, though even the Rams’ leading rebounder couldn’t snag one off the glass, tallying just 2 rebounds, by far his season-low in that category. Rechsteiner had 11 points in 25 minutes, adding a single rebound and assist. Outside of those two, nobody else topped 8 points or 4 rebounds, both by the off-the-bench Jase Butler. The remainder of the Rams’ usual starters: Pascarelli, Jorgenson, and Muniz, combined for just 13 points on a dreadful 5/20 shooting, just 2/10 from three.

Overall, CSU shot 37% from the field (18-49), 30% from three (7-23), and had 15 turnovers. USU shot an amazing 64% from the field (37-58), 57% from three (12-21), and had 10 turnovers. Utah State held massive leads in points in the paint (48-20), points off turnovers (27-11), and fast break points (17-0).

Utah State shot up to 29th in KenPom rankings with their dominant win over the top-70 Rams. The Aggies solidified their lead utop the Mountain West Conference, holding the overall record tiebreaker over New Mexico, Nevada, Grand Canyon, San Diego State, and UNLV.

Colorado State dropped to 78th in KenPom rankings with the 42-point drubbing. The Rams are tied for 7th in the MWC with Wyoming, leading over fellow 0-1 teams Boise State, Fresno State, San Jose State, and Air Force.

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Up Next

The Rams will have a few days around Christmas to regain their confidence before facing their first conference test in the comfort of Moby Arena on December 30, facing off against the 9-3 Nevada Wolf Pack, led by Head Coach Steve Alford. The Wolf Pack, infamous for going 0-10 against the conference’s top five teams a year ago, immediately vanquished their demons in their first conference game, dominating Boise State 81-66 without leading scorer Corey Camper Jr.

The Wolf Pack rank 85th in KenPom, are 4th in the conference in offensive rating, 7th in defensive rating, and have done so against the 3rd-hardest strength of schedule in the conference. Pack forward Elijah Price is top-5 in the conference in rebounds and blocks, while Camper, along with recent breakout star Tayshawn Comer, are in the top 10 in points per game.

The Wolf Pack’s offense has had all this success in spite of their offensive efficiency, ranking dead last in the conference in field goal percentage, while also ranking 4th in the conference in three-point percentage. The Pack are also ranked 2nd in the conference in blocks, and turn the ball over far less than any other team in the Mountain West.

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For the Rams to win this bout, they need to follow the Wolf Pack’s lead in not turning the ball over, while also taking away the three-point shots Nevada are so good at. With Camper likely back from injury for this contest, that will just add yet another wrinkle to a Pack offense that has found its stride without him.

Under Alford, the Wolf Pack and Rams have split the series 5-5. The teams have swept each other each of the last two seasons, with both of last season’s contests going the way of the Rams. Each of the last three matchups have been decided by eight points or less.

Tipoff time is yet to be determined. Coverage will be provided via the Mountain West Network.

It’s bowl season, which means we have a lot of football to watch between Dec. 13 and Jan. 19! Ohio State, Utah, Georgia Southern, Army, Texas A&M — and just about everyone in between — will take part in a total of 47 games that will ultimately conclude with the 2026 CFP National Championship.

NESN has you covered with previews for each and every game — with our next contest serving as one of bowl season’s most iconic games:

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2025 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Matchup: Washington State Cougars vs. Utah State Aggies
Date: Monday, Dec. 22, 2025
Kickoff: 2 p.m. ET
Stadium: Albertsons Stadium — Boise, Idaho
TV: ESPN

Game Overview

The Idaho Potato Bowl has become a staple of bowl season, regularly featuring teams from the Mountain West, MAC and Pac-12 as they battle for conference supremacy in their shared backyard on the blue turf in Boise, Idaho.

Northern Illinois defeated Fresno State is an awesome double overtime contest in 2024, the first one-score difference in the game in nearly a decade. The Cougars and Aggies could make it two in a row.

Team Overviews

Washington State Cougars
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: Jesse Bobbit (Interim)
Record: 6–6

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Washington State enters bowl season after struggling to navigate their new reality of playing in a two-team conference, splitting their two games with Oregon State and losing to all three ranked opponents: No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 18 Virginia and No. 21 James Madison.

The Cougars will also be without head coach Jimmy Rogers, who jetted after just one season to take the job at Iowa State, while interim coach Jesse Bobbit will join him as soon as this game ends — so how can they win the game?

