Utah State gets run over by the Broncos

2009 Utah State Aggies ... Head Coach: Gary Andersen

2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 2-10
2009 Record: 3-8

9/3 at Utah L 35-17
9/12 OPEN DATE
9/19 at Texas A&M L 38-30
9/26 So Utah W 53-34
10/2 at BYU L 35-17
10/10 at NMSU L 20-17
10/17 Nevada L 35-32
10/24 La Tech W 23-21
10/31 at Fresno St L 31-27
11/7 at Hawaii L 49-36
11/14 SJSU W 24-9
11/20 Boise St L 52-21
11/28 at Idaho
12/5 OPEN DATE

2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 1-11
2008 Record: 3-9

8/30 at UNLV L 27-17
9/6 at Oregon L 66-24
9/13 Utah L 58-10
9/20 Idaho W 42-17
9/27 OPEN DATE
10/3 BYU L 34-14
10/11 at San Jose State L 30-7
10/18 at Nevada L 44-17
10/25 Fresno State L 30-28
11/1 Hawaii W 30-14
11/8 at Boise State L 49-14
11/15 at La Tech L 45-38
11/22 OPEN DATE
11/29 New Mexico St W 47-2

Utah State Aggies

Nov. 20
Boise State 52 … at Utah State 21
Doug Martin ran for four touchdowns and Jeremy Avery added scoring dashes from nine and 32 yards away on the way to another blowout win for the Broncos. Utah State hung around in the first half with a Michael Smith 22-yard scoring dash and a 24-yard Robert Turbin touchdown run in a 14-14 game, and then it was all BSU as Martin ran for a two-yard score to spark a 28-point run that put the game away. The Broncos outgained the Aggies 571 yards to 363, and held the USU ground attack to just 138 yards.
Player of the Game: Boise State RB Doug Martin ran 13 times for 122 yards and four scores.
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 18-30, 200 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 15-58, Receiving: Xavier Bowman, 4-23
Boise State: Passing: Kellen Moore, 15-29, 232 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Doug Martin, 13-122, 4 TD, Receiving: Titus Young, 5-101
What It All Means: The Aggies hung around for almost a half, and then the Boise State ground game kicked it into high gear and that was that. USU isn’t built to mount big comebacks, and Diondre Borel wasn’t able to get anything going with the passing game to turn things around. The home finale might have been a disappointment, but despite the final score it wasn’t a total disaster. There’s still time to make one more statement going into the offseason with a trip to Idaho to close things out. For Borel and RB Robert Turbin, it’s a time to set the tone for 2010.

Nov. 14
at Utah State 24 … San Jose State 9
Robert Turbin ran for 190 yards and became the first Aggie rusher to go over the 1,00-yard mark since 2001, and he scored from six and 35 yards out in the first half with the first score coming after a successful fake field goal set up the offense. San Jose State fought back with a Lamon Muldrow touchdown catch from two yards out and a field goal, but the Aggies put it away with a 40-yard Chris Ulnski field goal and a six-yard Derrvin Speight run.
Player of the Game: Utah State RB Robert Turbin ran 24 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan La Secla, 18-34, 216 yds
Rushing: Lamon Muldrow, 14-46, 1 TD, Receiving: Jalal Beauchman, 4-71
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 7-18, 50 yds
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 24-190, 2 TD, Receiving: Michael Smith, 3-13
What It All Means: The Aggies have been playing better than their record, and now they have a win to help out the stat sheet before tough games against Boise State and Idaho. The defense did a great job of keeping the miserable San Jose State offense under wraps, while the game was never really in doubt with the way Robert Turbin and the ground game controlled things. Diondre Borel didn’t throw well, but he didn’t have to. He’ll have to against Boise State on Friday night. 

Nov. 7
at Hawaii 49 … Utah State 36
Utah State scored first on a seven-yard Robert Turbin touchdown run, and then it was all Hawaii with 35 straight points to close out the first half. Bryant Moniz finished with four touchdown passes including two scoring plays to Greg Salas from ten and four yards out. But the real story was the Hawaii running game with 360 total yards and 167 yards and three scores from Leon Wright-Jackson. Alex Green also ran for 110 yards on ten caries as the Warriors controlled the game throughout. Utah State got two touchdown passes and a scoring run from Diondre Borel, but it was too late.
Player of the Game: Hawaii RB Leon Wright-Jackson ran 15 times for 167 yards and three scores.
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 35-48, 344 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 13-60, 2 TD, Receiving: Omar Sawyer, 6-86
Hawaii: Passing: Bryant Moniz, 21-37, 337 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Leon Wright-Jackson, 15-167, 3 TD, Receiving: Greg Salas, 10-187, 2 TD 
What It All Means: Hawaii hasn’t stopped anyone’s running game, and Utah State had to get out of its game, gaining just 102 yards, after getting down so fast. This isn’t a passing team, and although Diondre Borel threw for 344 yards, the defense couldn’t help out the cause with a stop when things got interesting. For all the positives, the team is still 2-7 with Boise State and Idaho still to deal with. If Utah State doesn’t beat San Jose State at home, it’s probably going to be a 2-10 season.

Oct. 31
at Fresno State 31 … Utah State 27
Ryan Mathews ran for a ten-yard score with less than five minutes to play and the defense held on, holding Utah State scoreless in the second half, on the way to the tough win. The Aggies ran wild cranking up 263 yards with both QB Diondre Borel and Robert Turbin running for over 100 yards with each one scoring from a yard out. Mathews also ran for a nine-yard score and Lonyae Miller ran for a two-yard score. The two teams combined for 969 yards of total offense.
Player of the Game: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews ran 23 times for 185 yards and two scores, and he caught two passes for 26 yards.
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 20-31, 240 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 19-138, 1 TD, Receiving: Xavier Bowman, 7-65, 1 TD
Fresno State: Passing: Ryan Colburn, 17-27, 256 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Ryan Mathews, 23-185 yds, 2 TD, Receiving: Seyi Ajirotutu, 7-124, 1 TD 
What It All Means: Utah State is playing better than its 2-6 record. The team’s last three losses have come by a total of ten points, and while there’s a loss to a horrible New Mexico State in the mix, along with losses to Nevada and Fresno State, the needle is pointing up. The offense is producing for the first time in years, and while the defense is struggling, there’s no pass rush, it has a chance to prove itself against Hawaii and San Jose State over the next two weeks. It’s no-excuse time; the Aggies have to win their next two games before dealing with Boise State.

Oct. 24
at Utah State 23 … Louisiana Tech 21
Utah State dominated for the first three quarters, holding Louisiana Tech to 108 yards and allowing just seven points on a 100-yard Phillip Livas kickoff return for a score, but it was all Bulldogs in the fourth. Ross Jenkins connected with R.P. Stuart for a 26-yard touchdown pass, and connected on the two-point conversion, and got a 20-yard Dennis Morris touchdown catch with just over six minutes to play to pull within two. QB Ross Jenkins air-mailed the two point conversion attempt, and Utah State held on.
Player of the Game: Utah State RB Robert Turbin ran 22 times for 94 yards and caught four passes for 45 yards.
Louisiana Tech: Passing: Ross Jenkins, 17-26, 155 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Daniel Porter, 18-68, Receiving: R.P. Stuart, 3-45, 1 TD
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 17-31, 188 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 22-94, Receiving: Stanley Morrison, 6-72, 1 TD 
What It All Means:  The Aggie defense struggled late, but it came up with one it best performances of the season over the first three quarters. Amazingly, Utah State didn’t need a huge day from QB Diondre Borel to get the win, and while he was good, he wasn’t special. He didn’t have to be with the great play from the defense, led by Walter McClenton’s 14 tackles.

Oct. 17
Nevada 35 … at Utah State 32
In a fun firefight, Nevada, down 24-14, scored 21 unanswered points with Luke Lippincott tearing off a 69-yard touchdown run and with Brandon Wimberly scoring on a 49-yard play. Utah State pulled within three on a 14-yard Nnamdi Gwacham catch with 2:35 to play, but the Wolf Pack, after a penalty, recovered a second onside kick attempt and put the game away. Nevada and the nation’s leading rushing attack ran for 313 yards, but the secondary allowed 353 yards.
Player of the Game: Nevada RB Vai Taua ran 21 times for 147 yards and a score
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 25-42, 353 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Diondre Borel, 21-48, Receiving: Omar Sawyer, 6-38
Nevada: Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 10-24, 189 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Vai Taua, 21-147, 1 TD, Receiving: Brandon Wimberly, 2-73, 1 TD 
What It All Means: The Aggies might be 1-5, but this isn’t the typical Utah State clunker of a season. The offense is playing well, there have been several chances to get wins, and Diodre Borel is having a special season under center. But the defense isn’t doing anything against the run, Nevada has a lot to do with that, and the defensive line isn’t generating enough pressure. It’s going to be a struggle over the next few weeks with Louisiana Tech and trips to Fresno State and Hawaii, but the O will give the team a puncher’s chance against anyone in the conference.

Oct. 10
at New Mexico State 20 … Utah State 17
Kyle Hughes nailed a 28-yard field goal to give New Mexico State the win. Utah State was driving with a chance to go for the game-winning score, but the NMSU defense came up with a huge stop and allowed the offense a chance to go for the win with a five-play drive leading to the field goal..
Player of the Game: New Mexico State RB Seth Smith ran 26 times for 98 yards and a score, and he caught a pass for four yards. Utah State went on a midgame 17-point run with a trick play Stanley Morrison touchdown pass to Omar Sawyer and a 21-yard Xavier Bowman touchdown grab. But NMSU got one-yard touchdown runs from Trevor Walls and Seth Smith and the defense didn’t allow a score in almost 29 minutes.
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 15-25, 156 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: X, Receiving: Omar Sawyer, 3-48, 1 TD
New Mexico State: Passing: Trevor Walls, 8-25, 81 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Seth Smith, 26-98, 1 TD, Receiving: Marcus Allen, 5-58
What It All Means: Utah State had several chances to win the game, but couldn’t put it away failing to drive it for a game-winning score, failing to come up with a defensive stop when NMSU was stuck deep, and failing to play a crisp game. USU ran for 258 yards and outgained NMSU 429 yards to 230, but 12 penalties and ineffectiveness on third downs were the downfall. This was a win the team had to have, and now it’s going to be tough to get a win the rest of the way.

Oct. 2
at BYU 35 … Utah State 17
BYU got a little bit of a push, but Max Hall threw three touchdown passes including a 48-yarder to Luke Ashworth and a 13-yarder to Dennis Pitta after getting down 7-0. The Aggies got a six-yard Diondre Borel touchdown run to start the scoring and closed things out with a 16-yard touchdown catch from Xavier Bowman, but the defense couldn’t hold down the Cougars in the fourth. BYU converted on 8-of-12 third down chances.
Player of the Game: BYU RB Harvey Unga ran 21 times for 118 yards and a score
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 20-28, 213 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 17-47, Receiving: Omar Dawyer, 4-58
BYU: Passing: Max Hall, 16-23, 218 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Harvey Unga, 21-118, 1 TD, Receiving: Luke Ashworth, 5-91, 1 TD.
What It All Means: Utah State might not be all that great, but it has a puncher’s chance against a lot of teams with players like Diondre Borel and Robert Turbin. Turbin never got any room to move against BYU, but Borel did a nice job of making things happen with the short to midrange passing game to keep the pressure on. There’s no reason the Aggies can’t beat New Mexico State next week, and if Turbin gets going and Borel can be mistake-free, they can at least split at home against Nevada and Louisiana Tech.

