Undefated at home
The Utah State football team held UNLV scoreless for the last 19 minutes of the game, which was almost as important as keeping UNLV scoreless for the last 30 seconds of the game.
The Aggies won 31-24 thanks to a stellar performance from Tony Pennyman and Kevin Robinson. Both receivers scored twice in the game, accounting for all but three of the Utah State points.
The Aggie defense deflected the last two passes thrown into the endzone by the Rebels to win for the first time this season and give Head Coach Brent Guy his first career win and Romney Stadium its 100th all-time win.
“It came down to the last throw and hopefully it won’t come down to that,” Utah State Head Coach Brent Guy said. “We knew it was going to be a fourth-quarter game going into it.
“UNLV fought to the end and it came down to the last few seconds.”
Cornerback Jarrett Bush, who had an interception to end the first half, almost picked off another on the Rebel’s second-to-last play of the game.
“That was a tough 30 seconds,” Bush said of the game’s finale. “In the fourth quarter, you’ve got to step it up and hold down the back end.”
Utah State took over the lead at the end of the third and start of the fourth as wide receiver Kevin Robinson scored twice, once on a 19-yard run and again on a 15-yard reception six minutes later. The first tied the score thanks to Leon Jackson’s two-point quarterback draw up the middle.
The addition of Pennyman showed the strength of the Aggie passing attack when everyone is healthy as the Ags gained 222 yards in the air. Pennyman led the team with 10 receptions – a career high.
“I was very hungry,” Pennyman said of having to sit out the Utah game before playing on Saturday night. “I haven’t played since November and I’m a key to the offense. I just have to get the offense going.”
The first score of the game for the Aggies was Pennyman’s kickoff return for a touchdown, his first game action of the season. It was a pivotal play since UNLV had scored in just 53 seconds to start off the game.
The quick-strike Rebel offense could have been confused with the quick-strike yellow flags of the officials since three of the four UNLV scoring drives were aided by Utah State personal foul penalties.
“I’m so embarrassed with all the penalties we had,” Guy said. “We started off with penalties and we couldn’t get out of them.”
For the game, the Aggies had 12 penalties for 136 yards, giving the Rebels a total of six first downs from penalties. The penalties didn’t only hurt the defense, since a blocked field goal which was returned for a touchdown was called back because of another Aggie penalty.
With the first home opener came the beginning of a home-field advantage.
“We want to turn Romney into the Smith Spectrum,” Guy said. “We like to have it loud and intimidating.”
The crowd helped get some penalties and force the Rebels to use their timeouts to get the right plays called, Guy said. The crowd was supportive and was also quite into the rendition of the Aggie fight song after the win, he said.
The Aggies used scoring drives of 40 and 34 yards to take a 16-10 lead into halftime. E.J. Reid’s blocked field goal led to a game-tying 25 yard field goal for the Aggies.
A bad pitch by UNLV quarterback Shane Steichen led to a fumble recovery by Matt Wiser.
Four plays later, Pennyman caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to put the Aggies up 16-10.
UNLV went up 7-0 after a lightning-quick first drive that covered 65 yards in three plays, thanks in part to an interception that was negated by a roughing-the-passer penalty.
The Aggies will travel to Moscow, Idaho, to take on the Idaho Vandals next weekend. The game will be the first Western Athletic Conference game for the Ags.
Homecoming will be the next home game on Oct. 8 against San Jose State.
-krn@cc.usu.edu
Utah State´s Tarrell Ritchards tries to dodge UNLV defensive back Joe Miklos. The Aggies won thier home opener 31-24 over the Rebels.
Wide reciever Tony Pennyman is taken down by three UNLV players Saturday night at Romney Stadium. Pennyman scored two touchdowns for the Aggies.
The Utah State football team celebrates Saturday after defeating the University of Nevada-Las Vegas 31-24 at Romney Stadium. The win was the Aggies´ 100th win in the Stadium. Wide recievers Tony Pennyman and Kevin Robinson each scored two touchdowns for Utah State.