Betterson bests Ag football, sets Troy State records
DeWhitt Betterson was Troy State’s Trojan work horse, rushing for 230 yards on 46 carries to pull TSU past Utah State 23-14 Saturday.
Betterson pounded in two touchdowns on his way to setting school records for yards and carries.
Utah State quarterback Travis Cox went down in the third quarter with a neck injury and took the Aggies’ offense with him in USU’s final home game.
On the Aggies’ first play after the half, Cox’ neck was hit and bent awkwardly by a Troy State player as Cox knelt to cover a botched snap from center Aric Galliano.
Cox limped off the field but collapsed near the sideline and was taken to Logan Regional Hospital for X-rays and preliminary tests after losing feeling on his right side. He began recovering feeling as he was taken to the hospital, USU Athletics Media Relations Director Mike Strauss said.
Utah State turned over the ball seven times, six which came in the second half. The seven turnovers were the most for the Aggies since 1996.
Cox had completed 14 of 20 passes for 140 yards, but Utah State’s offense stalled after he left the game.
“We lost the one guy who we could ill afford to lose,” said Aggie Head Coach Mick Dennehy. “I think the way Travis competes always gives us a chance.”
Backup quarterback Bryan Black threw three interceptions, completing seven of 17 passes for 56 yards.
“We made it so hard on ourselves by not being able to hang on to the football,” Dennehy said. “We put way too much pressure on [Black].”
Troy State recovered the ball at USU’s 17-yard line on the play Cox went down. The Aggie defense held on third-and-goal at the 2, but Troy State elected to go for it instead of kicking a field goal. After a time-out, Trojan QB Aaron Leak scored on a fourth-down bootleg.
Aggie Ryan Taylor blocked the extra point, leaving the score 23-14, and Utah State’s defense and special teams held the Trojans off the scoreboard for the rest of the second half, despite Betterson continuing to grind out yardage.
Utah State linebacker Robert Watts had 17 tackles in the game, while Rodney Wilson and Terrance Washington also had strong games with 11 and 10 tackles apiece.
Mark Estelle blocked one punt and the Aggies narrowly missed blocking another, which along with Taylor’s block, highlighted a strong special teams effort. USU held the Trojans to just four yards on punt returns and 23 yards on kickoffs.
The Aggies moved the ball well in the first half, moving to the Troy State 34 on their first possession when TSU’s Johnny Falk forced Aggie receiver Brian Majors to fumble.
Troy State took advantage of the turnover, with quarterback Aaron Leak attacking USU’s secondary and Betterson pounding out yards on the ground.
TSU’s first score was set up by an 18-yard completion from Leak to Toris Rutledge and a 34-yard toss to Jason Samples, leading to a one-yard TD dive by Betterson.
Leak’s success in the passing game was short-lived, however, as he ended the game with only 7-of-18 passing for 105 yards.
Troy State’s second scoring drive was all Betterson, as he had consecutive gains of 18 and 40 yards en route to another one-yard scoring run, putting TSU up by two touchdowns.
Cox and Aggie running back David Fiefia got the offense in gear and back into the game with long drives on USU’s next two possessions.
The duo led the Ags on a 13-play, 65-yard march that culminated in Cox scoring on a nine-yard QB draw on the first play of the second quarter.
Fiefia carried the ball 21 times for 71 yards but fumbled twice. Tight end Chris Cooley led the Aggies with 48 yards receiving.
Cox had his streak of 10 consecutive games throwing a touchdown snapped, but his four rushing TD’s on the year are the most for an Aggie quarterback since Matt Sauk in 1997.
Utah State continued to move the ball in the second quarter, mixing runs and passes in an 83-yard drive that took 11 plays. Majors redeemed his earlier fumble with a nine-yard score on a reverse, getting a lead block from Cox to get him into the end zone to tie the game.
USU linebacker Nate Putnam sacked Leak on third down to force a Troy State punt following the score, but TSU punter Thomas Olmstead pinned the Aggies at the 1-yard line and the Aggies were forced to punt from their own end zone.
Ben Chaet’s short punt gave TSU the ball at the 29 but the defense held the Trojans to a 37-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the half to trail 17-14.
The Aggies had a glimmer of hope in the waning moments of the game when defensive lineman John Chick forced Betterson to fumble. The ball squirted in the air into the waiting arms of Ronald Tupea, who rumbled 42 yards to the TSU 41 with 3:05 remaining. On fourth and 17, Black completed a 25-yard pass to Kenny Coleman, but Black’s next pass was intercepted in the end zone to seal the victory for TSU.
-royburton@cc.usu.edu