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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The founder of Stadium Sportzz and the Sportzz with Spencer podcast, Spencer hopes to one day achieve his dream of working in the world of sports media after completing his Bachelor's degree. Spencer first gained experience in the field of sports writing as a high school senior, where he became the first intern to have a published byline writing for The Spectrum & Daily News in St. George, Utah. Later in the fall of 2017, he was the sports editor for independent campus news source Thunderground and the public address announcer for the women's soccer team at Southern Utah University. Since then, Spencer has worked as a high school sports reporter in St. George, writing for both St. George News and Southern Utah Now. Spencer is also an avid freelancer and has had works appear in the Deseret News, Standard-Examiner, RSL Soapbox, and Fansided's Venom Strikes. Currently, he is a regular contributor to Fan-Insider.com and the UK-based Tottenham site, SpursWeb. When he isn't playing, watching, writing about, or discussing sports, Spencer enjoys working as a part-time athletics PA voice at Utah Tech University and spending time with his amazing wife.