Nov 10, 2001

Box Score

By DONNA TOMMELLEO
AP Sports Writer

STORRS, Conn. - Emmett White ran for 117 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead Utah State to a 38-31 victory over Connecticut on Saturday.

The Aggies (3-5) held on as UConn (2-7) rallied from a 38-10 deficit in the second half of a penalty-marred game. The victory was the first road win of the season for Utah State.

White, the Aggies' leader in all-purpose yards, had a 3-yard TD run in the second quarter and caught a 6-yard scoring pass from Jose Fuentes in the third. White caught four passes for 43 yards. His rushing total pushed him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Fuentes completed 20 of 31 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. UConn's Dan Orlovsky threw three TD passes and finished with 245 yards, completing 19 of 51 attempts. He also ran for a score.

The Aggies scored on their opening drive, moving 65 yards in under 2 minutes. Casey Poppinga caught a 10-yard pass for the opening score. Utah State extended the lead to 14-0 when Tony Walker intercepted Orlovsky's pass on the Huskies' first possession and ran it in from 31 yards.

Utah State built a 28-10 lead at the half on Chris Stallworth's 10-yard reception and White's 3-yard run.

UConn got its only touchdown of the first half from its special teams, with Jamal Lundy recovering a fumbled punt in the end zone.

The teams combined for 222 yards in penalties. Pass-interference calls against Utah State in the second half kept alive two UConn scoring drives, allowing the Huskies get back in the game.

With a sore right knee and the Aggies up by 28 points, White was sidelined for much of the second half until UConn began to rally, scoring on three straight possessions.

Orlovsky hit Wes Timko for a 34-yard strike with 4:57 left in the third quarter. After an Aggies' punt, Orlovsky found Cliff Hill on a 4-yard scoring pass early in the fourth quarter to cut the Aggies lead to 38-24. With just over five minutes left in the game, Orlovsky scored from the 1, capping a 13-play, 85-yard drive.

Utah State relied on White and ball control in the closing minutes to seal the win. White ran for 34 yards in the Aggies' final possession before Utah State was forced to punt with under a minute left.

Jorge Tapia intercepted Orlovsky's pass on the UConn 30 and ran it back to the 7 with 25 seconds left to play to seal the win.

UConn running back Taber Small injured his left knee late in the first half and was taken to a hospital for tests after the game.