USU falls to WAC rival Fresno 41-24

FRESNO STATE 41  UTAH STATE 24

LOGAN, UTAH — A.J. Ellis ran for 165 yards on 29 rushes and scored three touchdowns to lead Fresno State past Utah State 41-24 Saturday evening, the Bulldogs scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Ryan Colburn also ran for 44 yards and threw for 149 yards and a touchdown for the Bulldogs (2-0).

Utah State (1-2) led in total offensive yards at the end of three closely-played quarters (274-269) and had the score tied at 24. But the Aggies were able to only gain 37 yards in the final quarter.  

USU was led by quarterback Diondre Borel, who threw for 106 yards and ran for 89 more. But FSU’s defense held Borel to 4-of-13 passing in the second half.

Tied at halftime, both teams scored a touchdown in third quarter. A blocked punt by FSU’s Jamel Hamler at the end of the quarter gave Fresno the ball in a position for Kevin Goessling to kick a 30-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 27-24.

Later in the quarter, after a quick three-and-out by the Aggies, Colburn then led the Bulldogs to a score in four plays in less than two minutes. Tracy Slocum scored on a three-yard run to extend the lead to 34-24. Ellis would later score with 42 seconds to play in the game.

Utah State scored first in the game on a eight-yard pass play from a scrambling Borel to Dontel Watkins. The teams then traded scores and the first half ended 17-17.