Game Notes: UTAH TECH - PDF | NAU - 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. NORTHERN ARIZONA
Twitter: @UtahTech_Sports | @UtahTech_Fball | #UtahTechIsHere | #BigSkyFB

TRAILBLAZER TALES 
• Utah Tech wraps up its 2026 non-conference slate this Saturday night when the Trailblazers welcome No. 19/20 Northern Arizona to Greater Zion Stadium.
• Though both the Trailblazers and Lumberjacks are new conference foes, Saturday night's match-up is a non-conference game due to the fact that the contest was already on the 2026 schedule for both teams prior to Utah Tech accepting the invitation to join the Big Sky Conference in June of 2025.
• Saturday's game is the fifth meeting between the two sides on the gridiron, and it will mark the second time the Blazers and Lumberjacks have squared off in St. George.
• Utah Tech is 1-3 all-time vs. NAU, which includes a 50-36 road victory in first FCS meeting between the two regional foes in 2023 (9/16/23).  
• However the Lumberjacks exacted a little bit of revenge one year with a 45-17 road win at Greater Zion Stadium (9/14/24), and claimed a 38-31 barn-burner last season in Flagstaff (9/6/25).
• The two sides also met for the first time during Utah Tech's inaugural NCAA Division II season in 2006. That season, then-Dixie State opened that campaign with four-straight road games, with the NAU match-up serving as the final game of that stretch. The end result was a 66-14 Lumberjack home win (9/16/06). 
• Saturday's game will also mark the first time in the program's NCAA era that Utah Tech will have faced four-straight ranked opponents to open a season. In fact, Utah Tech has played at least two ranked teams in its first four games in five of the Trailblazers' seven NCAA D-I FCS seasons overall. 
 
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 night 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...: Stop Utah Tech's current six-game losing skid, which dates back to the final three games of the 2025 season. A win would also be Utah Tech's second against a Big Sky foe, and would be the program's sixth victory overall against a ranked opponent. 
 
LOOKING TO CLOSE THE GAP: Utah Tech enters Saturday's game vs. Northern Arizona looking for its second-ever win against a Big Sky Conference opponent.
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 1-22 lifetime against the league, 0-6 as a D-II and 1-16 in their short time as a D-I FCS program. Utah Tech's lone win against the Big Sky came during the 2023 season, a 50-36 road triumph at, coincidentally, NAU (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 (10/24) and Eastern Washington (11/14).
However only nine of those 11 games will count in the conference standings as the Trailblazers' game last week at Montana, and this Saturday's game vs. NAU are 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 hardest in the current Massey Ratings, and is currently rated as the second-hardest in the WarrenNolan.com ELO FCS strength of schedule ratings (out of 128 FCS teams).
The Trailblazers' schedule currently features five Big Sky teams ranked in the FCS top-25 preseason polls, while two conference foes are receiving votes. Meanwhile week No. 2 opponent, BYU, is ranked 11th and 13th, respectively, in both the current Associated Press and USA Today/AFCA Coaches' Top-25 polls. 

LAST TIME OUT: Despite gaining a season-high 405 yards of total offense, Utah Tech remained winless on the young season after dropping a 35-14 non-conference road decision at No. 2/3 Montana last Saturday afternoon at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. 
 
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: Utah Tech enters Saturday night's game vs. Northern Arizona with a 5-43 (4-42 overall vs. AFCA) all-time record vs. ranked opponents (FCS and D-II), which includes a 3-25 mark 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 (3-29) 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 NORTHERN ARIZONA "LUMBERJACKS": No. 19/20 NAU has won two of its three games to open the 2026 campaign, with both victories coming on its home field. The 'Jacks rallied for a 34-27 season-opening Big Sky triumph over Eastern Washington during Week 0 (8/29).
Then after a 35-7 road loss at in-state Arizona (9/5), NAU bounced back with a 38-28 win over visiting Incarnate Word last Saturday inside the Walkup Skydome. 
Senior QB Ty Pennington has completed 43 of his 78 pass attempts (.551) over his first three starts for 497 yards and three touchdowns. Pennington two primary targets in the early going have been junior tight end Jeter Purdy (8 rec./126 yds/1 TD) and senior wide receiver Joey Stout (12 rec./126 yds), who have combined for 20 catches and 252 yards.  
Meanwhile, junior running back Quran Gossett has run for over 100 yards and scored one touchdown in each of NAU's two home victories to this point of the season, including a season-high 105 yards on 17 carries and a score vs. UIW last Saturday.  
Defensively, senior safety Deliyon Freeman earned Big Sky co-Defensive Player of the Week this past Monday after he racked up a career-high 13 tackles, forced one fumble, and recorded one interception in the 'Jacks win over UIW. 
 
