ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – Graduate junior quarterback Levi Williams accounted for 351 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in Utah State's dramatic 44-41 double overtime win at New Mexico here Friday at University Stadium.
For Williams, it was his first start in two years with Utah State.
With the win, Utah State (6-6, 4-4 Mountain West) became bowl eligible for the third-consecutive season under head coach
Blake Anderson. New Mexico, coming off an upset win at Fresno State a week ago, saw its season come to an end with a 4-8 overall record and 2-5 in league play.
Williams' final touchdown of the night proved to be the game-winner. After initially fumbling the snap, he scooped up the ball, rolled to his left and ran into the end zone from 13 yards out to end the game.
Williams was 16-of-27 passing for 198 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 153 yards and three more scores on 25 carries. All of his stats are career highs during his two-year Utah State career, while his 25 rushes are a collegiate career high.
Both of Williams' touchdown passes were thrown in the first quarter to junior wide receiver
Jalen Royals. Royals first score came on a 13-yard pass to finish off a 10-play, 75-yard drive for the Aggies to start the game. Royals also hauled in a 57-yard pass on USU's second series.
Royals finished the game with seven receptions for 89 yards and became just the 13th player in school history to post 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Royals also tied the school record for receiving touchdowns in a season with 14, a mark that was set by Tracy Jenkins in 1990.
Utah State finished the game with 500 yards of total offense (302 rushing, 198 passing).
The Lobos were led by Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who rushed for 233 yards and one touchdown on 31 carries. Quarterback Dylan Hopkins was 12-of-31 for 125 yards as New Mexico finished with 539 total yards, including 337 on the ground.
Williams accounted for both of Utah State's touchdowns in the extra sessions. Following his 6-yard touchdown run that gave the Aggies a 38-31 lead, the Lobos answered with a Devon Dampier 4-yard touchdown run to tie things up.
Utah State's defense then forced New Mexico to settle for a 19-yard field goal by Luke Drzewiecki to give the Lobos a 41-38 lead, setting up Williams' game-winning heroics.
The Aggies led 31-21 with 5:30 to go in the fourth quarter following a 17-yard touchdown run by junior running back
Rahsul Faison, who finished with 106 yards rushing on 18 carries.
However, the Lobos scored the final 10 points of regulation on a 2-yard touchdown run by Dampier and a 22-yard field goal by Drzewiecki with four seconds remaining on the clock.
New Mexico began the game-tying drive on its own 9-yard line with just 2:09 left in the fourth quarter. The Lobos benefitted from three pass interference penalties on the Aggies, including two on third down.
Graduate senior inside linebacker
MJ Tafisi Jr. led the Aggies with 11 tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss. It was his eighth-straight double-digit tackle outing, which is the longest streak by an Aggie since 1999.
Sophomore safety
Ike Larsen added 10 tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss, and one pass breakup. Senior defensive tackle
Hale Motu'apuaka had three tackles, including a career-high-tying 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.
One of the biggest plays of the game came courtesy of Motu'apuaka. With New Mexico on the doorstep of scoring a touchdown in the second overtime, Motu'apuaka stopped Croskey-Merritt for a 1-yard loss on third-and-goal from the 1, setting up Drzewiecki's go-ahead 19-yard field goal.
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