Aggies come out strong, but drop a close one after lackluster second half
In the beginning there was fire, determination, and a lot of hope.
In the end, it was another loss and a frustrated attempt at a fresh start.
After leading by as many as seven, the Utah State Aggies lost 23-16 Thursday night to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Runninà Rebels.
With UNLV kicking off after a touchdown with 1:02 remaining in the game, the Aggies had a final opportunity to come back and tie or take the lead.
Unfortunately, kick returner/wide receiver Kevin Robinson (who was one of USUÃs most lethal threats throughout the game) lost the ball on the return as he tried to jump over UNLV defenders to gain extra yardage. The Rebels recovered, and that was that.
ìIÃve said this from the first time I got here: We just need to learn how to win,î said Aggie linebacker Jake Hutton, who finished with six tackles. ìTeams like Boise State, when itÃs on the line they make big plays and win. ThatÃs what weÃve got to do, just bear down and win.î
With the new NCAA rule of pushing kickoffs from the 35 yard line back to the 30, it looked as though Robinson wouldnÃt even get a final opportunity to recieve the ball. ThatÃs because of a 10-yard penalty on the Aggie defense after Rebel kicker Aguayo converted the teamÃs extra point.
ìI feel even worse because of the last play,î said Robinson, who collected 216 yards off of punt and kickoff returns. ìYou try to make a play and stuff happens. It didnÃt go my way this time.î
Added Guy: ìWe gotta have them kicking that ball off from the 30. I had confidence at that time even. I told the guys I did not have a speech prepared. I still believed down to the end that we could still win the football game. The bottom line is we turned over the ball at critical junctures.î
With a touchdown scored by Aggie tailback Aaron Lesue early in the second quarter, USU kicker Peter Caldwell put in a 38-yard field goal to give the Ags a 10-3 lead at the half.
But UNLV adjusted in the second half ó thanks in large part to that new kickoff rule.
Rebel kick returner Gerold Rodriquez took USUÃs opening kick of the second half 48 yards, all the way up to midfield. Dixon followed that up by completing a 21-yard pass to Casey Flair. By the end of that drive, UNLV had a field goal and a four-point hole.
Robinson followed suit on the next kickoff, gaining 45 yards. USUÃs offense gained only 24 yards on that drive, turning the ball over on downs.
Even though the Rebels were pushed back 15 yards on their following drive because of a personal foul, they still made every opportunity count. On a second down from their own 45, Dixon kept the ball and busted through a USU hole for a 45-yard scamper to the USU 10. To the credit of the Aggies, the Rebels still only got a field goal out of it, but whittled the Aggie lead to one.
Forcing USU to punt, the Rebels made contact with the end zone for the first time on the night in their next march downfield, which began at their own 20. A Dixon pass to wideout Ryan Wolfe for 35 yards and another to Aaron Straiten for 26 more set up a 15-yard run by Dixon for a touchdown and the lead.
Robinson only took the following kick 23 yards, and USU went four-and-out.
Dixon fumbled on the next drive, giving USU the ball at the Rebel 34. After two short passes by Jackson and a 15-yard facemask penalty, the Aggies quickly found themselves on the Rebel 11. Jackson eventually quarterback sneaked for a touchdown. Ulinksi then missed the point after.
Although Rodriguez then did it again with the next kick return as he ran 35 yards to put UNLV at its own 46, the Aggie defense held strong and allowed only five yards before UNLV punted and landed the ball on the USU one-yard line.
The Aggies gained two yards on three plays. Jackson put up a 41-yard punt from the back of the end zone, and UNLV ended up with the ball on the Aggie 36.
Four plays into the Rebel drive, UNLV running back Frank Summers took the ball 11 yards for the game-winning score.
Even with the loss, Guy still remained positive in outlook of the upcoming games.
ìI think weÃre gonna be a team that grinds it out and have a defense that doesnÃt give up big plays,î Guy said.
The Aggies travel to Laramie, Wyo., next Saturday to take on another Mountain West opponent in the Wyoming Cowboys.
-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu