LOGAN, Utah – Grad senior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. scored on a 3-yard run with 2:49 left in the game to life Utah State to a thrilling 35-31 Senior Night win over San José State on Saturday on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
 
With the win, the Aggies (6-5, 5-2 Mountain West) became bowl eligible for the second-consecutive year.
 
Utah State has now dug out of holes to win five of its six games this year as the Spartans led on two separate occasions. Under head coach Blake Anderson, the Aggies have posted 12 come-from-behind victories.
 
USU extended its winning streak to 10 in a row against SJSU and is now 20-20-1 all-time against the Spartans, including 12-8 at home. 
 
Tyler led Utah State's rushing attack on the night as he gained 125 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries. As a team, the Aggies finished with 186 yards rushing. Junior quarterback Cooper Legas was 23-of-35 for 244 yards and one touchdown, to go along with two interceptions.
 
True freshman inside linebacker Max Alford paced the Aggies' defense with seven tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss. Junior defensive end Daniel Grzesiak added six stops, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
 
After the Spartans (6-4, 4-3 MW) opened the scoring courtesy of a 36-yard touchdown pass from Chevan Cordeiro to Elijah Cooks, Utah State reeled off 21 unanswered points and was seemingly in control.
 
Tyler scored on a 14-yard touchdown run to give the Aggies a 7-6 lead late in the first quarter, then found the end zone from two yards out to make it 14-6 with 5:29 left in the second quarter.
 
Utah State went up 21-6 just before the half when junior cornerback Jaden Smith fielded a blocked SJSU punt by redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown.
 
However, the Spartans answered back just before intermission when Cordeiro found Cooks again, this time from 29 yards out, to make it a 21-13 ballgame.
 
San José State's Taren Schive kicked a 41-yard field goal with 9:22 to go in the third quarter to pare the deficit to 21-16, but Utah State seemingly regained control four minutes later when senior wide receiver Justin McGriff hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass from Legas, giving the hosts a 28-16 lead.
 
The Spartans wouldn't go away, though. They scored the next 15 points of the game to move in front for the first time since the first quarter, 31-28 with 6:42 remaining in the contest.
That's when Tyler took over.
 
On Utah State's go-ahead possession, Tyler touched the ball on six of the team's nine-play drive, accounting for 25 yards, one first down and the game-winning TD.
 
The game wasn't cemented in the Aggies favor, though, until Utah State's D forced the Spartans to turn the ball over on downs after just four plays on the ensuing possession. USU ran out the remainder of the clock and was aided by a roughing the kicker penalty.
 
Cordeiro had a good game in the pocket for San José State as he was 20-of-30 for 257 yards and four touchdowns, three of which found the hands of Cooks.
 
Cooks finished with seven catches for 135 yards. His counterpart on the opposite of the field, Utah State grad senior Brian Cobbs, caught a career-high-tying 10 passes for 122 yards.
 
The Aggies finished with 430 yards of total offense and held the Spartans to 341 total yards.
 
NEXT GAME
 
The Aggies conclude the regular season across the border when they head to the Gem State to take on Boise State on Friday, Nov. 25, at 10 a.m. The game will be televised live on CBS.
 
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-