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HONOLULU (AP) - Robert Turbin scored on a 1-yard run with 14 seconds left to complete a second-half rally that gave Utah State a 35-31 win over Hawaii on Saturday night.
The Aggies (3-5, 1-2 WAC) trailed by 21 points at halftime, but scored the final 21 points to turn back the Warriors (5-4, 3-2).
It was over when ...Robert Turbin scored on a 1-yard run with 14 seconds left, capping an epic second half comeback for the Aggies. Trailing 28-7 at halftime and without their starting quarterback, Utah State outscored Hawaii 28-3 in the second half to win 35-31. Quotable
"It's huge for us being able to play in the fourth quarter and being able to finish. I'm sure there's going to be some people who stayed up till halftime and closed their eyes and went to sleep. There will some surprised people at home when they open up the newspaper and see what happens." -Utah State Head Coach Gary Andersen
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Utah State totaled 433 yards of offense, with 280 coming in the second half. Turbin, who has scored at least one rushing touchdown in his last 13 games, finished with 96 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.
"It's huge for us being able to play in the fourth quarter and being able to finish," Aggies coach Gary Andersen said. "I'm sure there's going to be some people who stayed up till halftime and closed their eyes and went to sleep. There will some surprised people at home when they open up the newspaper and see what happens."
The Aggies rallied behind reserve quarterback Adam Kennedy in the second half after starter Chuckie Keeton went down with a neck injury late in the second quarter.
"It's been hard for Adam Kennedy. He walks in here as the JC quarterback and was beat out by a true freshman," Andersen said. "He handled it unbelievably. He stuck with it and he was prepared to make some plays for us."
Hawaii held a 31-14 lead in the third quarter, but Utah State cut the deficit to 10 points with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Kennedy to Chuck Jacobs. Kennedy's 71-yard scoring strike to Stanley Morrison early in the fourth quarter brought the Aggies within a field goal.
After Utah State took an early 7-0 lead, Hawaii tied it on a Bryant Moniz touchdown pass to Justin Clapp on the first play on the second quarter. Moniz ran for scores of 1 and 8 yards before connecting with Jeremiah Ostrowski for his second passing touchdown to give the Warriors a three-touchdown lead at halftime.
Turbin's first touchdown, a 46-yard run early in the third quarter, made the score 28-14 before Hawaii's Tyler Hadden converted on a 24-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the third.
"We knew the fight we're in for when you come to Hawaii," Andersen said. "It wasn't going so well at halftime. Tremendous effort by the kids coming back, bow up and keep fighting."
Moniz finished with 227 yards through the air on 27-of-43 passing. In the second quarter, he became the third player in school history to surpass the 10,000 passing yard mark (Timmy Chang, Colt Brennan).
Kennedy completed eight of his 12 passes for 163 yards and Morrison recorded two receptions for 105 yards. Utah State's McKade Brady led all players with 11 tackles.
Corey Paredes led the Warriors' defense with 10 tackles and Aaron Brown notched six as well as recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.
"I don't have a lot to say, I really don't. I'm just really sick to my stomach," Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said.
"They made plays. We didn't make plays. We broke down and they did a heck of a job coming back. I'm really at a loss for words."
It was the first win in Honolulu for the Aggies since 1966.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
