Game Notes: UTAH TECH - PDF | IDAHO STATE - PDF
Utah Tech Football Media Central
Lance Anderson Coaches Show: TRAILBLAZER SPORTSVISION
Pre-Game/Post-Game Show: TRAILBLAZER SPORTSVISION
Live TV: ESPN+
Live Streaming Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: THE FAN SPORTS NETWORK
Live Stats: vs. IDAHO STATE
Twitter: @UtahTech_Sports | @UtahTech_Fball | #UtahTechIsHere | #BigSkyFB

TRAILBLAZER TALES 
• Utah Tech returns home for its penultimate home game of the 2026 season this Saturday afternoon when the Trailblazers play host to Idaho State for a Big Sky Halloween matinee.
• Saturday's game will be the second-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Bengals on the football field.
• The two sides first met all the way back in 2013 in Pocatello, when then-Dixie State opened its eighth Division II season on the wrong end of a 40-14 road result (9/7/13).  
• Saturday's game will also serve as the first time Utah Tech head coach Lance Anderson will have faced his alma mater in any coaching capacity in his near 30 total years on the sidelines.
• Anderson played at Idaho State during the 1993 season, and served on the Bengals coaching staff for two seasons, including time as running backs coach in 1997, and tight ends and assistant offensive line coach in 1998.
• Utah Tech broke through for its first victory of the 2026 season, and its first-ever Big Sky Conference win, with a 43-26 road triumph at Cal Poly last Saturday afternoon. 
• The win snapped the Trailblazers' 10-game losing streak, which dated back to the final seven games of the 2025 season, and halted Utah Tech's 21-game road losing skid. The last Blazer road victory came in a non-conference win at Northern Arizona (50-36; 9/16/23) early in the 2023 season. 
• Utah Tech's offense gained 387 yards in the Cal Poly win, while the Trailblazer defense forced an opponent season-high six turnovers, including four interceptions, which directly led to 26 Blazer points. 
 
LIVE STATS/AUDIO/STREAM INFO: Live stats and audio/video streaming information and links for this Saturday afternoon's game vs. Idaho State can be found online at utahtechtrailblazers.com.
 
UTAH TECH ON THE AIR: All Utah Tech games this season are broadcast live on The Fan Sports Network(99.5/95.3 FM in St. George; 93.1 FM/1400 AM in Cedar City; www.thefansportsnetwork.com), while all home games will be streamed live online on ESPN+.
        The "Voice of the Trailblazers" Rod Zundel is in his fifth season calling the play-by-play action on ESPN+, and he will be joined this Saturday by former Utah Tech defensive lineman Max Christensen III. In addition, Devin Dixon (PBP) and Paul Ratliff (color) will have the call on The Fan Sports Network.  
        As part of this season's game day broadcast coverage, Utah Tech airs a 60-minute comprehensive pregame show, and 30-minute post-game show, both of which air live on The Fan Sports Network and streamed live on YouTube on Trailblazer SportsVision (youtube.com/TrailblazerAthletics).
        Along with complete Game Day coverage, Zundel hosts "The Lance Anderson Coaches Show" every Tuesday night on The Fan Sports Network and streamed on Trailblazer SportsVision at 6 p.m. (MT).
 
A TRAILBLAZER WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD...: Mark the first time Utah Tech will have won back-to-back games since late in the 2022 season, when the Trailblazers won three-straight games late in that campaign. A win would also be Utah Tech's first home win of the year, its first home win vs. a Big Sky opponent, and would be the first-ever victory over a team from "The Gem State." 
 
STARTING TO CLOSE THE GAP: Utah Tech's road win at Cal Poly was not only the program's first Big Sky Conference victory, it was also the second triumph over a Big Sky opponent overall. 
        Prior to joining the conference on July 1, the Trailblazers had faced eight current football playing members of the Big Sky and are a combined 2-26 lifetime against the league, 0-6 as a D-II and 2-20 in their short time as a D-I FCS program. 
        Prior to last Saturday's result at Cal Poly, Utah Tech's lone win against the Big Sky came during the 2023 season, a 50-36 road triumph at Northern Arizona (9/16/23). 
 
