Aggies snap three-game losing streak
Feast or famine.
If there could be one phrase used in definition of this Utah State football season, it would be that – feast or famine.
In recent weeks it has been much more famine than it has been feast however. Three straight disappointing, discouraging and all around disheartening losses; three straight third quarters without a single point hanging in the box score; and even worse yet, an entire season, now at its midpoint, and still no Mountain West victory.
But it’s over, it’s finally over.
Early Sunday morning, the Aggies walked away from Maverik Stadium with their heads held high, following a 38-20 victory over Fresno State.
“It’s hard to win games in college football,” USU head coach Matt Wells said. “There is a lot of doubters out there, whether it is media, it is people around, whatever. I thought our guys did a tremendous job the last two weeks of really focusing on what’s important.”
In front of a sparse, frigid but still otherwise still hopeful crowd of just over 15,000 attendees, Utah State foreshadowed the would-be run-away win right out of the gate. The men in Aggie blue drove 60 yards on 7 plays, capping it all off in the best way possible – a beautiful 21-yard dime from quarterback Kent Myers to Braelon Roberts for a touchdown.
Myers’ counterpart Chason Virgil played his part as well, helping to match the opening score by marching 86 yards. The Bulldogs finished the drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown from Dontel James.
But the block heard ‘round the valley soon followed.
After ending a Bulldog drive at the 12-yard line with a sack, Jentz Painter, a senior cornerback for the Aggies, rounded the corner untouched, leaped and blocked a punt that would be later recovered in the end zone.
“Jentz Painter is one of the all-time greatest special teams players at Utah State,” Wells said. “This is my 11th year here as a coach and a player. That kid pours his heart and soul into everything and to see that pay off was tremendous.”
After a Brock Warren career-long 43-yard field goal, followed shortly by yet another Virgil led touchdown drive, the Bulldogs and Aggies walked into the locker room with the scoreboard reading, 14-17 in favor of USU.
But after the halftime break, Utah State outscored Fresno 21-6 in the final two phases of play.
The fighting white finished with 392 yards of total offense, led in large part by the running of Tonny Lindsey and Myers alike. Lindsey finished with 90 yards on 23 attempts, while his quarterback tallied 66 yards on eight keepers.
Myers also got it done through the air against the Bulldogs, finishing with 188 yards and three touchdowns on 29 attempts.
“Credit goes to the receivers,” Myers said. “They made some good plays when the ball was in the air, my lineman gave me good protection up front. Everything was good all around.”
The receivers in question, Wyatt Houston (5-43), Ron’Quavion Tarver (3-54) and Roberts (2-49).
Much credit must also be given to the defensive effort from the Aggies. While the box score reads a similar tale for the Fresno squad, 319 total yards, 3-3 in the red zone and 23 first downs, the Utah State defenders stifled run play after run play.
The defense held the Tim DeRuyter coached group to a 2.9-yard average on the ground. Devin Centers and Leki Uasike led the way with 10 tackles each, followed closely behind by Chase Christiansen with nine stuffs of his own.
Five different Aggies had eight or more tackles on the night, while ten were had more than three.
“It feels good,” Myers said about this win. “It feels like we’re getting our mojo back. This program is used to winning and we just needed to find that first win to get things going.”