Zevi Eckhaus and Kirby Vorhees — the club’s starting quarterback and running back, respectively — can control the clock and have accounted for 913 total rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Isaac Terrell and Buddha Peleti are the leaders on a strong defensive unit that has allowed just 20.2 points per game (27th of 136).

Utah State Aggies
Conference: Mountain West
Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall
Record: 6-6

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Utah State is fast and efficient on offense, and… not very good on defense.

Bryson Barnes is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the entire country, having accounted for 2,687 passing yards, 733 rushing yards, 27 total touchdowns and just four interceptions. Miles Davis (890 all-purpose yards, 11 total touchdowns) and Braden Pegan (926 receiving yards) are his best weapons.

The Aggies just can’t seem to stop anyone, having allowed 28.2 points per game (90th of 136) while only having only one defender to rack up more than 4.0 sacks on the season (John Miller; 7.5).

Players to Watch

Washington State
QB Zevi Eckhaus
RB Kirby Vorhees
WR Josh Meredith
DL Isaac Terrell
DL Buddha Peleti
LB Parker McKenna

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Utah State
QB Bryson Barnes
RB Miles Davis
WR Braden Pegan
WR Bradyn Boyd
LB John Miller
LB Bronson Olevao
CB Noah Avinger

Key Notes

Kirby Moore, who spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator for Missouri, will take over as head coach for Washington State in 2026.

Utah State is making its sixth appearance in the Idaho Potato Bowl, hoping to improve their record after entering 1-4.

Barnes made his first college start against Washington State, and will now make his final college start Washington State.

Betting Lines

DraftKings Sportsbook: Utah State -1.5 | O/U 49.5
FanDuel Sportsbook: Utah State -1.5 | O/U 49.5
BetMGM Sportsbook: Utah State -1.5 | O/U 49.5

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The Pick: Utah State -1.5

More:

Patriots Predicted To Select Game‑Changing Pass Rusher Next Season

Life is full of twists and turns, and the Dybantsas have twisted and turned as much as anyone. The surprises along the way for Ace and Chelsea have been frequent, but none bigger than making their home in Provo, Utah. In fact, 20 months ago, none of the Dybantsas, including their young BYU basketball star AJ, had ever heard of Provo.

“Sometimes I have to pinch myself,” Ace told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show this week. “I’m in Utah of all places. A kid from Africa is in Utah. We love it here. People have been great to us. They have embraced our family and have definitely embraced AJ.”

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For Chelsea, who hails from Jamaica, her “Utah moment” came when the family attended their first basketball game at the Marriott Center last December following AJ’s announcement that the nation’s top recruit was coming to BYU.

“AJ went up into the stands. It was such a great feeling. I could see how it was going to be. The students embraced him and he was having a ball. I was picturing him on the court during that time,” Chelsea told the “Y’s Guys.” “What I love about Utah is the mountains. Coming out of the house and a mountain is right beside you — it’s a surreal experience coming from the East Coast.”

Benching Spiderman

Long before AJ wanted to be a basketball player, Anicet (his real name) longed to be an Avenger.

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“He was tall when he was born,” said Ace. “I knew at some point he would play basketball. He didn’t want to at first. He was into Spiderman.”

The Christmas morning when AJ found a Spiderman action figure under the tree in Brockton, Massachusetts, still ranks among his greatest days ever.

“He was in love with Spiderman,” Ace said. “Everything about him.”

“Everything,” laughed Chelsea. “I bought him sneakers, jackets, PJs — everything was Spiderman.”

It wasn’t until the eighth grade that AJ caught a glimpse of his potential on the court and sent Spiderman to the bench. Ace contends he remains a kid, even as he stands 6 feet, 9 inches tall and is still growing.

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Why BYU?

Ace and Chelsea visited BYU long before AJ did. They arrived on campus shortly after Kevin Young was hired on April 16, 2024. Young was still in Phoenix coaching the Suns in the NBA playoffs. He flew to Provo to meet them and make his pitch, which focused on his ability to prepare AJ for the league.

“I told him, ‘You don’t have to convince me. You have to convince my son, cuz I’m not the one who is going to play,’” Ace said. “He said, ‘Give me a chance and we’ll see what happens.’”

Ace was impressed by Young.

“I had been a cop for 19 years. I know BS when I see it,” Ace said. “He was sincere and everything he said — he delivered.”

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Following the visit, Ace encouraged AJ to visit BYU. The young prep phenom was hesitant.

“I’m like — trust me. I’m not saying you are going to go to BYU,” Ace said. “Just go visit.”

