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LOGAN — The Utah State Aggies had only given up two touchdowns in the first quarter over the past 21 opponents before BYU came to Logan Friday night. It only took the Cougars and Kyle Van Noy one play to score on Chuckie Keeton and company. Van Noy's pick six on the very first play from scrimmage was a nasty harbinger of things to come.
Though the score changed in an instant on that play, the game, and perhaps the Aggie season, changed dramatically in the first quarter when Keeton went down with a nasty-looking left knee injury on a quarterback scramble. Suddenly, any semblance of hope faded for the Aggies, who were never in the game after their fearless leader went down.
The Cougars pounced.
Seeing their opportunity, the Cougar defense forced punt after punt and a couple of turnovers to make sure that, without Keeton, the game was theirs. Quarterback Taysom Hill took advantage as well, turning in his best passing performance on the year going 17 for 31 for 278 yards and three touchdowns $#8212; all to his favorite target on the evening, Mitch Mathews.
Mathews had a career game as well, reeling in 112 receiving yards on five catches, three of which were scores.
Hill, who was averaging close to 150 yards rushing per contest, was held to only 14 yards on the ground.
The loss of Keeton proved to be too much as back up Craig Harrison just could not produce for Utah State. The Cougars ended the nine-game winning streak at home for the Aggies and now own Utah State much like the Utes have owned BYU over the past decade.
The Cougars improved to 3-2 overall on the year, while the Aggies were demoted to 3-3. BYU now goes back home for homecoming next week where they welcome the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets into Provo.