#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."
 
EVERYBODY EATS: Utah Tech junior quarterback Bronson Barben tied a school single game record at Montana last Saturday afternoon when he completed at least one pass to 11 different receivers. 
Last Saturday's feat marked the SEVENTH time in the program's brief FCS era, and the 18th-time overall in the four-year era, that the Trailblazer offense reached double-digits in pass catchers in a single game.
The last time Utah Tech reached double figures in pass receivers in a game came in last season's finale vs. Eastern Kentucky (10; 11/22/25). 
Meanwhile, the 11-receiver plateau has been reached 10 different times, with the last instance coming in the 2024 season finale on the road at Southern Utah (11/23/24). 
  
2026 TRAILBLAZER FOOTBALL POSITION-BY-POSITION NOTES
QUARTERBACK
• Barben posted his first collegiate 300-yard game in the loss at Montana last Saturday ... 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 the fourth quarter. 
• Barben came on in the second quarter at BYU (9/5) two weeks ago and threw for 115 yards on 12-22-1 passing ... he also led the Trailblazers on their lone scoring drive of the game, a 7:45 drive that went 75 yards in 15 plays in the third quarter.
• Barben got the opening night start against Montana State (8/29) and went 9-for-21 passing for 78 yards and two interceptions ... Barben also led Utah Tech in rushing with 21 yards on six carries. 
• Junior CJ Tiller started at BYU and went 3-for-9 for 20 yards and two first quarter interceptions. 
• Tiller played in the final two series vs. Montana State (8/29) and completed 10 of his 12 pass attempts for 91 yards. 
  
RUNNING BACK
• Junior Ace Chatman just missed recording his second career 100-yard game as he ran for a season-high 95 yards on a career-high 21 carries (4.5 ypc) at Montana last Saturday.
• Chatman tallied a team-high 38 yards on 12 carries, and scored Utah Tech's lone touchdown, at BYU (9/5) two weeks ago.
• Chatman's third-quarter score was his first of the season, and the junior's sixth career rushing TD overall. 
• Chatman carried the ball a team-high 13 times for 20 yards, and caught his lone target for three yards, vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Chatman started in 10 of the 11 games he appeared in last season and rushed for 536 yards on 121 carries (4.4 ypc) with a team-high five touchdowns ... he also led the offense with 713 all-purpose yards (64.8 ypg).
• Senior tailback Kona Crowell tied a career high with four receptions out of the backfield for 21 yards at BYU (9/5) ... he also rushed for seven yards on three carries. 
• Sophomore RB Daron Tyson recorded his first two collegiate rush attempts for nine total yards in the fourth quarter at Montana last Saturday.
 
WIDE RECEIVER
• Williams wound up with a collegiate career-best 80 yards receiving on three catches, including his first collegiate touchdown (60 yarder), at Montana last Saturday.
• 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.
• Junior Darnell O'Quinn caught both of his targets at Montana last Saturday for 41 yards, highlighted by a 26-yard completion in the fourth quarter that kick-started the Trailblazers' first scoring drive.
• O'Quinn led all Utah Tech receivers with 41 yards on three catches at BYU (9/5).
• Junior Prince Zombo Jr., who missed the BYU game (9/5), hauled in three passes for 33 yards at Montana last Saturday ... Zombo Jr. made three receptions for 29 yards in his Utah Tech debut vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Senior Ja'Kheo Mitchell brought in three of his four targets at Montana last Saturday for 38 yards. 
• Sophomore Will Greene caught his lone target on Saturday at Montana, which went for 51 yards in the second quarter. 
• 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 Tiller for a first down on 3rd and 13 in the fourth quarter.  
• Fifth-year DaJon Harrison collected 16 yards on two receptions in his season debut vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Freshman Zay Morris caught his first two collegiate passes for 12 total yards at BYU (9/5). 
 