MORE ABOUT YEAR ONE IN THE BIG SKY: Utah Tech will play 11 Big Sky opponents this season, including first-ever match-ups against Northern Colorado (9/26), Portland State (10/10), Cal Poly (last Saturday), and Eastern Washington (11/14).
        However only nine of these 11 games this season will count in the conference standings as the Trailblazers' games against both Montana (9/12) and NAU (9/19) were non-conference affairs. Those two contests were already on Utah Tech's 2026 schedule prior to the program accepting the invitation to join the league one year ago.
        The only Big Sky team Utah Tech will not play this season is Idaho, which the Blazers faced last season in Moscow. 
 
SO ABOUT THE 2026 SCHEDULE: Utah Tech's 2026 schedule is ranked as the eighth-hardest in the current Massey Ratings, and is currently rated as the 13th-hardest in the WarrenNolan.com ELO FCS strength of schedule ratings (out of 128 FCS teams).
        The Trailblazers' schedule currently features six of their Big Sky opponents either ranked, or receiving votes, in both of this week's FCS top-25 polls. Meanwhile week No. 2 opponent, BYU, is ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, in both the current Associated Press and USA Today/AFCA Coaches' Top-25 polls.
 
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: Utah Tech is to 5-44 (4-43 overall vs. AFCA) all-time record vs. ranked opponents (FCS and D-II), which includes an 0-4 mark this season. That record also includes a 3-26 record in its brief time as an FCS program.
        The Trailblazers' last victory over a ranked team came two seasons ago at home against then No. 9/11 Central Arkansas (34-21; 11/2/24).  
  
TAKING ON ALL COMERS: Since transitioning to NCAA Division I FCS status in 2020-21, Utah Tech has faced 33 top-25 teams (3-30) and 27 total FCS playoff teams.   
        In fact, Utah Tech's 2021 fall schedule was rated as the second-toughest schedule in the entire country and featured seven ranked teams and seven 2021 FCS Fall playoff teams, including the 2021 spring national champion (Sam Houston) and runner-up (South Dakota State).
        Utah Tech has also squared off against four FBS programs over that span - New Mexico State (2021 spring in El Paso, Texas), BYU (2022 and 2026), Colorado State (2023) and UNLV (2024).
 
ABOUT THE IDAHO STATE "BENGALS": Idaho State enters this Saturday's game coming off a convincing 38-8 home triumph over Portland State last Saturday afternoon in Pocatello, which snapped a three-game Bengal losing skid. 
        The Bengals opened the 2026 campaign with four-straight victories, including an impressive 29-17 road victory over FBS foe Utah State (9/5), and a 28-24 road result at Southern Utah (9/26). 
        Through eight games, Idaho State averages 33.4 points and 427.8 yards of total offense per game. Its 292.3 passing yards per game lead the Big Sky and rank sixth nationally. 
        Fifth year quarterback Jordan Cooke has thrown for 2,021 yards and 16 touchdowns, while his 252.6 passing yards per game average ranks fourth in the Big Sky. Cooke has also run for a team-high four touchdowns. 
        Cooke's favorite target, fifth year WR Julian Mason, leads the team with 45 receptions for 547 yards and five touchdowns. 
        On the ground, sophomore RB Tytan Mason, who graduated from St. George's Desert Hills HS, is ISU's top rusher, having run for 442 yards (7.1 ypg) on 62 carries and three touchdowns. Mason rushed for a season-high 101 yards and one touchdown in last Saturday's home win over Portland State. 
        Defensively, Idaho State leads the Big Sky in passing yards allowed (180.9 ypg), pass efficiency defense (105.38, eighth in FCS), third-down defense (34.2 percent), sacks (2.13 spg) and tackles for loss (6.0 per game), and is second in the conference in scoring defense (20.8 ppg).
        Senior LB Nathan Reynolds leads the Big Sky with 9.1 tackles per game, and freshman DL Trehsyn Fesilihas 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in eight games.
        Meanwhile, sophomore PK Mason Lindberg has connected on 14 of his 20 on field goal attempts this season. His 1.75 field goals per game lead the Big Sky and rank fourth in the FCS, and his 9.1 points per game rank second in the league and fourth-nationally.
 
