Final Stats | Postgame Quotes | Postgame Notes

LOGAN, Utah – Sophomore quarterback Jordan Love passed for a career-high 356 yards and two touchdowns as Utah State defeated Air Force 42-32 in the Mountain West opener for both teams Saturday night on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
 
The first of Love's career-high-tying two touchdown passes, a 43-yarder to senior wide receiver Aaren Vaughns with 1:02 left in the second quarter, put the Aggies ahead for good and gave them a 21-14 lead at the break.
 
With the win, Utah State improved to 3-1, marking the first time since 2012 the Aggies have opened by winning three of their first four games. Furthermore, Utah State is 5-1 all-time in Mountain West openers. Air Force dropped to 1-2 overall.
 
After Utah State junior running back Darwin Thompson opened the game's scoring on a 6-yard touchdown run with 9:18 to go in the first quarter, the Falcons reeled off the next 14 points thanks to a 1-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Sanders and an 8-yard touchdown run from Cole Fagan.
 
Less than one minute after Fagan found the end zone, the Aggies answered with a touchdown of their own, a 4-yard run by junior running back Gerold Bright to knot the score at 14-apiece with 6:18 left in the half.
 
Beginning with Bright's touchdown, Utah State scored 28 unanswered points to seemingly seize control. Thompson added his second score of the night on a 1-yard run with 9:04 left in the third quarter and junior tight end Dax Raymond caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Love just 49 seconds later to make it 35-14.
 
Raymond's touchdown came one play after senior safety Gaje Ferguson recovered a fumble by Air Force. Ferguson finished his night with a career- and game-high 15 tackles, while fellow senior safety Jontrell Rocquemore added a career-best 13 stops, including 2.0 tackles for loss.
 
Three other Aggies posted double-digit tackles on the night in senior linebacker Suli Tamaivena (12), junior defensive end Tipa Galeai (career-high 11) and sophomore linebacker David Woodward (11).
 
The Falcons pulled to within 35-32 with exactly 13 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Aggies sealed the victory on a 70-yard touchdown run with 6:52 to go.
 
On the ensuing possession, Air Force drove to the Aggies' 16-yard line, where they faced fourth-and-1 with just over two minutes remaining. The Falcons elected to go for it, but Sanders was stuffed for no gain by USU senior defensive end Adewale Adeoye.
 
Utah State senior wide receiver Ron'quavion Tarver led the Aggies with nine receptions for 128 yards, while Raymond had four catches for 68 yards and senior wide receiver Jalen Greene also had four receptions for 42 yards. Greene was instrumental in Bright's game-clinching touchdown as he threw a key block.
 
UP NEXT
 
Utah State will enjoy its first and only bye of the season this week before stepping out of conference play for the final time to face in-state rival BYU on Friday, Oct. 5, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. The game is slated to kick off at 7 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPN2.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.