Box Score Final Stats

PULLMAN, Wash. – A new era of Utah State football was ushered in late Saturday night on the Palouse.
 
The Aggies scored two touchdowns in the final 5:25 of the fourth quarter to erase a 12-point deficit and stun heavily-favored Washington State 26-23 in the season opener for both teams in front of nearly 30,000 fans on Gesa Field at Martin Stadium.
 
With the win, Blake Anderson became the first Utah State head football coach to win his debut since 1973. Furthermore, it is the Aggies' first victory on the road over a P5 school since winning at Kansas State in 1971.
 
Utah State trailed 23-11 with 12:11 remaining in the game after Washington State's Dean Janikowski connected on his third field goal of the night.
 
That's when Logan Bonner went to work. The junior quarterback, who followed Anderson from Arkansas State, led the Aggies on a 15-play, 70-yard drive, to pull the visitors within 23-18 following a 2-yard touchdown run by Calvin Tyler Jr. The junior running back finished the game with a career-high 14 carries for a career-best 84 yards rushing and the one TD.
 
Utah State's defense then forced Washington State to go three-and-out on the ensuing possession and the Aggies took over on their own 22-yard line with 3:02 to go. Just like he did on the previous scoring drive, Bonner calmly marched the visitors down the field.
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Bonner completed all seven of his passes on what proved to be the game-winning march, the final one from 7 yards out to senior wide receiver Deven Thompkins to put the Aggies in front 24-23. USU opted to go for two and got it when Bonner found senior wide receiver Derek Wright in the back of the end zone, making it 26-23 with 13 seconds left.
 
The Aggies' final drive was kept alive when Bonner competed a 7-yard pass to Tyler out of the backfield on a fourth-and-3 play from USU's own 41.
 
However, the game wasn't cemented in Utah State's favor until junior cornerback Michael Anyanwu forced and recovered a fumble on the final play as the Cougars tried to lateral their way down the field.
 
For the Aggies, who outgained the Cougars 441-360, it was the first time overcoming a fourth-quarter double-digit deficit since winning 35-31 at Hawai'i in 2011.
Bonner finished 17-fo-24 for 143 yards and one touchdown, to go along with one interception. Fellow junior quarterback Andrew Peasley was 6-of-12 for 76 yards, helping Utah State throw for 219 yards on the night.
 
Thompkins led all receivers in the game with eight catches for 94 yards, both career highs. The Aggies got it done on the ground, as well, rushing for 222 yards.
 
Quarterback Jayden de Laura led Washington State on offense as he was 12-of-22 for 155 yards and one touchdown, to go along with 42 yards rushing. Max Borghi rushed for 86 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown run, that gave the Cougars a 13-8 lead early in the third quarter.
 
Before the Aggies finally found the end zone in the fourth quarter, senior placekicker Connor Coles kicked three field goals from 23, 39 and 28 yards, respectively. He was also 2-for-2 on extra points as he tied his career high with 11 points.
 
Utah State's defense also put points on the board when junior defensive end Patrick Joyner Jr. sacked WSU starting quarterback Jarrett Guarantano in the end zone for a safety, giving the Aggies a 5-3 second-quarter lead.
 
Senior inside linebacker Justin Rice and junior safety Dominic Tatum led the Aggies with seven tackles and one pass breakup apiece. Senior defensive end Nick Heninger added six stops.
 
UP NEXT
 
Utah State hosts North Dakota (1-0) in its home opener next Friday at 7 p.m.
 
GET YOUR TICKETS
 
For Aggie football ticket information, fans can contact the USU Athletics Ticket Office over the phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or 435-797-0305 during regular hours of operation. Fans can also buy their tickets in person at the USU Ticket Office inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or online by clicking on the "Buy Tickets" tab at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
 
For more information on the Utah State football program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUFootball, on Facebook at USUFootball and on Instagram at USUFootball.
 
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