TIGHT END
• Sophomore Brayden Hampsten hauled in three passes for 29 yards in his season debut vs. Montana State (8/29). 
 
DEFENSE LINE 
• Fifth year Fasitootai Sagapolu was credited with his first career solo sack, and his third career sack overall, at Montana last Saturday ... Sagapolu made four stops in the opener vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Senior Brandon Jackson recorded his first collegiate sack and tallied four total tackles against Montana State (8/29). 
• Jackson 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 blocked a field goal 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 three tackles at BYU (9/5). 
 
LINEBACKERS 
• After opening the year with one sack and four total tackles vs. Montana State (8/29), senior Will Alovao duplicated that feat one week later at BYU (9/5).
• Alovao has registered one sack in three of his last four starts dating back to last season, and he has racked up at least one TFL in nine of his last 12 games overall with four total sacks over that stretch. 
• Junior Moe Passi posted a seven tackle night (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 set in last season's home win over North Alabama (11/1/25). 
• Passi opened the year with six total tackles vs. Montana State (8/29), and made two stops at Montana last Saturday. 
• Sophomore Daylen Love, who is expected to be back in the line-up this Saturday night vs. NAU, registered five total tackles and one TFL in his season debut vs. Montana State (8/29). 
• 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 at Montana last Saturday. 
• Fifth year Helaman Ofahengaue racked up a career high six tackles with a TFL at Montana last Saturday ... he was also credited with four total tackles vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Junior Hawai'i transfer Aiden McComber made his Trailblazer debut at Montana last Saturday and picked up two total tackles and one TFL. 
• Freshman Luke Hansen enjoyed a breakout game with five tackles at Montana last Saturday.
 
DEFENSIVE BACKS 
• 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 last Saturday. 
• Jimoh was credited with six tackles and one PBU in his season debut vs. Montana State (8/29), and collected six more tackles at BYU (9/5).  
• Senior safety Quincy Lejay forced a first quarter fumble on his second career TFL at Montana last Saturday ... Lejay wound up with four total tackles and one PBU on the afternoon.
• 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. 
• Fifth year safety Brevin Czosnyka picked up right where he left off from a season ago with a Utah Tech career high nine total tackles (5 solo) vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Czosnyka, who transferred to Utah Tech from NAU ahead of the 2025 season, followed that up with seven stops at BYU (9/5), and had three total tackles and a TFL assist at Montana last Saturday.
• Junior reserve safety Brady Sorenson tallied a career high five tackles and his first collegiate TFL in the opener vs. Montana State (8/29). 
• Freshman CB Ryan Tillman made the most of his collegiate debut with four tackles and one TFL vs. Montana State (8/29).
• Tillman followed that up with a career high six tackles and his first collegiate PBU at Montana last Saturday.
• Freshman safety Shaun Niu Jr. racked up a career high four tackles at BYU (9/5), and registered his first solo TFL at Montana last Saturday. 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Senior punter Ryan Marks punted a season-high seven times for 345 yards (49.3 ypp) at Montana last Saturday.
• Five on Marks' seven punts last Saturday sailed at least 50 yards, including three 55-yarders. 
• Marks now has 26 punts of 50-plus yards in 15 games as a Trailblazer, including another 55-yarder in the season opener vs. Montana State (8/29). 
• 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 a Stats Perform FCS Preseason Third Team All-American. 
• Sophomore kicker Dax Iverson recorded he first collegiate point with a third-quarter PAT at BYU (9/5), and connected on both PAT attempts at Montana. 
 
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech returns home to Big Sky Conference play next Saturday when the Trailblazers head to Greeley to face Northern Colorado. Kick-off at Nottingham Field is set for 6 p.m. (MT).