Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State handed the USU Aggies their biggest loss of the season, 31-21, Saturday night in Bulldog Stadium. Utah State failed to score in the second half, giving up a 21-14 halftime lead.
"Fresno State finished the game and we didn't,” USU head coach Gary Andersen said.
The Aggies drew first blood on the opening drive. Freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton hit running back Michael Smith on a 47-yard screen pass for the touchdown. After a Josh Thompson extra point attempt, USU was on top 7-0.
The Bulldogs responded, going 68 yards on the next drive before quarterback Derek Carr fumbled the snap and USU safety McKade Brady recovered on the Aggie 6-yardline.
Utah State scored on each of its first two possessions, this time going 94 yards in four plays and taking 1:44 off the clock. Keeton hit tight end Travis Van Leeuwen for a 36-yarder to put the Aggies to the USU 43. Star running back Robert Turbin took the ball the rest of the way two plays later, as he powered through a couple would-be tacklers up the right sideline and in for the score, 14-0 Utah State, with just over six minutes to go in the first quarter.
On the ensuing drive, USU cornerback Jumanne Robertson committed two personal fouls, a pass interference on Bulldog receiver Jalen Saunders and a facemask on Josh Harper, giving Fresno State 30 free yards of the 84-yard touchdown drive. Fresno put its first touchdown on the board with a 23-yard pass from Carr to Isaiah Burse, 14-7.
Utah State again marched down the field after the kickoff, this time getting stood up on third down and six yards to go on the Fresno State 17. Thompson put the 35-yard field goal attempt wide left, and the Aggies were stopped inside the red zone for the first time all season.
Carr drove the Bulldogs from the 20 and eventually jumped over the pile at the goal line to tie the game up at 14 four and a half minutes into the second quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Aggie kick returner took the ball two yards past midfield. After a two-yard run by Turbin, running back Smith ate up the remaining 46 yards to put Utah State back on top, 21-14, where the score stayed until halftime.
"We were making tackles and started adjusting," Fresno head coach Pat Hill said about the second half. "There was a lot of adjusting going on during that football game. In the second half, we did a great job. Utah State is one of the best offensive teams in the country, and shutting them out in the second half is a great tribute to our defense. They are going to get their yards but that isn't what it's all about. There were a lot of great efforts out there tonight. I thought our defense played against their offense at a very high level."
Fresno scored two touchdowns in four minutes at the start of the fourth quarter to seal the win. Utah State missed three field goals in the game, which might have been the difference.
With the loss, Utah State drops to 2-4 and 0-1 in conference. The Aggies will next host Louisiana Tech on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"Not one phase of this football team played well enough to beat Fresno State, in Fresno — no chance," Andersen said.
Tavin Stucki is a sophomore journalism student at Utah State University. He is the sports editor and football beat writer for the Utah Statesman, the Aggie campus newspaper. Twitter: @tavinstucki
