The Utah State football team enters the 2013 as a dark horse to become a BCS buster - unless it continues to struggle with its touchdown celebrations.
The Aggies finished 11-2 in 2012, winning the Western Athletic Conference. They moved to the Mountain West Conference in 2013 where they will compete with 19th-ranked Boise State for the Mountain Division title of the MW.
Utah State received eight votes in The Associated Press preseason college football poll released over the weekend, which is good enough for an unofficial No. 37 ranking. The Aggies are breaking in a new coach, Matt Wells, after Gary Andersen left following last year's successful season to coach Wisconsin in 2013.
USU is relying on star junior quarterback Chuckie Keeton to lead them into conference championship contention. During an Aug. 14 practice, he hooked up on a touchdown pass with sophomore wide receiver Bruce Natson that was posted to YouTube.
Natson, a 5-foot-7, 151-pound receiver, engaged in a celebration with the rest of the offense. At the end of it, he sets up a routine with senior offensive lineman Eric Schultz. Schultz picks up the diminutive Natson for what appears to be a choreographed celebration.
But when Schultz lifts Natson, Natson appears to slip from his grip, and the result is a video in which Schultz appears to throw Nation down on his back in the end zone.
To his credit, Natson bounces up and runs to the sidelines, but the Aggies can't afford to throw their receivers around if they intend to compete for a Mountain West championship this season. At least they still have a couple of weeks before the start of the college football season.
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