SEASON HIGHS FOR THE OFFENSE: Utah Tech put up a season high 572 yards of total offense against Southern Utah back on Oct. 3. That 572-yard number also included season highs in both passing yards (391) and rushing yards (181).
        In addition, the 572-yard night vs. SUU marked the ninth time in the program's brief NCAA Division I era that the Trailblazers gained at least 500 yards of offense in a game.
        In fact, the Blazers' 572 total yards gained were the third-most in the D-I era, and were the most since Utah Tech racked up 508 yards vs. Abilene Christian (9/28/24) during the 2024 season.
        In the 2022 season, Utah Tech gained 500-plus yards in five games, including a D-I era record 603 yards vs. Southern Utah (11/5/22), and 579 yards at Sacramento State (9/3/22). 
 
HOW ABOUT THAT DEFENSE: Utah Tech's defense forced an opponent season-high six turnovers in the Cal Poly win last Saturday, including four interceptions, which directly led to 26 Blazer points. 
        Utah Tech's four interceptions at Cal Poly tied for the second-most in the program's NCAA era, and were the most since 2024, when the Trailblazers picked off four Central Arkansas passes in a 34-21 home victory over the then-ranked Bears (11/2/24). 
        The Trailblazers also limited Cal Poly to an opponent season low 42 net yards rushing. The last time Utah Tech held an opponent under 50 yards rushing came last season in a home win over Northern Iowa (47 yds - 9/20/25).  
 
HIGHWAY TO THE RED ZONE: After opening the season going just 5-for-11 (31 pts) in the red zone over its first five games, Utah Tech has converted on 14 of its 15 red zone chances (82 pts) in its last three games, including a perfect 6-for-6 against both Southern Utah (10/3) and Cal Poly last Saturday. 
        The Trailblazers tallied four touchdowns and 34 total points in each of those two outings vs. SUU and CP. In fact, three of Utah Tech's final four scoring drives in the Cal Poly win started inside the Mustang 10-yard line, while the Blazers' final scoring drive began at the CP 24 yard line. 
 
HANSEN EARNS BIG SKY HONOR: Freshman ILB Luke Hansen was named Big Sky co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his efforts in last Saturday's Trailblazer road conference win at Cal Poly last Saturday.  
        Hansen enjoyed a banner afternoon against the Mustangs, against which racked up a career high eight total tackles, including his first two collegiate tackles-for-loss and one sack, along with his first collegiate interception.
        In fact the freshman's interception, one of six total turnovers the Trailblazer defense forced in the victory, directly led to a Utah Tech touchdown on the very next play from scrimmage midway through the third quarter. 
  
2026 TRAILBLAZER FOOTBALL POSITION-BY-POSITION NOTES
QUARTERBACK
• Fifth-year Deacon Hill enjoyed a career day in his return to action at Cal Poly last Saturday ... Hill recorded career highs in both completions (20) and attempts (38) on his way to 213 yards passing and one touchdown.
• Hill also rushed for a collegiate career high 57 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns at Cal Poly ... his two rushing touchdowns matched his career total in 13 games he played at Iowa during the 2023 season, and eclipsed his total (1) in his first four games at Utah Tech in 2024.
• Hill missed out on a possible third rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter when on a QB keeper on first down at the CP 2, he had the ball knocked free from his grasp at the goal line ... however sophomore WR Prince Zombo Jr. was there to pounce on the loose ball in the end zone to record his first collegiate touchdown. 
• Hill made his first start in over two seasons vs. Southern Utah (10/3) and threw for a career high 226 yards on 9-for-17 passing and one touchdown before leaving the game late in the second quarter due to injury.
• Four of Hill's nine completions went for at least 37 yards, including his first completion, a 47-yarder to Darnell O'Quinn, which set up a Trailblazer field goal on Utah Tech's opening possession.
• Junior Bronson Barben came in for one play in the first quarter at Cal Poly when Hill's helmet came off after a 5-yard run ... Barben made that one play count as he found tight end Zay Akinsanya all alone over the middle for a 22-yard touchdown to get Utah Tech on the scoreboard. 
• Barben started at Portland State (10/10) and posted career highs of 19 carries for 61 yards ... the junior also completed 22-of-43 passes for 224 yards, and recorded his first collegiate touchdown reception late in the second quarter ... Barben's 43 pass attempts in that game were also a career high.
• Barben connected on 20 of his 35 pass attempts for 227 yards and rushed for 26 yards on five carries (5.2 ypc) at Northern Colorado (9/26).
• Barben notched his first collegiate 300-yard game in the loss at Montana (9/12) ... he went 21-for-35 for 301 yards, highlighted by completions of 51 and 60 yards, with the latter going for a late fourth quarter touchdown scored by senior WR Mike Williams. 
• Barben also recorded his second career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard keeper earlier in that fourth quarter at Montana. 
  
