USU Football upset by Wyoming in pivotal senior night game
Utah State was stunned by Wyoming on Senior night Saturday, snapping a five-game win streak. The Cowboys ran all over the Aggies on their way to a 44 to 17 with, taking the Bridger Rifle back to Laramie.
The loss puts a berth to the Mountain West conference championship game at risk. The Aggies will need to win at New Mexico and a Boise State loss to San Diego State to play for the championship.
The Aggies were still in the game at halftime, down only 24 to 17. Starting the second half, Utah State drove down the field, going 45 yards in four plays, led by a 34-yard rush from junior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. Then after two incompletions and a rush for no gain, the Aggies attempted a field goal. The snap went through the hands of the holder and the ball was recovered by Wyoming. That was Utah State’s last serious chance for points. The Aggies punt three times, fumbled and threw an interception to end the game.
“I thought that we were really fortunate to be in the situation we were at halftime. I thought it could’ve been a lot worse,” coach Blake Anderson said. “We weren’t playing very well and they were, but what we’ve typically done in the third quarter, we just didn’t get any momentum.”
Wyoming scored a touchdown in two plays, going 56 yards following the turnover. The 43-yard touchdown rush by Titus Swen put the Cowboys up 31 to 17.
Senior defensive end Nick Heninger, who finished with nine total tackles including one for a loss, spoke on the defensive woes postgame.
“Momentum, as much as you love it, as much as you hate it, it’s a powerful thing as a team, right,” Heninger said. “And they came out, they had momentum and we weren’t able to take it back.”
A 99-yard dagger touchdown run by Swen in the third quarter iced the game, putting the Cowboys up 41 to 17. The play was the longest gain from scrimmage in Wyoming history.
The Cowboys put up 604 total yards with 362 coming on the ground. Wyoming put up 201 yards alone in the third quarter.
“Let’s get real, Wyoming is a good running team. Right, that’s their bread and butter,” Heninger said. “The team that usually wins is the team that makes the least amount of mistakes and tonight the Cowboys made the least amount of mistakes and they were able to capitalize on it.”
Other mistakes, including allowing a kickoff return for a touchdown and three turnovers badly hurt the Aggies.
“I didn’t think we helped ourselves at all with some big mistakes that we had this evening,” Anderson said. “The kickoff return for a touchdown is something that we’ve covered really well all year, the busted gaps and big explosive runs… and turnovers on offense.”
The Aggies’ rushing attack was solid, totaling 181 yards, but wasn’t enough to replace a lack-luster passing attack. Calvin Tyler Jr. recorded another 100-plus-yard game. He finished with 109 yards on 18 carries.
Through the air, Utah State scored their only two touchdowns but finished with a mere 181 yards. Junior quarterback Logan Bonner recorded 19 completions on 40 passes, 181 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Brandon Bowling was second on the team in receiving yards with 60 from six receptions.
“We knew they were a top-five passing defense in the country. We knew it was going to be a really big challenge for us,” Bowling said. “Credit to them, they did a really good job.”
Deven Thompkins, fellow senior wide receiver, finished with 67 yards. Thompkins remains the leading receiver in total yards in the nation this year, but still trails Kevin Curtis’s 2001 season for most receiving yards in a single season for Utah State. Thompkins trails Curtis by 23 yards.
The loss may come as a shock to Aggie fans who hoped the team would win the conference this year. Bowling told the press about the unpredictable nature of college football.
“I mean you look at us last week, we ran through San Jose State at their stadium. We just got ran through at our stadium. Anything can happen when you play college football,” Bowling said.
It’s still possible for the Aggies to make the Mountain West Conference Championship game, but they no longer control their own destiny.
The large score margin is tough to swallow for seniors who likely played their last game at Maverick Stadium.
“Guys were upset, it’s senior night. You know, I’m a senior and I wanted to go out and win tonight. Probably our last game at the Maverick Stadium,” Bowling said.
“I hate that for the seniors,” Anderson said. “Tonight was a night you wanted them to be able to celebrate with their families and really remember this one in a different way. And for that reason, it hurts. Great group of guys… They’ve done a phenomenal job.”
Utah State will try to rebound this week as they prepare to take on the Lobos in New Mexico.
“It’d be a shame to let some adversity splinter the team and culture. I don’t believe that that’s the kind of players and culture that we have down there. I’m confident in my teammates and we will respond the right way. Our philosophy as you can see is get one degree better each day right. And I truly believe that this team has got one degree better each week. We lost today, but all we can do is come back to the drawing board and focus on New Mexico and get one degree better next week.”
The Aggies take on the Lobos Friday, Nov. 26 at 11 a.m. MST.