Game Book

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Utah State football has won four of its last five games after defeating Hawai'i 41-34 at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Saturday.
 
The Aggies (5-5, 4-2 MW) took less than 30 seconds to score in their first drive of the game as junior quarterback Cooper Legas connected with junior tight end Josh Sterzer on a 68-yard touchdown reception with 10:44 to go in the first quarter.
 
A 21-yard field goal from graduate senior placekicker Connor Coles with just under two minutes left in the period extended the USU lead to 10-0.
 
A Hawai'i (2-9, 1-5 MW) touchdown in the opening minute of the second quarter trimmed the margin to 10-7. However, Legas connected with yet another tight end, finding redshirt sophomore Broc Lane in the end zone for the 16-yard touchdown the very next drive.
 
The Rainbow Warriors once again scored in their next drive with a 49-yard field goal to make it a one-score game.
 
With just over a minute and a half to play in the second quarter, the Aggies found themselves at fourth-and-two at the Hawai'i 35. USU beautifully converted on the fourth down as Legas connected with the wide-open graduate senior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. for the 35-yard touchdown that gave Utah State the 24-10 lead heading into the half.
 
The Rainbow Warriors forced a three-and-out in the Aggies opening drive of the third quarter before making it a one-score game with a four-yard rushing touchdown to trim the USU edge to 24-17.
 
Utah State responded by scoring in both of its next two drives as Tyler scored on a four-yard run and Coles booted a 42-yard field goal to give the Aggies the 34-17 lead heading into the fourth.
 
A Hawai'i touchdown early in the fourth quarter trimmed the margin to 34-24.
 
Redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen came up with the big pick-6 for Utah State, picking off Hawai'i's Brayden Schager for the 36-yard touchdown to extend the advantage to 41-24 with 4:33 to play.
 
The Rainbow Warriors scored twice more on a 69-yard rushing touchdown and 19-yard field goal, but USU held on for the 41-34 win.
 
Legas was 16-of-25 passing for 238 yards and three touchdowns. Tyler led the Aggies on the ground with 113 rushing yards on 25 carries for one touchdown. Graduate senior wide receiver Brian Cobbs led USU with 74 receiving yards on five catches.
 
Defensively, graduate senior safety Hunter Reynolds led the squad with nine tackles. Larsen logged a loaded stat line with six tackles, including a game-high 2.0 tackles for loss, one of which was a sack, and two interceptions, one of which was a pick-6.
 
NEXT GAME
 
Utah State hosts San José State (6-3, 4-2 MW) in its home finale on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7:45 p.m., on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. The game will be televised on Fox Sports. Tickets can be purchased here.
 
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.
 
-USU-