The decision

AJ visited campus twice and eventually narrowed his plethora of college suitors down to four — North Carolina, Kansas, Alabama and BYU. The plan was to announce his choice during Black History Month on Stephen A. Smith’s “First Take” program on ESPN.

“In mid-October, he came to my room and said, ‘Dad, if I decide to pick my school now, do we have to wait until February?’ I said, ‘No, just let me know. I’ll call Stephen A. and we’ll announce it,’” said Ace. “He said, ‘OK.’”

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AJ surprised him two weeks later.

“Dad, I’m going to BYU,” AJ said.

“You are going where?” asked Ace.

“BYU,” said AJ.

“Why? Tell me why,” said Ace.

“KY. He brought in a pro staff, a dietitian and strength and condition guy,” said AJ.

“OK,” answered Ace.

AJ then told his dad he had called Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul to get “their take” on Young.

“You called those guys?” asked a surprise Ace.

“Yeah,” said AJ.

“OK, BYU it is!” said Ace.

Garden party

Ace has lived in the Boston area most of his life and had visited New York City many times, but it wasn’t until Dec. 9 that he first stepped into Madison Square Garden, where AJ and the Cougars were playing Clemson.

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Prior to the game, the parents caught a glimpse of AJ’s king-sized billboard on display in Manhattan.

“What shocked me was to see the billboard,” Ace said. “They took my wife and I to check it out. We almost cried. My wife said, ‘Oh, my baby!’ I said, ‘That’s a big baby!’”

During the game, BYU fell behind by as many as 22 points before charging back. AJ outscored Clemson by himself, 22-21, in the second half, and Rob Wright’s 3-pointer at the buzzer won the game 67-64. In the world’s most famous arena, AJ stole the show with 28 points.

“It does not bother him. It’s 94 feet. It doesn’t matter where he plays,” said Ace. “I asked him a couple of years ago, ‘AJ, don’t you feel pressure?’ He said, ‘Dad, what pressure? It’s just basketball.’”

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Young’s tutelage

From his first visit with Young 20 months ago to what he sees today, Ace remains impressed with his style. He likes that Young “doesn’t have to yell to get his point across.” He also sees a developing trait in his son that will help him long after he’s done at BYU.

“Leadership. You can tell he galvanized everybody,” Ace said of AJ’s team-first persona. “You saw what he can do on the court in Boston and New York — just being himself, but still unselfish.”

Ten games into the season, BYU is 10-1 and ranked No. 10. The Cougars disposed of Pacific on Tuesday and Abilene Christian on Friday. BYU wraps up nonconference play on Monday against Eastern Washington (7 p.m., ESPN+).

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AJ has all the tools to leave his mark on BYU, and even if his time on the court only lasts one season, he will be back so BYU can leave its mark on him.

“Education means a lot to me,” said Chelsea. “I always say to my kids, that’s one thing someone can’t take away from you, so make sure to get your degree. AJ promised me that he will.”

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.

LOGAN — A 10-day break between games with Christmas smack dab in the middle sounds like the perfect schedule for a college basketball team during the holiday season.

But after Utah State’s dominant performance against Mountain West Conference rival Colorado State Saturday afternoon at the Spectrum, USU head coach Jerrod Calhoun was understandably feeling a little Scrooge-like.

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“I wish we could play again tomorrow,” Calhoun said after the Aggies’ 100-58 dismantling of the Rams on Stew Morrill Court.

Winners of five straight games and one of the top offensive teams in the nation coming into the conference opener for both teams, Colorado State (9-3 overall, 0-1 in the Mountain West) shot just 26.1% in the first half and 36.7% for the game while being crushed on the boards by a 40-20 margin.

Meanwhile, the Aggies (10-1, 1-0) opened the contest with a 12-0 burst and never really slowed down. The home team held advantages of 27-5 and 37-11 in the first half, and took a 45-24 lead into halftime.

After shooting 60.7% in the first half, Utah State shot 66.7% in the second half while pulling away by as many as 45 points late in the game.

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The final 42-point margin of victory was the largest ever by the Aggies in the 110-game, all-time series with Colorado State.

“We were up big on them last year, too,” Calhoun said, referencing the Aggies’ 22-point second half lead against the Rams at the Spectrum getting cut down to as few as seven points, “so we had five returning guys in the locker room who were very vocal about that…and when your blow teams out, your numbers look great.

“So we need to beat everybody we can, and if we have a lead, we can’t call anything off with the way the analytics world works. I mean, we jumped 11 spots (in the KenPom rankings) after just one game.”