RUNNING BACK
• After missing the Portland State game (10/10) due to injury, junior Ace Chatman returned to action at Cal Poly, where he rushed for 18 yards on eight carries ... Chatman also caught four passes for nine yards, including a third quarter 4-yard touchdown toss from Hill.  
• Chatman has now scored at least one touchdown in five of his first seven starts this season ... his five rushing touchdowns through seven games this season tied his previous career high set last year, while his now four receiving touchdowns are a career high.
• Chatman tied Utah Tech's NCAA era school record with four total touchdowns, and posted his third career 100-yard game, vs. Southern Utah (10/3).
• Chatman carried the ball 19 times for 101 yards against SUU, which included touchdown runs of 2 yards and 4 yards in the first and fourth quarters, respectively.
• Chatman also caught four passes for 28 yards, including a 9-yard TD pass from Hill in the second quarter, and an 8-yard touchdown pass from Barben late in the fourth quarter.
• Chatman's two rushing touchdowns vs. SUU tied his career high, while his two receiving touchdowns set a new career high. 
• Chatman's four total TDs tied the school record first set by former Blazer running back Drew Kannely-Robles in a home win over Fort Lewis (11/13/21) during the 2021 fall season.
• Thanks to his record night vs. SUU, Chatman (10) also became just the SEVENTH Trailblazer running back in the program's NCAA era with at least 10 career rushing touchdowns ... meanwhile his 14 total touchdowns leave the junior one score shy of cracking into Utah Tech's career touchdowns top-10 list. 
• Chatman led Utah Tech with 45 rush yards on 12 carries and one touchdown at UNCO (9/26) ... Chatman scored on a 2-yard dive early in the second quarter.  
• Chatman ran for a career high 110 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown vs. NAU (9/19) ... Chatman wound up with a career best 149 all-purpose yards on the night, catching four passes for team-high 39 yards, 22 of which came on a fourth quarter catch-and-run touchdown that made it a one-possession game with 7:06 remaining.
• Chatman's career night came on the heels of a then-season high 95 yards on a career-high 21 carries (4.5 ypc) at Montana (9/12).
• Chatman also became the third different Trailblazer to record multiple 100-yard rush games during the program's brief time at the D-I FCS level ... former Blazer tailback Quali Conley ran for 100 or more yards six times during the 2022 season, while Kannely-Robles reached the century mark in rush yards twice during the 2021 campaign. 
• Freshman Junior Curtis ran for a game and career-high 59 yards in the Cal Poly win last Saturday ... Curtis, who carried the ball a career-best nine times, averaged 6.6 yards per attempt against the Mustang defense. 
• Senior Kona Crowell tied a career high with four receptions out of the backfield for 27 yards at UNCO (9/26) ... he also recorded a career-long 27-yard reception vs. NAU (9/19). 
• Freshman Cavalli Nealy recorded career highs of six carries for 32 yards, and scored his first collegiate rushing touchdown, in the loss at Portland State (10/10). 
 
