Aggies don't mind bad preseason rap by SI

So, is Utah State really the worst football team in America?

That all depends on whom you ask.

Sports Illustrated thinks so. In its preseason poll it ranked the Aggies dead last of the 117 Div. I football programs. Utah State football coach Mick Dennehy disagrees.

"I'm not a big guy into guarantees, but I'll guarantee you one thing, we're not the 117th team in the country. We're not the worst team in the country," he said.

Senior tight end Chris Cooley shares the same opinion.

"Everyone here knows we're better than that," he said. "But, of course, it gives us something to prove. It gives us something to fire us up."

Yes, the conference is ranked last of the 11 major conferences and the teams combined to win just 37.6 percent of their games.

"It's kind of funny," Dennehy said. "It goes back to the same ol' stuff. I don't think the Sun Belt Conference has the respect it deserves."

The Aggies don't seem to mind the bad preseason rap.

"We've got a chance (to win the conference). We have to stay healthy and progress," Dennehy said. "I'm thankful that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is there for us, unlike it has been the last couple of years."

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