Mason Falslev led the offensive onslaught for the Aggies with 18 points, despite being pulled with nine minutes left in the game. The junior guard went 7 for 9 from the floor and 2 for 3 from 3-point range and was the major catalyst behind USU’s game-opening tear, scoring 10 of the hosts’ first 12 points in just over four minutes of game time.

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“It felt good,” Falslev said. “I don’t think we’ve had a great start in any of our games, so it felt really good, and hopefully we can continue it.”

Falslev’s fourth basket of Utah State’s early run fired up the sellout crowd of 10,270 and resulted in a timeout by CSU coach Ali Farokhmanesh with 15:41 left in the first half.

Unfortunately for the first-year head coach, while Falslev was driving to the basket at one end of the floor, his leading scorer, Kyle Jorgensen, was crumpled on the opposite baseline holding his left knee.

The sophomore forward, who was averaging 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game entering Saturday, had to be helped up the tunnel by some teammates.

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Jorgensen returned later in the half on crutches, and he spent the rest of the game on the CSU bench with ice on his knee.

“Hopefully their big fella, Jorgensen, is OK. In my opinion, he’s one of the most improved guys in the country,” Calhoun said. “So things changed drastically when he was out, but I felt really good going into the game. I thought we had a great week of prep, and our kids played lights out.”

After Falslev came out in the first half, teammate MJ Collins Jr. took over the scoring load, putting up 11 straight points, including three consecutive 3-point attempts.

Though Collins picked up his second foul soon afterwards, keeping him on the bench for much of the half, the senior guard still finished with 15 points in just 22 minutes.

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Freshman forward Adlan Elamin also scored a career-high 15 point for the Aggies, going 6 for 9 from the floor, while pulling down nine rebounds.

He also delighted the crowd and his coach with a block and some spectacular dunks.

“You know, he’s got those ‘Go Go Gadget’ arms,” Calhoun said, referencing the animated series “Inspector Gadget.”

“… He makes some unbelievable plays in practice that you just kind of shake your head at, and he’s only going to get better.”

Calhoun was also pleased with the performance of graduate point guard Drake Allen, who racked up 12 points (three 3-pointers) and six assists.

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Junior forward Karson Templin (10 points, two 3-pointers) and senior guard Kolby King (10 points) also scored in double figures for the Aggies, with King also securing a team-high nine rebounds.

“It felt like last year all over again to start the game,” said Farokhmanesh, who was an assistant at Colorado State for seven seasons before being promoted to head coach following the departure of Nike Medved for Minnesota.

“I mean, that’s what we talked about, not letting that happen, but a ton of credit to them, they played well. I mean, the guys that haven’t made shots all year made shots for them, too. … They not only played really well, but I thought that they controlled the game in terms of 50/50 balls and offensive rebounds. I don’t know if there was a stat today that we didn’t get dominated in.”

Coming into the game, Colorado State led the Mountain West in field goal percentage (54.3%) and 3-point percentage (44.7%) and was second in the conference in scoring (85.7 ppg).

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But the Rams, whose two losses to Denver and Virginia Tech came by a total of four points, struggled with the Aggies’ full-court defense early on, and other than an 8-0 spurt late in the first half, could simply never get anything together.

Forward Carey Booth led CSU with 14 points, while Brandon Rechsteiner totaled 11 points and a team-best three 3-pointers.

Overall, the Rams shot 7 for 23 (30.4%) from beyond the arc.

“We knew that they’re a good 3-point shooting team, and that was our goal was not to let them back into the game by shooting 3s,” Falslev said.

Calhoun said the Aggies, who are 10-1 for the fourth straight season, will be off for Christmas until Dec. 26. They’ll then reconvene in Logan to prepare for their next game at Fresno State on Dec. 30.

Brighton was among the first resorts in Utah to allow snowboarding back in the late 1980s.

This year, USA Today named the Big Cottonwood Canyon resort as the best spot for snowboarding in 2025.

Here’s what the publication had to say:

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“The top of Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains is home to Brighton, a ski resort with a 500-inch annual average of light, fluffy and dry snowfall. Snowboarders can explore groomed trails geared toward beginners and experts alike, venture into ungroomed areas with natural terrain, or enjoy the human-made jumps and other features in the resort’s terrain parks.”

Brighton topped the USA Today list of the 10 best places for snowboarding in the U.S., which were picked by a panel of experts and USA Today editors and voted on by readers.

Brighton calls it a “huge honor” on its website, adding “but the stoke really comes from knowing our riders have believed this all along. Brighton’s spirit has always lived in its people and its powder, the award just makes it official. Now it’s your turn to experience what makes this place number one.”