WIDE RECEIVER
• Williams enjoyed a career night vs. SUU (10/3), against which he hauled in three passes for a game and career-high 160 yards ... Williams caught passes for 47 and 58 yards from Hill, both of which set up Trailblazer scores, and a 55-yarder from Barben in the fourth quarter, which helped lead to Utah Tech's final touchdown of the night.
• Williams became just the second Trailblazer receiver to record at least 160 yards on four or less receptions in the NCAA era, and is the first in the program's current D-I era.
• Former Trailblazer receiver Travis Brown was the first to achieve the feat more than 20 years ago in then-Dixie State's FIRST-EVER NCAA Division II game at Colorado Mesa (8/24/06), against which he caught four passes for 230 yards. 
• Williams' previous collegiate career high in receiving yards came at Montana (9/12) last month, where he snared three balls for 80 yards, including his first collegiate touchdown (60 yarder).
• Williams caught four of his five targets for 42 yards in his Trailblazer debut vs. Montana State (8/29) ... his four catches vs. MSU matched his career total over three seasons at Southeastern Louisiana.
• O'Quinn tied a career high with five receptions for 68 yards, and recovered a fourth quarter fumble on punt coverage at Cal Poly last Saturday ... O'Quinn first posted his collegiate career highs of five catches for 84 yards at Northern Colorado (9/26) ... O'Quinn also finished with career best 101 all-purpose yards as he rushed for 17 yards on two carries. 
• O'Quinn caught one of his four targets in the SUU loss (10/3), which went for 47 yards on Utah Tech's first possession ... O'Quinn tied a then-season high with 41 receiving yards at Montana (9/12) ... he also led all Utah Tech receivers with 41 yards on three catches at BYU (9/5).
• Junior Prince Zombo Jr. hauled in a season-high four passes for 37 yards at UNCO (9/26) ... Zombo Jr. caught three passes for a season-high 57 yards at Portland State (10/10). 
• Senior Ja'Kheo Mitchell brought in three of his four targets at Montana (9/12) for a season high 38 yards ... Mitchell recorded 21 yards on three catches, and had an 18-yard kick-off return at UNCO (9/26). 
• Sophomore Will Greene caught two of his five targets for 24 yards, and scampered for 19 yards on his first rush attempt of the season at Cal Poly last Saturday ... Greene hauled in three passes for 47 yards at Portland State (10/10).  
• Greene was targeted a team-high eight times at BYU (9/5), and he hauled in three of those targets for 35 yards, including a 23-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter. 
• Sophomore Isaac McMullin caught both of his targets for 30 yards in his Trailblazer debut vs. Montana State (8/29), including a 26-yard hook-up with reserve QB CJ Tiller for a first down on 3rd and 13 in the fourth quarter.  
• Freshman Zay Morris posted season highs of four catches for 62 yards at Portland State (10/10) ... that effort came on the heels of him posting 82 all-purpose yards vs. SUU (10/3), including three catches for 60 yards, and two carries for 22 yards. 
 
TIGHT END
• Akinsanya's 22-yard touchdown catch at Cal Poly last Saturday served as the freshman's first collegiate score. 
• Senior Justin Buhler recorded career highs in both receptions (4) and yards (25) in the SUU loss (10/3), and caught two passes for 13 yards at Portland State (10/10). 
 
OFFENSIVE LINE
• As a unit, the Trailblazer offensive line is t-second in the Big Sky, and t-14th in the FCS national rankings in sacks allowed per game (1.13 spg) ... Utah Tech's line has only surrendered nine total sacks in eight games, including no sacks at Cal Poly last Saturday, and at Northern Colorado (9/26). 
 
DEFENSE LINE 
• Fifth year Fasitootai Sagapolu was credited with his first career solo sack, and his third career sack overall, at Montana (9/12) ... Sagapolu tied a season high with four total tackles and was credited with a PBU vs. NAU (9/19). 
• Senior Brandon Jackson notched career highs of four tackles and 1.5 TFLs, and recorded his second career sack, in the win at Cal Poly last Saturday.
• Jackson notched his first collegiate sack and tallied four total tackles against Montana State (8/29) ... the senior also blocked a kick for the second time in as many season openers, swatting away a Bobcat PAT attempt late in the second quarter.
• Jackson's first blocked kick came on a field goal attempt in last year's season opener vs. UC Davis (8/30/25).
• Junior Zayden Cook racked up a career high six tackles in his first collegiate start vs. Montana State (8/29) ... Cook collected his first collegiate sack, and tallied five total tackles and 1.5 TFLs at Portland State (10/10). 
 
