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LOGAN, Utah – Utah State made it a habit of rallying from double-digit deficits during the 2021 campaign.
 
Apparently, that trend has carried over into the 2022 season – at least one game into it.
 
The Aggies scored 24 unanswered points to rally back from a 14-point deficit and beat Connecticut 31-20 in the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Maverik Stadium.
 
Grad senior quarterback Logan Bonner was 20-of-29 for 281 yards and three touchdowns as Utah State improved to 2-0 all-time against UConn. Grad senior wide receiver Brian Cobbs made his Aggie debut by leading all receivers in the game with seven catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
 
Bonner also threw touchdown passes to junior wide receiver Kyle Van Leeuwen and senior wide receiver Justin McGriff as that duo caught three passes each for 54 and 53 yards, respectively.
 
Grad senior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. led Utah State's ground attack with 161 yards on 33 carries, helping the Aggies, who win six games in 2021 after trailing by double digits, amass 542 yards of total offense, including 261 on the ground.
 
The Huskies led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter following a 1-yard touchdown run by Ta'Quan Roberson and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Zion Turner to Keelan Marion.
 
Turner was 12-of-31 for 109 yards and one touchdown to go along with two interceptions. UConn's Nate Carter led all rushers in the game with 190 yards on 20 carries.
 
Utah State began its comeback in the second quarter when Bonner found Van Leeuwen from 11 yards to cut the deficit to 14-7 with 12:28 left until the half. The Aggies then scored 17 more points in the final 3:42 of the quarter on a 23-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Robert Briggs, a 14-yard touchdown pass from Bonner to McGriff and a 45-yard field goal by grad senior placekicker Connor Coles.
 
The Huskies pulled with 24-20 with 10:09 left in the fourth quarter following a pair of 47- and 54-yard field goals from Noe Ruelas, but Cobbs' 11-yard touchdown reception with six minutes to go cemented the win.
 
UConn's final series of the game ended with 4:46 left after redshirt freshman safety Ike Larsen intercepted a pass by Turner. Grad senior safety Hunter Reynolds also had an interception for the Aggies.
 
Junior inside linebacker MJ Tafisi led Utah State in tackles with 10, including 2.0 tackles for loss, while senior cornerback Ajani Cater had seven stops and one forced fumble.
 
UConn's Jackson Mitchell had a game-high 16 tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks, to go along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
 
Utah State racked up 11.0 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries and four pass breakups.
 
UP NEXT 
 
Utah State (1-0) hits the road for the first time when the Aggies travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to take on No. 1 Alabama (0-0) on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 5:30 p.m.
 
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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