Last-minute touchdown does in Utah State
A last-minute touchdown propelled the University of Louisianna-Monroe to a win over the Aggies 32-25 extending Utah States losing streak to five. Saturday’s game was the first time the Aggies lost in the final minute since 1997 when North Texas scored with 2 seconds left to beat the Aggies.
The loss dropped USU to 1-4 in conference and 2-7 overall while the Indians improve to 3-2 in conference and 4-5 overall.
USU trailed 18-7 halfway through the third quarter before reeling off 18 unanswered points to take the lead 25-18.
“This was a good football game and I think both teams played very hard,” head coach Mick Dennehy said. “It had a lot of momentum swings. We played hard from behind and they played hard from behind. This was just a good college football game and a tough one to lose.”
Steven Jyles, UL-Monroe’s junior quarterback scrambled 2 yards with 50 seconds left on the clock to score the game winning touchdown. This was his second rushing touchdown of the game and his seventh on the season.
“Our guys kept fighting to the end,” said head coach Charlie Weatherbie said. “I’m real excited about this team, they found a way to win in the last minute. It was a great drive by Steven Jyles our offense to pull it out.”
The Aggies produced their highest offensive output of the season. Travis Cox threw for 263 yards to lead Utah State to 393 total yards of offense. Before Saturday, the most yards the Aggies had produced this season was 369 when they played North Texas.
Utah State also had a running attack on Saturday. Freshman Chris Forbes had his best day of the season rushing for 74 yards. Tony Pennyman and Rob McNeal also had good days at receiver. Pennyman tallied 114 yards of receiving surpassing the 100 yard plateau for the third time this season on seven receptions while McNeal also had eight receptions.
Cox also threw another touchdown in Saturday’s game. He has thrown a touchdown in 18 of his career 21 starts.
Along with those good offensive numbers, Kevin Robinson returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. This marks Robinson’s third return for a touchdown of the season. He returned two punts for touchdowns earlier in the year.
Robinson is the first Aggie to record a punt return for a touchdown and a kickoff return for touchdown in the same season since 1994 when Kevin Alexander accomplished that same feat.
Utah State now looks forward to a short week because of a Thursday night game at Arkansas State. This is the fourth away game in a row for the Aggies who don’t play at home again until the Nov. 20 when they take on New Mexico State.
-kcaustin@cc.usu.edu