A history of Brighton on the Ski Utah website says management at first wasn’t sure what this new “snowboarding craze” was all about. Snowboarders were allowed to ride at Brighton after concerns surfaced around the dangers of boarders hiking in the backcountry in avalanche terrain.

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The resort has since become a mecca for snowboarders.

“The topography here is crazy … Brighton has the highest concentration of jumps and cliffs and pillows,” said pro snowboarder JP Walker, per the Ski Utah article.

Best of the rest

Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon ranked eighth on the USA Today list.

Here’s what it says about Snowbird:

“With over 500 inches of annual snowfall, plus 3,000 vertical feet and 2,500 acres of snowboarding terrain, Utah’s Snowbird Resort is a top choice for your winter trips. There are 140 runs here, and more than 70% of the terrain is for intermediate and expert snowboarders. Additionally, you can even do guided snowboarding in the Wasatch backcountry, as well as take advantage of the Snowbird Mountain School’s snowboard lessons and camps for riders of every level and age.”

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Following Brighton on the USA Today list are:

1. Big Bear Mountain Resort, California

2. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming

3. Mammoth Mountain, California

4. Arapaho Basin Ski Area, Colorado

5. Palisades Tahoe, California

6. Copper Mountain, Colorado

7. Snowbird Resort, Utah

8. Bald Mountain Ski Area, Idaho

9. Winter Park Resort, Colorado

Brighton isn’t the only Utah ski and snowboard area to rank No. 1 on a USA Today reader’s choice list.

Snowbasin Resort in northern Utah scored the top spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Ski Resorts in the U.S. and Canada for the second year in a row. The ranking is based on snowfall, varied terrain, lift access and other factors.

Site of 2002 Olympic downhill skiing, the resort will be an Olympic venue again when Utah hosts the 2034 Winter Games.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) –  Coming off a solid road trip, winning two of three, the Utah Mammoth came home and could not produce enough offense.

Daniil But scored his first NHL goal for Utah, while Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves, but the Mammoth fell to New Jersey Friday night at the Delta Center, 2-1.

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Jacob Markstrom made 32 saves, while Stefan Noesen broke a tie early in the third period on the power play for the Devils. Connor Brown also scored, and Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils (20-14-1), who have won four of their past six games (4-2-0).

“This one’s on him tonight,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said of Markstrom. “We don’t get the opportunity to hang around in the game and have big moments like we did in the third period with penalty kill and power play, if not for Markstrom and how he held us in.”

Mammoth end road trip with 4-1 win over Detroit

“We did a lot of good stuff, obviously, dominated scoring chances, shots, stuff like that,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “I think we had a portion to put the game away when we had the lead, and we could not score the big goal, take advantage of our opportunity, and in the third they did a good job. Give them credit, but at the same time, we need to find a way to put pucks in the net, to find seams, and to create more chaos.”

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Alex Kerfoot made his season debut after missing the first 36 games with a lower-body injury.

“I’ve never gone through an injury like this,” Kerfoot said. “This season, I feel like more than ever, because the schedule is so condensed, we haven’t had practice time really at all. I haven’t gotten into a practice. So, my first couple shifts, it was just feeling, trying to keep it short. But overall, the game felt fast, but I felt good and felt like my touches were good when I was out there and just got to keep building.”

But gave Utah a 1-0 lead on the power play at 9:35 of the first period, firing a backhanded shot past Markstrom. The 20-year-old forward was a first-round pick (No. 12) by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2023 NHL Draft.

“I’m not going to lie, it felt good when I scored,” But said. “But the most important thing is winning, and we lost today.”

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Brown tied it 1-1 at 11:21 of the second period, beating Vejmelka on the blocker side.

Noesen’s power-play goal put the Devils ahead 2-1 at 4:20 of the third period, tapping in a rebound of Hischier’s point shot.

The Devils were 0-for-7 with the man-advantage over their previous three games entering Friday, and started the game 0-for-4 before Noesen’s go-ahead goal.

Bruins shut down Mammoth, 4-1

“I think we needed that one, for sure, especially in that game too,” Hischier said. “[We had a] 5-on-3 early again and couldn’t score. So, definitely good that we came up big at the end.”

New Jersey killed a 6-on-4 power play over the final 1:21 with Vejmelka pulled for the extra skater after Dawson Mercer’s tripping penalty against Barrett Hayton at 18:39.

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The Mammoth next host Winnipeg on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

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