COLUMN: Happy I was wrong about my prediction
I didn’t take as much flak on Twitter over the weekend for my Utah prediction as I thought I would. The opposite is true for my experience in the Statesman office.
So uh, my bad for picking Utah to win. I’d do it again, and I’d be elated with surprise again.
But how awesome was the game Friday night? I could barely contain myself in the press box where cheering is expressly forbidden.
I’m from Salt Lake and was taught to hate the University of Utah. I mean, I’ve grown up a lot since then, believe it or not, and I realize the U of U isn’t nearly as dislikeable as other universities I won’t name in this column.
Anyway, here are ten things I saw in the Utah game.
1. The offensive line will never get enough credit for this one. Every word anyone has written this year about the tremendous quality Utah’s defense has is absolutely true. That being said, the Aggie line paved the way for 380 yards of total offense and 20 points. Bringing us to…
2. Chuckie Keeton is the best quarterback in the state. He tied his career-high from last week of 22 completions for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns, not to mention taking the same number of carries as halfback Kerwynn Williams for only four fewer yards. Oh yeah, and it was still against the best defense in the state.
3. My thoughts played out in slow motion as a host of Aggies went after that punt in the first quarter. At first I thought they wouldn’t bring the heat, then I doubted if they would break Utah’s shield. I didn’t think anyone would get close enough to Sean Sellwood to block the kick, then I watched the whole thing play out as Clayton Christensen recovered the ball in the end zone for the first score of the game. Finally, the first blocked punt for a touchdown in a decade and finally a positive special teams play.
4. The other side of special teams. Utah State could have really used those four points left off the board from the missed point-after attempt and 45-yard field goal. But hey, if we had those, there would be no wild overtime finish.
5. There’s a lot of talk that Will Davis totally interfered with the pass on the final knockdown of the game. I’m not complaining about it or arguing either way with that or the offensive pass interference during the drive before, but it got pretty sketchy.
6. Bojay Filimoeatu’s defense was not sketchy. Easily the game’s MVP in my book, he led the Aggies with 12 tackles, four of which were solo and one of which was a 12-yard sack. And oh yeah, he did all of that in front of his family, who are a bunch of Utah fans.
7. The last time the Aggies were able to storm the field was in 2010 on Keeton’s recruiting trip. It feels good to know it has happened against the two major rival schools I grew up to hate.
8. In the words of head coach Gary Andersen, “It’s very gratifying to make it a rivalry again.” None of this would be possible without the guidance of that man, who believed in the chances of winning at Utah State enough to put his money where his mouth is. Aggies everywhere need a game day shirt that reads “In Gary We Trust.”
9. For the first time since 1966 Utah State has received an AP top 25 vote in football. That’s huge.
10. For only the third time in the last 23 meetings, the little brother finally got the last punch in the Battle of the Brothers. Hopefully Aggie fans won’t have to wait another 15 years to get the next one.
– Tavin Stucki is in his third year at Utah State, majoring in journalism. He is an avid Aggie fan and has been since birth. Follow him on Twitter at @stuckiaggies and send any comments to tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu.