False starters: 11th consecutive Game-1 loss for Ags
The numbers prove the USU football program is consistent, but in the wrong way.
For the 11th consecutive year, the Aggies opened the season in the same stagnant stupor: with a loss.
This time it was a 27-17 blunder Saturday night at the hands of the UNLV Rebels—the same team the Aggies gave up last year’s opener to. USU is 3-19 in road games played during the past four years.
“We’ve got to get ready for Oregon,” said USU junior defensive end Darby Golden in a postgame radio interview. “It’s Game 1, and we have to put it behind us. We’re a better team than we showed tonight.”
By their second drive the Aggies had the offense rolling.
Senior quarterback Sean Setzer—who played the entire first half and only one drive of the second—took steady command by completing four consecutive passes to put the Aggies at the UNLV 32-yard line. The run was short-lived, though, as Aggie running back Robert Turbin fumbled on the next play and gave the ball back to the Rebels.
UNLV capitalized with a five-play, 47-yard drive. It was topped off by sophomore quarterback Omar Clayton completing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wideout Ryan Wolfe.
USU did not back down. On its next drive, Setzer again completed four consecutive passes—including a 33-yarder to sophomore wideout Omar Sawyer and a 23-yarder to Turbin. Turbin topped it off with a 1-yard touchdown run a few seconds into the second quarter to tie the game.
The Aggie defense—with nine returning starters—could not stop the Rebels from progressing on their next drive. UNLV marched 79 yards in just over six minutes to bump its lead to 14-7. The touchdown was a 7-yard pass from Clayton to Phillip Payne.
The Rebels would bolster their lead to 24-10 just five minutes into the second half. This time the score was a 32-yard pass play from Clayton to Wolfe.
Clayton ended the day with 192 yards passing and a career-high three touchdown passes.
Aggie sophomore quarterback Diondre Borel was inserted on the Aggies’ second drive of the second half, and remained until the end.
USU head coach Brent Guy said Borel’s running ability added a difficult dimension for UNLV to defend.
Borel rushed five times in his first drive for 26 yards—including one run for 14 yards. He put Peter Caldwell within range for a 42-yard field goal to cut the UNLV lead to 14 points.
It wasn’t until there was 2:16 left in the game that Borel was able to throw his first touchdown pass. It was a 6-yard play to Aggie junior wide receiver Nnamdi Gwacham.
“Diondre came in and showed the big-play ability he has with his legs,” Guy said. “But if it’s not open on the first look he’s going to pull it down and run it, and that’s not the offense that we can consistently use. We need more of what Sean was doing earlier in the game.”
Borel ended the game 8-of-16 passing for 80 yards, and also collected 70 yards rushing.
Setzer finished 10-of-17 passing for 123 yards, had one touchdown and one interception.
At Monday’s press conference, Guy said both Setzer and Borel will play against the No. 20 Oregon Ducks, but Guy did not expound on which will start.
—samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu