Needing a win to keep bowl eligibility hopes alive, Utah State beat Hawai’i in a late-night matchup to even their record and move one win away from securing a bowl invitation.

Facing the always difficult task of traveling to Hawai’i for a game, the Aggies didn’t let the time zone difference or any jet lag get in the way.

After Hawai’i punted on its first possession, Utah State needed just two plays to score on their first drive. Driving 85 yards, Cooper Legas tossed a 68-yard touchdown to Josh Sterzer on the second play for the early 7-0 lead just under four minutes into the game.

Following punts by both teams, the Aggies added a 21-yard field goal to increase the lead to 10-0 at the 1:43 mark of the first quarter.

The Rainbow Warriors cut the lead to 10-7 just seconds into the second quarter, but the Aggies responded immediately on their next possession. Legas found Broc Lane for a 16-yard score to cap an 8-play, 75-yard drive for the 17-7 advantage just over three minutes into quarter number two.

After a Hawai’i field goal cut the Utah State lead to seven, Legas delivered a pass to a wide-open Calvin Tyler Jr. for a 34-yard touchdown just before halftime, making the score 24-10.

Second half

After the Aggies punted on their opening drive, the Rainbow Warriors scored the first touchdown of the second half to again make it a one-score game.

Utah State responded yet again, scoring a touchdown on the very next drive. Driving 75 yards and chewing up six minutes of clock, Calvin Tyler found the endzone via a 4-yard run to make the score 31-17 with just over three minutes to go in the third quarter.

It was then time for the USU defense to shine. After just one play, the Aggies intercepted Hawai’i for the second time in the game, giving the offense good field position. Six plays later, Connor Coles split the uprights for a 42-yard field goal, increasing the lead to 34-17.

Following a Rainbow Warriors touchdown on the next possession, Utah State was forced to punt on consecutive possessions. With Hawai’i down 10 and driving, Ike Larsen intercepted quarterback Brayden Schager, returning it for a touchdown and making the score 41-24.

Hawai’i added a touchdown and a field goal to make it only a seven-point game but was unable to recover the onside kick attempt with 18 seconds to go, sealing a win for the visitors.

Cooper Legas led the Aggies’ aerial attack, completing 16-of-25 passes for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns. Calvin Tyler tallied 113 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries to lead the ground game, also adding three receptions for 50 yards and a score.

Turnovers were key in this game, and despite being outgained by 267 yards, Utah State did not turn the ball over. On the other hand, Hawai’i committed four turnovers in the game, including three interceptions – one was a pick-6 – and a fumble.

Up next

Evening up their overall record with the win, the Aggies now sit at 5-5 overall, and 4-2 in Mountain West play.

Utah State now turns its attention to San Jose State (6-3, 4-2 MW) for this season’s final home game. If USU wins, they will clinch a bowl invitation for the 10th time in 12 seasons.

The Aggies battle the Spartans on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:45 p.m., and the game can be seen on FS1.

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Spencer Rodak
Spencer has always been passionate about sports, growing up playing and following various sports. He ran cross country in high school and began his journey in sports media in 2017 as a journalism intern at The Spectrum & Daily News. Since then, his work has been published in numerous outlets including Deseret News, Standard-Examiner, St. George News, Southern Utah Now, SUU's Thunderground, SB Nation's RSL Soapbox, FanSided's Venom Strikes, fan-insider.com, The Spurs Web, and Iron County Today. Spencer is the founder of Stadium Sportzz and both the Sportzz with Spencer and Mountain States Sports Report podcasts. His experience extends to public address announcing, having first served as the PA announcer for Southern Utah University soccer in 2017 and as a high school sports PA announcer. He is now entering his fourth year as a PA announcer at Utah Tech University, where he also occasionally takes on the role of in-game emcee. Spencer's versatility also extends to radio, where at The Fan Sports Network he produced high school and Utah Tech athletics broadcasts, hosted the weekly Region 9 Football Tailgate Show, and appeared daily on The Drive. Now working towards completing his Bachelor's degree in Media Studies, Spencer was recently named the Sports Director at Utah Tech University's 91.3 The Blaze for the 2024-25 year. He will host a weekly show and serve as a play-by-play broadcaster, continuing his dedication to sports journalism and broadcasting. When he isn’t talking, writing about, or watching sports, Spencer enjoys traveling and spending time with his amazing wife.

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