Gridders win field position for first time this year
For one of the first times this season, the Utah State football team won the field position battle. And it paid off as USU defeated Middle Tennessee 41-20 at Romney Stadium.
For the majority of the game the Aggies were pinning the Blue Raiders deep inside their own territory.
Only once did MT get the ball past their own 20-yard line its first four possessions.
The average starting position for the Blue Raiders in the first half was on their own 20-yard line, while Utah State’s average starting position in the first half was 15 yards better on their own 35-yard line. Aside from the field position battle, Travis Davis had a breakout game.
He has been backing up David Fiefia all season, but Saturday, both players had great games.
Fiefia rushed the ball 23 times and came up with 104 yards, while Davis had six attempts with 92 yards.
One of those rushes was 69 yards which boosted his average this game to 15.3 yards per carry.
His rush for 69 yards ended up with a dive into the end zone, which happened to he his first collegiate touchdown.
Quotables
“I knew I was going to dive into the end zone, I just did what I did in practice.”
– Utah State running back Travis Davis on his touchdown
By the Numbers
6,988 – Paid attendance during Saturday’s game.
301 – Passing yards by Travis Cox, just seven yards away from his career high.
217 – Yards gained rushing by Utah State.
69 – Longest run of the game rushed by Travis Davis.
30 – Temperature at beginning of game.
28 – Temperature at end of game.
22 – Total penalties.
8 – Total punts by both teams.
4 – Straight games Fiefia has rushed for at least 80 yards.
3 – Straight games Aggies scored a defensive touchdown.
1- Number of losses by the Aggies in the Sun Belt Conference to put them in sole possession of second place.
-kcaustin@cc.usu.edu