BREAKING: USU runs by Weber State 54-17

Chuckie Keeton passed for 166 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 53 yards and an additional score as USU topped in-state rival Weber State 54-17 Saturday night.

The Aggies (1-1) scored 23 unanswered points in the third quarter to open up the game, tied 17-17 at halftime. Weber State (0-2), meanwhile had a minus-3 yards rushing in the third quarter, gaining 15 yards total offense to 237 in the quarter for USU.

Keeton then opened the fourth quarter with a 29-yard pass to Chuck Jacobs on USU’s first possession to extend the lead to 47-17. Matt Austin had also caught at 49-yard pass from Keeton in the third quarter, who was replaced with 10:55 in the game by back-up quarterback Adam Kennedy.

Weber State was led by QB Mike Hoke, who threw for 138 yards on 20-for-33 passing. Receiver Eric Shufford caught a team-high four passes for 42 yards and also threw for 29 yards on a nifty double-pass play in the first half that led to a score.

Aggie Robert Turbin ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns on 18 attempts, becoming the eighth Aggie to top 2,000 career rushing yards. Michael Smith ran for 91 yards and a touchdown on five attempts.

USU led in most offensive categories in the first half, gaining 262 offensive yards to 121 for Weber State. The Aggies ran for 138 yards, while WSU had 20, but USU had seven costly penalties.

Weber State was credited with nine first downs in the first half, four of them coming on penalties to USU. The Aggies also lost two fumbles in the half, as WSU scored on a 1-yard run by Tanner Hinds and a six-yard pass to Tyrell Fransisco.

Joe Hill rushed for an Aggie touchdown late in the game, as USU’s 635 total offensive output was the sixth best in school history. The Aggie’s 440-yard rushing yards were the most since 1966.