Needing a win over New Mexico to keep their bowl game hopes alive, the Aggies battled the weather at home to secure a victory.
College hoops: Top non-conference matchups for each of Utah’s D1 programs
First half
Utah State got on the board first in the game, scoring a touchdown in just under two minutes. Returning from injury, quarterback Cooper Legas found Terrell Vaughn for a 38-yard score and a 7-0 lead.
1st throw of the game = 1st TOUCHDOWN of the game‼️😤
⚡️ @cooperlegas ✈️ @Terrell_Vaughn6
📺 @CBSSportsNet #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/JnUgNliseI
— USU Football (@USUFootball) November 5, 2022
It seemed like the Aggies might coast to a win after the quick start, but that was not the case.
Utah State did not score for the remainder of the first half, while New Mexico tallied a field goal and a touchdown to take a 10-7 lead into the locker room.
Second half
Trailing at the half, the Aggies knew they needed to play better in the second half to keep their season alive.
On the first drive, Utah State drove 88 yards in 15 plays, scoring a touchdown when kicker Connor Coles found the endzone on a fourth-down fake field goal.
.@ColesKicking THE ̶k̶i̶c̶k̶e̶r̶ running back!
📺 @CBSSportsNet #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/vdjwkEHHAu
— USU Football (@USUFootball) November 5, 2022
Coles then booted a 49-yard field goal at the 4:32 mark of the third quarter to make the score 17-10 in the home team’s favor.
After forcing punts on back-to-back New Mexico possessions, the Aggies made it a two-score game when Coles nailed a 27-yard field goal with just under eight minutes remaining to make the score 20-10.
With the Lobos trying to make it a one-score affair with the time running down, Utah State forced a first-down fumble that was recovered by Hunter Reynolds. Reynolds then turned on the jets, cruising 55 yards for the score and the 27-10 lead that sealed the win for the Aggies.
Fumble recovery and a touchdown for the Aggie defense‼️😮
⚡️ @hunt_xxvii
📺 @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/JeTdwFkWS9
— USU Football (@USUFootball) November 5, 2022
While the offense struggled to move the ball against New Mexico, Utah State’s defense held strong. The Aggies allowed only 10 points and 250 yards of total offense while also forcing a pair of turnovers.
Up next
Looking to even its record, Utah State (4-5) will now travel to Hawai’i on Saturday, Nov. 12.
The game will kick off at 9 p.m. MT and can be seen on Spectrum Sports.