LINEBACKERS 
• Senior Will Alovao created a lot of havoc in the Cal Poly backfield last Saturday ... he tallied five total tackles along with 1.5 TFLs, one sack and two QB hurries on the afternoon overall. 
• Alovao posted career highs nine total tackles and 2.0 TFLs, and forced a fumble, at Portland State (10/10) ... Alovao's career day at PSU eclipsed his previous career high of seven total tackles set vs. NAU (9/19). 
• Alovao, who is t-third in the Big Sky with 7.5 TFLs, has registered one sack in four of his last nine starts dating back to last season, and he has racked up at least one TFL in 13 of his last 17 games overall with five total sacks over that stretch. 
• Junior Moe Passi collected five tackles and a career-best 1.5 TFLs in the Cal Poly win last Saturday ... earlier this month Passi tied a career high eight total tackles (5 solo) with one TFL vs. SUU (10/3). 
• Passi tallied seven tackles (2 solo) along with his second collegiate PBU at BYU (9/5) ... Passi's seven tackles were one off of his career high of eight he first set in last season's home win over North Alabama (11/1/25). 
• Sophomore Daylen Love racked up a season-high 11 total tackles with one TFL and one QB hurry in the Cal Poly win last Saturday. 
• Love made his second home start of the year vs. SUU (10/3) and responded with a season-high 10 tackles ... Love chased that with eight total stops and 1.5 TFLs at Portland State (10/10).  
• Love has now reached double figures in tackles four times in just 15 career games, while his 11 total tackles at Cal Poly were one off his career high of 12 he set in his collegiate debut last season vs. UC Davis (8/30). 
• Senior RJ Jones II was credited with six tackles in his first start of the year at BYU (9/5) ... Jones II opened the year with five tackles off the bench vs. Montana State (8/29), and was credited with four stops vs. SUU (10/3). 
• Fifth year Helaman Ofahengaue racked up a career high 1.5 TFLs and was credited with four total tackles (3 solo) vs. NAU (9/19). 
• Ofahengaue tallied a career-best six tackles with a TFL at Montana (9/12).
• Junior Hawai'i transfer Aiden McComber made his Trailblazer debut at Montana (9/12) and picked up two total tackles and one TFL, and registered a season high three tackles vs. SUU (10/3).  
• Hansen tallied four solo stops and finished with a then-career high six total tackles at Portland State (10/10). 
 
