Sophomore quarterback Jordan Love passed for 363 yards and three touchdowns, but it was not enough as No. 14 Utah State lost 33-24 to No. 21 Boise State on the infamous blue “Smurf Turf.”
The game was a showdown between the top two teams in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West, but after scoring a touchdown on the opening possession of the game, the Aggies allowed 17 unanswered points and could never recover.
Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien passed for 310 yards and one touchdown as the Broncos captured the Mountain Division crown. They will host West Division champion Fresno State in the MW championship game next Saturday night.
With his three TDs against the Broncos, Love set the school record for touchdown passes in a single season at 28, eclipsing the previous standard of 27 set by Chuckie Keeton in 2012.
Love’s final touchdown pass of the night, an 83-yard screen to junior running back Gerold Bright, pulled the Aggies to within 26-24 with 3:12 remaining in the game. That is as close as it would get though.
Boise State essentially milked the remaining time off the clock. Running back Alex Mattison cemented the victory with his third rushing touchdown of the night with four seconds remaining, giving BSU its final margin of victory.
Mattison rushed for 200 yards on 37 carries, helping the Broncos outgain the Aggies 509-425.
The Aggies won the coin toss and elected to receive. The decision paid off as they marched 75 yards on nine plays, capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass from Love for an early 7-0 lead.
Boise State was forced to punt on its first two drives before cashing in on the game’s first turnover. Kekaula Kaniho intercepted a pass by Love and returned it nine yards to the Aggies’ 39.
Seven plays later, the Broncos were in the end zone on a 2-yard touchdown run by Mattison to tie it at 7-7. After a solid defensive stop in the redzone, a field goal made it 10-7 for the Broncos early in the second quarter.
A needlessly risky failed fake punt by the Aggies on the ensuing possession gave Boise State the ball on Utah State’s 34-yard line. The Broncos turned the great field position into points as Mattison again found the end zone to make it 17-7.
Down by double figures for the first time since the season opener at Michigan State, Utah State didn’t take long to answer Boise State’s TD with one of its own.
Like they did on the opening possession, the Aggies marched 75 yards on nine plays, capped this time by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Love to senior wide receiver Ron’quavion Tarver, making it 17-14 going into the half.
Boise State led 20-14 at the end of the third as the only points scored in the quarter came from a Boise State field goal.
Utah State junior placekicker Dominik Eberle tacked on 3 points of his own with a 45-yard field goal just seven seconds into the fourth to trim the deficit to 20-17.
Boise State made it a two-score game again, though, when Quarterback Rypien threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Junior Receiver Collingham, giving the Broncos a 26-17 lead with 7:23 left.
Then, right at the end the Aggies got a whole new sense of hope! Love tossed an 83-yard screen to junior running back Gerold Bright, pulled the Aggies to within 26-24 with 3:12 remaining in the game.
Unfortunately for Utah State though, they could not get the ball back and BSU ran the ball down the field to wasting clock until they got a late TD to secure the win.
Aggie fans should not be too frustrated though, this was a huge step back in the right direction after a dismal 1-11 record last season.
The Aggies, who are bowl eligible for the seventh time in the last eight years, will now wait to find out their postseason destination.
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