LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's offense engineered a last-minute drive and redshirt freshman PK Tanner Cragun hit a 40-yard field goal with no time remaining as the Aggies won at Wyoming, 27-25, on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Utah State finished with 378 yards (230 passing, 148 rushing) as compared to a season-high 470 yards for Wyoming (276 rushing, 194 passing). However, the Cowboys had to settle for four field goals in the game, as USU stopped three UW drives in the red zone.
The Aggies scored on its first drive of the game as graduate QB
Spencer Petras hit junior WR
Otto Tia on a flea flicker for a 36-yard touchdown. Petras finished with 194 yards on 25-of-39 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions as the Aggie offense avoided a turnover for the first time this season. Tia was USU's leading receiver as he caught a career-high six passes for 76 yards and one touchdown.
The Cowboys would answer on their next two drives, scoring a 43-yard field goal and on an 11-yard run to give Wyoming a 10-7 lead.
In the final two minutes of the half, Utah State reclaimed momentum as Cragun booted a 30-yard field goal and senior S
Jordan Vincent intercepted a pass at the UW 44-yard line to setup a late touchdown for USU. On the first play of the possession, a double-pass from sophomore WR
Grant Page to senior RB
Rahsul Faison went for 36 yards to put the Aggies in the red zone. Faison then took the next snap eight yards for the touchdown, putting Utah State up 17-10 just before halftime. Faison posted his fourth 100-yard game of the season as he carried the ball 23 times for 131 yards. He also had a career-high four receptions for 43 yards and finished the game with 174 all-purpose yards.
Wyoming pieced together two drives of over five minutes in the third quarter, though Utah State's defense stiffened in the red zone and held the Cowboys to a pair of field goals to preserve a 17-16 lead. UW then took the lead on a 54-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but failed on a two-point conversion attempt.
Playing from behind for the first time in the game, the Aggies immediately responded with a 7-play, 75-yard drive culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Petras to graduate TE
Josh Sterzer to retake a 24-22 lead.
Redshirt junior CB
DJ Graham II thwarted Wyoming's next drive, forcing a fumble inside the UW 30-yard line that was recovered by junior DT
Isaiah Bruce and returned 34 yards.
On Wyoming's next possession, USU's defense again stood strong in its own territory, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a 31-yard field goal to take a 25-24 lead.
With 1:57 on the clock at their own 25-yard line, Petras and the Aggie offense got to work piecing together a 12-play, 53-yard drive to setup Cragun's game-winning 40-yard field goal. During the drive, USU converted a 4th-and-3 as junior QB
Bryson Barnes came in a rushed for six yards.
The walk-off field goal was the first for Utah State since
Dominik Eberle hit a 30-yarder for a 37-35 win at Fresno State on Nov. 9, 2019.
Defensively, Vincent led Utah State with 11 tackles for his sixth double-digit tackle outing of the season, while adding one interception and a pass breakup in the end zone, that forced UW to settle for a field goal. Sophomore CB
JD Drew tied his career high with seven tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss, and senior DE
Cian Slone tied his career high with 2.0 sacks. Junior S
Ike Larsen added a career-high-tying two pass breakups.
Fall Schedule
Utah State heads into a bye week before returning to play at Washington State on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff time is to be announced. The game will be broadcast on the CW.
Ticket Information
Mini-plans and single-game tickets for the 2024 season are on sale now. Purchase your tickets today by visiting utahstateaggies.com or calling the ticket office at 435-797-0305.
Parking
All Single-Game Parking sales will be cashless, starting this year. Those can be purchased in advance for $10
online, or for $15 on game days at the F lot entrances.
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