Utah State football falls to Colorado State
In front of a sell-out crowd of 32,546 people, Colorado State defeated Utah State 16-13 on a last-second field goal in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Saturday. The Aggies fall to a 4-3 overall record and 1-1 in the Mountain West Conference. The Rams move to 6-1 on the season, 2-1 in the MWC.
“Any last second loss is a gut-wrenching loss,” said Matt Wells, head coach for Utah State. “You’ve got two teams of similar ability, a bunch of tough kids, kids that give it their all, it comes down to the wire. That’s gut wrenching.”
On Homecoming night for Colorado State, the Rams pushed through the Aggie defense in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. With 58 seconds left and starting on their own 12-yard line, CSU drove 59 yards and Jared Roberts kicked a 46-yard field goal to win. Roberts kicked two 46-yarders and one 52-yarder in the game.
Utah State quarterback Darell Garretson left the game injured in the 3rd quarter, he didn’t return and was seen on the sidelines with his arm heavily wrapped and iced in a sling. According to Wells, he will most likely sit at least one game. The team will evaluate Garretson this week while he deals with the injury. He was replaced by Craig Harrison, a senior from Grantsville, Utah. Harrison is a junior college transfer from Snow College he went 5-12 for 28 yards while at the helm for Utah State.
“He did a good job,” said senior running-back Joe Hill about Harrison. “It’s tough getting thrown in the fire like that. You know it could happen but you don’t want it to happen. I feel like Craig, given the opportunity, he’s going to do good.”
Defensively, Utah State played soundly, recording a season-high eight sacks and holding Colorado State to one touchdown and four field goal attempts in the game. However, unable to move the ball on offense, Utah State failed to put the game away late.
“It’s a hard feeling. Everyone was out there working hard,” said Jordan Nielsen, USU defensive end. “There were plays out there we could have made to keep us ahead in the game but we just didn’t make them.”
Colorado State wide receiver Rashard Higgins led the way for CSU with 10 receptions and 187 yards. Running back Dee Hart scored the lone touchdown for the Rams, he finished the game with 12 carries for 60-yards.
The first half didn’t bring much offense for either team. Colorado State totaled 160 yards and Utah State had 151 at the half. Aside from two big plays, a 59-yard touchdown run by USU’s Joe Hill and 69-yard reception from CSU’s Rashad Higgins, it was all defense from both teams.
Colorado State kept up the same yardage pace in the second half ending with 318 yards of total offense 243 yards through the air. Utah State’s offense slowed down in the second half and they only had 260 yards in the game.
In the Mountain Division of the MWC there are multiple one loss teams mean no team is the clear-cut frontrunner to win at this point in the season.
“It’s anybody’s game now,” Wells said. “You’ve got a lot of teams with one loss, we don’t control our own destiny anymore.”
-Kalen.s.taylor@aggiemail.usu.edu
-Twitter: @kalen_taylor