Sept. 26
at Utah State 53 … Southern Utah 34
Robert Turbin scored three times with a 29-yard touchdown catch and a 16-yard run, but it was his 77-yard touchdown off a screen pass that broke the game open for Utah State. The Aggies put up 604 yards of offense with several home runs to go along with Turbin’s big day. Michael Smith scored from 54, 50, and 20 yards away, but Southern Utah was able to throw some haymakers, too, with two Fesi Sitake touchdown catches and a five-yard Major Gray scoring run to pull within six. The Aggies were able to pull away with a 15-3 run highlighted by a 69-yard Stanley Morrison touchdown catch.
Player of the Game: Utah State RB Robert Turbin ran 17 times for 104 yards and a score and caught four passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
Southern Utah: Passing: Cade Cooper, 24-48, 250 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Major Gray, 16-57, 1 TD, Receiving: Fesi Sitake, 9-98, 2 TD
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 15-21, 316 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 17-104, 1 TD, Receiving: Nnamdi Gwacham, 5-59
What It All Means: It’s only Southern Utah, but it’s a major plus and a great sign that the attack cranked out 604 yards of total offense. There are too many mistakes, the defense isn’t playing well, and Southern Utah was around way too late in the second half, but home run after home run helped keep the game under control. Robert Turbin has to be given the ball over and over again after proving he can score from anywhere on the field. Utah State might not be all that great, but it’s fun to watch. The same can’t be said about past Aggie teams.

Sept. 19
at Texas A&M 38 … Utah State 30
Uzoma Nwachukwu caught three passes, but he made them all count scoring from 35, 16, and 50 yards out, and he ran for a 39-yard score. But Texas A&M couldn’t put Utah State away as Diondre Borel ran for two short scores, with the last one coming with 25 seconds to play, and throwing a 19-yard score to Omar Sawyer in the comeback. But it wasn’t enough as a ten-yard Ryan Tannehill scoring catch early in the fourth turned out to be enough to be up for good. The two teams combined for 1,094 yards and 25 penalties.
Player of the Game: Texas A&M WR Uzoma Nwachukwu caught three passes for 101 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a 39-yard score.
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 24-47, 334 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Robert Tubin, 13-121, 1 TD, Receiving: Stanley Morrison, 6-126
Texas A&M: Passing: Jerrod Johnson, 21-41, 322 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Christine Michael, 17-94, Receiving: Ryan Tannehill, 5-60, 1 TD
What It All Means: Utah State might not have beaten Texas A&M, but the offense kept pushing and never gave up. Diondre Borel had a hard time getting his running game going, but he threw well enough to make a big late comeback, and he did just enough on the ground to keep the Aggie linebackers worried. The first win of the season will come next week against Southern Utah, and it would be a plus if Borel and RB Robert Turbin got a little bit of a break. This needs to be an easy win with the rest of the offensive options getting involved before dealing with a trip to BYU.

Sept. 3
at Utah 35 … Utah State 17
Utah kept the nation’s longest winning streak going with its 15th straight thanks to a decent game from new QB Terrance Cain and a huge day from RB Matt Asiata. Utah dominated the overmatched Aggies, outgaining them 519 yards to 342, but Utah State, in head coach Dave Christensen’s debut, got a 96-yard touchdown run from Robert Turbin in the first quarter and a two-yard Diondre Borel late in the first half to keep it close. And then the Utes took over controlling the game on the ground and keeping Borel off the field. Utah State didn’t score in the second half.
Player of the Game: Utah RB Matt Asiata ran 36 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes for 17 yards.
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 10-26, 121 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 13-148, 1 TD, Receiving: Stanley Morrison, 3-57
Utah: Passing: Terrance Cain, 20-30, 286 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Matt Asiata, 36-156, 2 TD, Receiving: David Reed, 10-172, 1 TD
What It All Means: Utah State was way overmatched by Utah, but in Dave Christensen’s debut, staying competitive throughout was a good measure. The Aggies don’t have a lot of talent across the board, but they have speed in key spots. Robert Turbin can fly, evidenced by his 96-yard scoring dash, and Diondre Borel showed off his quickness here and there. Now the offense has to be more consistent, and the defensive front has to make more plays. If strong safety James Brindley is making 14 tackles a game every game, there will be problems. The linebackers have to do more.