SAN JOSE, California –
Graduate junior QB Logan Bonner was 20-of-33 passing for 263 yards and a career-high-tying four touchdowns and senior WR Deven Thompkins caught five passes for a game-high 127 yards as Utah State rolled to a 48-17 Mountain West road win at San Jose State on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.
For Bonner, he became the first quarterback in school history to throw at least four touchdowns in three-straight games, while Thompkins tied Kevin Curtis' 2001 school record for most consecutive 100-yard receiving games at six.
After the Aggies spotted the defending Mountain West champion Spartans a 14-0 lead, Utah State (8-2, 5-1 MW) outscored the hosts 48-3 the rest of the way. The double-digit comeback victory was the sixth of the season for USU, including its fifth on the road.
Utah State finished the game with 410 yards of total offense (263 passing, 147 rushing) and held the Spartans (5-6, 3-4 MW) to just 150 yards, including 12 on the ground, which tied a season low and is tied for the 19th-fewest in school history. It is also the fewest yards allowed by USU since Weber State's 138 in 2013. The Aggies also notched a pair of sacks and finished the game with 8.0 tackles for loss.
Junior OLB Ajani Carter highlighted Utah State's efforts on defense as he recorded four tackles, including a strip sack that he recovered to set up a touchdown. He also intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards, and he had one pass breakup.
Graduate senior inside linebacker Justin Rice led the Aggies with eight tackles, while junior CB Michael Anyanwu tied his career high with six tackles.
Senior WR Derek Wright had three receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns, while graduate senior WR Brandon Bowling also had three catches for 25 yards and a score. Graduate junior RB Calvin Tyler Jr. led all rushers in the game with 61 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, and sophomore RB Elelyon Noa added 41 yards and another score on the ground. In all, eight different Aggies caught at least one pass in the game.
The Spartans took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when Kenyon Reed intercepted a pass by Bonner and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. It marked the first time since 2019 that an opponent has had a pick-six against the Aggies.
On the very next series, Bonner fumbled after being sacked and the Spartans recovered the ball on Utah State's 38-yard line. Three plays later, SJSU doubled its lead when Tyler Nevens scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, making it 14-0 early in the second quarter.
The Aggies answered San Jose State's touchdown with their first score the next time they touched the ball. Bonner threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to senior WR Savon Scarver to pare the deficit to 14-7 with 12:40 remaining in the half.
Utah State's defense set up the Aggies' next touchdown when Carter sacked SJSU quarterback Nick Nash. Carter also knocked the ball loose and recovered it at the Spartans' 4-yard line.
Two plays later, Bonner hooked up with Wright from four yards out and the game was knotted at 14-apiece with 9:50 showing on the clock.
The Aggies kept the pedal to the metal as Noa scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, while graduate senior PK Connor Coles kicked a 32-yard field goal to send Utah State into the locker room with a 24-14 lead. Coles tacked on a 40-yarder with 6:28 to go in the game.
UP NEXT
Utah State is back at home on Saturday, Nov. 20, when the Aggies host Wyoming (5-5, 1-5) on Senior Night. The game, which will be televised on CBS Sports Network, is slated to kick off at 6 p.m.
GET YOUR TICKETS
For Aggie football ticket information, fans can contact the USU Athletics
Ticket Office over the phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or 435-797-0305 during regular hours of operation. Fans can also buy their tickets in person at the USU
Ticket Office inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or online by clicking on the "Buy Tickets" tab at
www.UtahStateAggies.com.
For more information on the Utah State football program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at
@USUFootball, on Facebook at
USUFootball and on Instagram at
USUFootball.
-USU-
