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LOGAN -- Utah State's Robert Turbin needed just 68 rushing yards Saturday to break the 1,000-yard barrier for the season. The Aggies' phenomenal sophomore running back reached that landmark then added 122 more yards to go along with two touchdowns as he led Utah State to a win over San Jose State, 24-9.
The wind was blowing and the snow swirling during a blustery afternoon in Romney Stadium, as the Aggies picked up their second conference win of the season.
USU quarterback Diondre Borel had an unusually unproductive day, but one week after giving up 360 yards rushing and nearly 700 yards of total offense, a surprisingly stout Aggie defense more than made up for it.
The Aggies held the Spartans to 56 yards rushing and 301 yards of total offense, including a sack on a fourth down play from the Aggies seven-yard line late in the fourth quarter. It was the fewest rushing yards allowed since the Aggies held Hawaii to 47 in 2007.
Utah State scored on its first possession for its third straight game, and the Aggies never really looked back from there. USU Head Coach Gary Andersen pulled out the bag of tricks early when receiver and holder Xavier Bowman ran 25 yards on a fake 48-yard field goal attempt.
Bowman was able to get the first down himself, but an outstanding block by tight end Jeremy Mitchell sprung the senior and set the Aggies up with a first and goal at the 6-yard line. One play later Turbin punched it in for his first score of the game.
Following Turbin's score, the weather started to play a factor as the snow picked up and began blowing in sideways slowing down the offenses and leading to seven consecutive punts. That stalemate remained until Turbin found the end zone again with a little more than five minutes remaining in the half.
The shifty sophomore took a pitch from Borel on an option play to the left, juked a Spartan player, cut back to the inside and then busted up the middle for a 35-yard scamper. Turbin's second TD put USU up 14-0 and was the final score of the first half.
In the second half the Aggies forced SJSU to punt on its first possession, but a botched punt attempt on the Aggies' first possession led to good field possession for the Spartans at the USU 33-yard line. San Jose State took advantage of the Aggie mistake, getting on the scoreboard with a two-yard run by Lamon Muldrow six minutes into the third quarter.
The Spartan's elected to try a fake PAT after the touchdown, but the gamble didn't pay off as the pass by Philip Zavala fell incomplete.
San Jose State was able to add a field goal later in the quarter, pulling to within 14-9, but that's as close as the Spartans would get for the remainder of the game.
Chris Ulinski added a field goal for USU and running back Derrvin Speight showed that Turbin wasn't the only stud in the backfield rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown on only seven carries.
Speight's touchdown at the 9:35 mark of the fourth quarter put the Aggies up 15, which was all the cushion they would need to finish off the game.
The win ensures the Aggies of a winning record at home for the first time since 2003. As a team USU rushed for 381 yards on 52 carries, the team's most rushing yards since 1999.
The Aggies now have a short week to prepare as they host the nationally ranked Boise State Broncos on ESPN2 Friday at 7:30 p.m. The sixth ranked Broncos defeated Idaho Saturday, 63-25.