DEFENSIVE BACKS 
• Freshman safety Shaun Niu Jr. picked off his first collegiate interception and registered a pair of tackles in the win at Cal Poly last Saturday.
• Niu Jr. enjoyed a banner night vs. NAU (9/19), against which he racked up a career high nine total tackles (7 solo) with one PBU and his first collegiate forced fumble, which directly to a fourth quarter Blazer touchdown. 
• Niu Jr. collected his first collegiate sack and tallied seven total tackles (4 solo) vs. SUU (10/3). 
• Fifth year safety Brevin Czosnyka had a busy Saturday afternoon at Cal Poly, against which he recorded his first collegiate sack, his third career interception, six total tackles and one QB hurry.  
• Czosnyka, who leads the Blazer defense with 51 total tackles, picked up right where he left off from a season ago with nine total tackles (5 solo) vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Czosnyka followed that up with seven stops at BYU (9/5), and picked off his second career interception as a Trailblazer to go with six total tackles vs. Southern Utah (10/3).
• Czosnyka notched a Utah Tech career high 10 total tackles at Portland State (10/10).  
• Freshman CB Ryan Tillman enters this week as the FCS national co-leader in fumble recoveries after he picked up his third loose ball on a Devin Costello strip and ran 56 yards in the fourth quarter at Cal Poly last Saturday.
• Tillman also registered a career high three PBUs to go with four total tackles, his first collegiate TFL, returned two kickoffs for 38 yards in the Cal Poly win.  
• Tillman tied a career high with six total tackles, and made the recovery on the Niu Jr. forced fumble vs. NAU (9/19) ... Tillman kept the vibe going with four solo tackles and recovered a fumble at Portland State (10/10). 
• Junior reserve safety Brady Sorenson recorded Utah Tech's first defensive TD of the season on a 35-yard interception return early in the third quarter vs. NAU (9/19). 
• Sorenson's first collegiate pick-six was Utah Tech's first interception return for a touchdown in three years ... the Trailblazers' last interception return for a TD came, coincidentally, in a road win at NAU in 2023 (Sam Kanongata'a – 53 yards; 9/16/23).
• Sorenson now has three career interceptions in his three seasons at Utah Tech, two of which came in a home win over Central Arkansas during the 2024 campaign (11/2/24).  
• Junior CB Jeremiah Jimoh led the Blazer defense with seven total tackles, along with one TFL and a career-high two PBUs (seventh and eighth career overall) at Montana (9/12). 
• Jimoh was credited with six tackles and one PBU in his season debut vs. Montana State (8/29), and collected five solo tackles in the Cal Poly win last Saturday. 
• Senior safety Quincy Lejay returned to action after a four-game absence and responded with six tackles and first career interception in the Cal Poly win last Saturday. 
• Lejay forced his first turnover of the season, a first quarter fumble on his second career TFL at Montana (9/12) ... Lejay wound up with four total tackles and one PBU against the Grizzlies.
• Lejay co-led the Trailblazer defense with seven total tackles at BYU (9/5), and racked up a game-high 11 tackles (6 solo) and one QB hurry in the opener vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Lejay's 11 stops were two off of his career high of 13 set in Utah Tech's 2024 home win over Central Arkansas (11/2/24), and was his third double-digit tackle game overall. 
• Junior safety Braden Cervello tied a career high with seven total tackles and was credited with one pass break-up at Northern Colorado (9/26).
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Senior punter Ryan Marks punted four times for 199 yards (49.8 ypp), including a 59-yarder, in the Cal Poly win last Saturday.
• Marks punted eight times for 375 yards (46.9 ypp) vs. NAU (9/19), highlighted by a career long 70-yard punt in the first quarter. 
• Three of Marks' eight punts went for at least 53 yards, while two of his punts were downed inside the 20 yard line. 
• Marks punted a season-high seven times for 345 yards (49.3 ypp) at Montana (9/12), five which sailed at least 50 yards, including three 55-yarders. 
• In all, Marks has recorded 10 punts of 50 or more yards through his first eight games of the season ... he now has 30 punts of 50-plus yards in 20 games as a Trailblazer.
• Marks currently leads the Big Sky Conference and is ranked THIRD in the FCS subdivision (14th in all Division I FBS/FCS overall) in yards/punt (46.63 ypp). 
• Marks was Utah Tech's lone representative on the preseason all-Big Sky team. 
• Marks also started the year on the 2026 FCS Punter of the Year Preseason Watch List, and was named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Third Team All-America, and Phil Steele Midseason Third Team All-America team.  
• Freshman PK Max Shepherd connected on a career best three field goals, including a career long 50-yarder, and on four of his five PAT attempts (one blocked) at Cal Poly last Saturday. 
 
#AB3FOREVER: Fifth year defensive lineman Fasitootai Sagapolu was voted by his teammates to receive the honorary No. 3 jersey for the 2026 season. The senior defensive stalwart is the fifth Trailblazer player to earn the coveted privilege since the 2021 spring season. 
        The awarding of the No. 3 jersey has become an annual tradition honoring the memory of former Trailblazer football player Abraham Reinhardt, who passed away unexpectedly on March 22, 2019.
        Head coach Lance Anderson noted when he arrived on the Utah Tech campus that he took some time to get familiar with the story of Reinhardt, both as a student-athlete and as a young man. He quickly realized the importance and the impact this tradition has on the Trailblazer football program, a tradition he is very eager to continue.
        "Once I heard the story about Abe Reinhardt, the kind of person he was, the kind of football player he was, and his tragic passing, I was very touched and felt like this is something we need to continue," said Coach Anderson. "I felt it was very important that our team understands who he was and what this jersey truly represents."
 
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech heads back to California for a Big Sky road match-up at No. 21/20 UC Davis. Kickoff inside UC Davis Health Stadium is set for 5 p.m. (MT).