Little brother gets last punch
Utah State beat Utah 27-20 in overtime in the Battle of the Brothers in front of a sold-out crowd in Romney Stadium on Friday night.
It is the first time the Aggies have started 2-0 since the last time they beat the Utes in 1997.
Aggie quarterback Chuckie Keeton scrambled 23 yards on the first third down of overtime to get Utah State to the 1-yard line. The play set up senior running back Kerwynn Williams to walk untouched into the end zone two plays later and give Utah State the 27-20 lead.
“I was ecstatic,” Williams said. “I could not contain myself, I ran across the entire back of the end zone. It was probably one of the best moments I have ever had to score that game-winning touchdown.”
Utah tight end Jake Murphy caught what might have pushed the game to a second overtime, but was called for offensive pass interference, pushing Utah back 15 yards. On fourth-and-goal from the 17, Aggie defensive back Will Davis played some creatively-physical defense and knocked Utah quarterback Jon Hays’ pass to receiver Devonte Christopher to the ground to seal the game as the fans ran onto the field.
“Seeing everyone rush the field was incredible,” said Keeton, who was on his recruiting trip for the 2010 win over BYU the last time a Utah State crowd stormed the field after a game. “This was huge. I know everyone was proud of the way we played, the way we competed and the way we won the game.”
Utah kicker Colem Peterson missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to force the overtime.
“I think our defense played great,” said senior linebacker Bojay Fillimoeatu. “The whole week we prepared ourselves every day, snap by snap. I give all the credit to my teammates and my coaching staff. Without them this wouldn’t be possible.”
Utah junior quarterback Jordan Wynn left the game with just over a minute to go before halftime with a shoulder injury and was replaced by Hays.
Hays completed 12 of 26 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown as well as 15 yards on the ground.
“Jon came in and did some good things,” said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. “I was proud of Jon Hays, how he came in and competed.”
The Aggies held a 13-10 lead, but Utah came back to tie the game on a 40-yard field goal by Peterson with 4:22 left in the third quarter.
Utah State charged back in the fourth. Keeton hit tight end Kellen Bartlett for a 4-yard pass to go up 20-13 with 9:10 to go in regulation.
Keeton tied a career-high 22 completions on 32 attempts for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns in addition to 86 yards rushing.
The Utes answered back with a 24-yard toss from Hays to receiver Kenneth Scott, who had two touchdown catches and 82 yards.
“This game is the world to me,” Fillimoeatu said. “Most of my family members, they are BYU and Utah fans. It’s hard for them to go for me because I’m at Utah State and they look upon my team as the little brother of these two.”
The senior from West Valley City, Utah had a career-high 12 tackles.
The first half belonged solely to the Aggies. After opening drive three-and-outs from both teams, Utah was stopped on their own 33-yard line and punter Sean Sellwood was sent onto the field.
Junior linebacker Zach Vigil led a host of Aggies through the Utah shield and blocked the punt, which was recovered in the end zone by junior Clayton Christensen for the game’s opening score to put the Aggies up 7-0 with 7:59 to play in the first quarter.
Keeton added a touchdown pass to running back Joe Hill from 15 yards out with three seconds left in the quarter, but a missed point-after attempt by kicker Brock Warren left the scoreboard at 13-0.
Andersen said it was a “great day to be an Aggie.”
“We talked a long time ago, four years ago or three-and-a-half years ago, I don’t know how long it’s been, about trying to make – tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu
these games be rivalries,” Andersen said. “It’s very gratifying to make it a rivalry again.”
Twitter: @stuckiaggies
Aggie mascot Big Blue walks on the fence as fans wait outside Romney Stadium before the game against U of U on Sept. 6, 2012. CURTIS RIPPLINGER photo
A line of fans snakes past the statue of Merlin Olsen outside the stadium before the game. CURTIS RIPPLINGER photo