Utah State get first win of '09 against SUU 53-34

LOGAN -- For the second straight game the Utah State offense moved at will, but for the first time this season it was enough to power the Aggies to a victory. Utah State (1-2) beat in-state foe Southern Utah (1-3), 53-34, Saturday night to pick up its first win of the season.

Junior quarterback Diondre Borel had his second straight 300-yard game, completing 15-of-21 pass attempts while throwing three touchdowns. Sophomore Robert Turbin - who was No. 4 in the nation in rushing yards per game heading into the contest - had another stellar game.

Turbin rushed the ball 17 times for 104 yards and a touchdown, and he also eclipsed the century mark in the receiving category, racking up 116 yards and two touchdowns on only four catches.

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SUU coach looking at silver lining in 53-34 loss to Utah St

Southern Utah University (1-3) struggles in nearly every aspect of their game against Utah State (1-2), but Head Coach Ed Lamb says there are positives to take from the 53-34 loss in Logan.

One of those receptions came early in the first quarter off a trick play, when sophomore wide receiver Stanley Morrison caught a lateral pass from Borel and then tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Turbin who walked into the end zone.

"We knew that the play was going to work on film," Turbin said. "Their defense does a pretty good job of running to the ball, so we threw the screen ball and the defense just broke that way and I was able to slip out and I was wide open."

The touchdown gave the Aggies a 7-3 lead, and it was a lead they would never give back to the Thunderbirds.

All was not roses for the Aggies, however. USU fumbled the ball an astounding seven times against SUU, including three on special teams - all of which they lost.

"There's a lot of positives from this tape, and there's a lot of negatives that we can learn from that are simply self inflicted wounds, and we need to clean that up," said USU Head Coach Gary Andersen.

Along with turnovers, defensive execution and penalties are other areas Andersen said the Aggies need to improve on.

Despite those struggles, USU won its first Homecoming game since 2006, its first home opener since 2005 and did something it hadn't done in 20 years.

Junior speedster Michael Smith joined his backfield mate with 100 yards rushing, a feat that made Smith and Turbin the first 100-yard rushing duo for Utah State since 1989. All told, USU amassed 259 yards on the ground, and over 600 yards of total offense on only 66 plays.

"He's faster, that's why we make a great one-two punch," Turbin said of Smith after the game. "In my opinion, I think we have similar speed, but he might have a step on me."

It was that offensive production - and balance - that helped the Aggies put 31 points on the board in the first half. But, USU found itself up only 13 at the break due to too many miscues.

In the second half, more sloppy play helped the T-birds close the gap to six, 37-31, when backup running back Major Gray plowed in from five yards out with 9:12 remaining in the third quarter.

Six was as close as Southern Utah would get, though, as the Aggie defense buckled down, giving up only three points over the final 24 minutes.

The Aggies now must fix their miscues quickly as they have a short week before a big game with another in-state foe, No. 19 BYU, Friday night.

Last season USU spotted the Cougars - ranked No. 8 at the time - 24 first quarter points before Borel replaced Sean Setzer and led USU on two scoring drives. Over the final three quarters the Aggies outscored BYU 14-10, and it's that performance that Utah State hopes to replicate in 2009.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we'll come back tomorrow swinging," Andersen said.

Kickoff for Friday's game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.

Southern Utah hosts Texas State Saturday, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m.

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