USU falls 35-3
Alabama beat Utah State 35-3 after jumping out front with two quick scores in the first quarter. The Aggie defense allowed one score in each of the last three quarters after the two touchdowns in the first five minutes.
Utah State tailback Ryan Bohm became the first running back to lead the Aggies in rushing in a game this season.
Bohm rushed 17 times for 94 yards, which is how many yards Alabama allowed per game for a team. The Ags rushed for 159 yards on the day thanks to Bohm and the two Aggie quarterbacks Leon Jackson III and Jerod Walker, who combined for the other big chunk of rushing yards. Jackson rushed for 25 yards and Walker for 19.
“Since the beginning of the season we’ve tried to establish the running game,” Bohm said. “We’ve been trying to make that happen and today it did.”
The Ags gained 309 yards offensively with a balanced attack for the first time this season. The Aggies passed for 159 yards to go with their 150 rushing yards.
The balanced offense helped the Ags become the first team to score on Alabama in the third quarter. The opening drive of the second half put the only Aggie points on the board thanks to 44 yards receiving by Kevin Robinson and a 24-yard field goal by Justin Hamblin.
Hamblin missed a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter after the Ags were called for a false start on his first attempt from 38. In the third, Hamblin missed another field goal attempt of 41 yards to miss putting more points on the board.
The Aggie defense had its problems at the start of the game as it took ‘Bama four plays to score their first touchdown before it took another four plays on their second drive to go up 14-0.
Utah State forced the Crimson Tide to punt on their next four possessions, allowing only one first down while forcing three three-and-outs.
On second down of the first possession, true freshman Josh Taylor stopped a pass to ‘Bama’s DJ Hall for a loss of three yards. Taylor, whose brother Caleb has played this season, was only playing because of an injury to Marquis Charles. Taylor finished with three other tackles, but his tackle for a loss fired up the Aggie defense and helped switch momentum a little towards the Ags.
Taylor’s performance could turn out to be a building block for the Aggies, Utah State Head Coach Brent Guy said.
“Josh Taylor, the 19th freshman, competed and played under unbelievable conditions,” Guy said. “He didn’t know he was going to play until Friday. We have got to grow up as a team like Taylor did today.”
Part of growing up for the Aggies will have to include not making “junior high mistakes,” Guy said.
Twice, the Ags jumped offside on third and short, one of the penalties was declined as the Crimson Tide gained a first down on the play. The Aggie defense also dropped a near interception in the first half.
The Aggies will return home this weekend to play Louisiana Tech Saturday afternoon.
-krn@cc.usu.edu