LOGAN, Utah — Graduate quarterback
Bryson Barnes accounted for 331 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in Utah State's 49-30 Mountain West home win against Air Force on Saturday, Sept. 13, on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
Barnes joined former Aggie Levi Williams as the only players in school history to pass for two touchdowns and rush for another three in the same game. Barnes was 17-of-22 passing for 287 yards and added another 44 yards on 15 rushing attempts. His three rushing touchdowns are a career high, while his 287 passing yards are the second-most of his career, including his most at USU.
Utah State finished with a season-high 473 yards of total offense, including a season-high 186 yards on the ground while averaging 5.5 yards per rush. USU also had a season-best 287 passing yards. The Aggies scored five rushing touchdowns, the most since also doing so against Idaho State in 2023. Junior running back Javen Jacobs led the ground attack with a season-high 71 yards on a season-best nine carries with one touchdown.
Junior wide receiver Braden Pegan led the receiving room with career-highs of seven catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns for his first-career 100-yard receiving game. Graduate wide receiver Brady Boyd finished with 72 yards on four receptions and Jacobs added a season-high 36 yards on three catches.
Air Force had 445 yards of offense (266 rushing, 179 passing) and possessed the ball for 38:11, but had three turnovers in the game with two interceptions and one fumble.
The Aggie defense set the tone in the game as sophomore outside linebacker William Holmes recovered a botched snap on Air Force's opening drive. Starting at AF's 27-yard line, Barnes scored from seven yards out to give Utah State a lead they would never relinquish.
After an Air Force field goal for its first points of the game, Barnes found Pegan on a play-action fake for a 54-yard touchdown to make it 14-3 for the Aggies.
Senior cornerback Noah Avinger intercepted an Air Force pass late in the first half to preserve Utah State's 14-10 lead heading into halftime.
Sophomore quarterback Anthony Garcia recorded his first career rushing touchdown, finding the end zone from 17 yards out to cap Utah State's first drive of the second half. On its next possession, Barnes scored on an 11-yard run up the middle, putting USU up, 28-10.
Following an Air Force touchdown, Utah State needed only five plays to answer as Barnes threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Pegan. Barnes added his third rushing touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on a seven yard run to give the home team a 42-24 lead.
The Falcons added a late touchdown and attempted an on-side kick that was recovered by the Aggies. Jacobs then scored on a 52-yard run on the second play of the series to make the final score 49-30.
Graduate inside linebacker John Miller led the Aggies with a career-high 16 tackles. Holmes had a career-high 13 stops and junior defensive tackle Tyree Morris posted a career-high 10 tackles. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Carson Tujague had a career-high nine tackles, as did junior inside linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. Avinger also had nine tackles and sophomore cornerback Noah Flores posted a career-high seven stops. USU also had an interception from sophomore cornerback D'Angelo Mayes and junior safety Brevlin Hamblin finished with a career-high three pass breakups.
Up Next
Utah State football (2-1, 1-0 MW) hosts McNeese (1-2) at Maverik Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast on KMYU and available for streaming on the Mountain West Network.
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