Aggies nearly pull off the upset against Michigan State

For a moment, all 75,000 people in Spartan Stadium were completely silent. 

Utah State erased a double-digit lead in the second half, holding the lead with less than five minutes to play before the upset bid fell short in a 38-31 loss to No. 11 Michigan State on Friday night in East Lansing, Michigan. 

“We will take some confidence going out of this game,” head coach Matt Wells said. “(MSU) is a very good football team and a program that has been consistent for a long, long time. I have a lot of respect for them… and to be able to play the way we did and have a chance to win at the end, I’m proud of our guys. Don’t misconstrue that to say that that was a moral victory… but we will take confidence out of this game.” 

The Aggies struck first in the game and struck quick. A 7-play, 75-yard drive ending with a 1-yard touchdown run from sophomore QB Jordan Love ushered in a tense quietness to the Spartan fans in attendance. Love finished the drive with four completions on four attempts for 68 yards. For the game, Love finished with 319 yards on 29-44 passing with two interceptions, with both INTs coming as a result of tipped passes. 

“We prepared all week for their defense,” Love said. “We were able to attack them in the passing game. We prepared for them and we knew what they were going to do, and we did a good job.” 

With the Aggies making an early statement, MSU would answer with two field goals before an 8-yard TD pass from QB Brian Lewerke to WR Cody White put the Spartans in front for the first time. USU refused to flinch though, responding with a 9-play, 72-yard drive capped off with a 2-yard TD run from JC transfer Darwin Thompson. 

Sylvia Jarrus, The State News.

Utah State senior wide receiver DJ Nelson (12) is pulled down from behind by Raequan Williams (99) on Aug. 31, 2018 at Spartan Stadium. Photo by Sylvia Jarrus, courtesy of The State News.

Michigan State, considered to be one of the contenders for both the Big Ten Championship and the College Football Playoff, showcased exactly why that is by taking the lead before halftime with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive and following it with another 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive to open the second half and build a 27-14 lead. 

 Even with a field goal from junior Dominik Eberle trimming the lead to 10, USU’s hopes of an upset seemed slim until senior safety Gaje Ferguson intercepted a pass from Lewerke and returned it 40 yards for the score to bring the Aggies within three points.  

 “I saw that play coming, it’s a play that I’ve studied on film all week, every day and I saw myself pick it off. Told myself I was going to pick that off,” Ferguson said. “The opportunity presented itself and so I picked it and obviously, it was a great feeling. I’ve never had a pick that sounded so quiet before but it was awesome.” 

 After holding the Spartans to a field goal on the ensuing possession, USU took the lead via a 1-yard TD run from Thompson, his second score of the game. 

 “I knew we’d find out real quick about this team,” Wells said. “I think we have a very, very physical football team because I know the guys that we just went up against are very physical… We came in here to win the game. The way they fought and came back from a two-touchdown deficit early in the second half… Very proud of my guys. I thought they fought.” 

 With their backs against the wall, and their Playoff aspirations possibly on the line, Michigan State then pieced together a 9-play, 75-yard drive to retake the lead on a 13-yard TD run from Connor Heyward, adding a 2-point conversion to secure a 38-31 lead. On the Aggies’ last attempt to tie the game, a batted ball led to an INT for the Spartans, sealing the victory. 

 “We knew they were going to be good,” Love said. “They’re just a good team. Just came down to the end and they made more plays than us.” 

 Following the loss, the team ventured to the section of Aggie fans who had traveled to the game, who gave the team a standing ovation for their performance. 

 https://twitter.com/TheGrandDanny/status/1035717755792773120 

 “We came out here with a chip on our shoulder and I think that chip just grew tonight because we let one go,” Ferguson said. “We let a big one go. We could’ve made a big part of Utah State’s history tonight and we could have really done something special to come in here and beat a big team on the road. It stings because we know we’re capable of that. So, I think that propels us going into next week. We have a huge chip on our shoulders to get that first W and we’re going to carry that chip and it’s just going to keep growing because we’re going to prove how good we are this year.” 

 Utah State will return home to Logan and Maverik Stadium Saturday to take on New Mexico State in a rematch of last year’s Arizona Bowl. NMSU won that contest 27-20 in overtime. 

 “Hopefully, we’ll hold our head high,” Wells said, “and we’ll be very humble and we’ll go back to work on Monday morning and get ready for New Mexico State.” 

 Kickoff versus NMSU is scheduled for 8 pm. 

To listen to Utah State football, tune in to Aggie Radio at 92.3 FM or visit aggieradio.com