Oct 16, 2015; Logan, UT, USA; Utah State Aggies quarterback Kent Myers (2) throws the ball in the second quarter against the Boise State Broncos at Romney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
LOGAN, Utah — Utah State forced eight turnovers and scored 35 points off those takeaways to run away with a 52-26 victory over No. 21 Boise State on Friday night.
The Broncos lost five fumbles and quarterback Brett Rypien threw three interceptions in the team’s first loss to the Aggies (4-2) since 1997. It marked the most turnovers for Boise State in its FBS history and the most for the Broncos since the team committed 12 turnovers against Montana in 1989. Boise State (5-2) surrendered its most points in a defeat since a 52-24 loss to Nevada in 1998 and suffered its worst loss since falling to Washington 38-6 in the 2013 season opener.
Sophomore quarterback Kent Myers threw for 157 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing, while adding 63 yards and a score on 14 carries, to lead Utah State. Rypien threw for 299 yards on 25-of-50 passing for Boise State. The Broncos played without starting running back Jeremy McNichols, who sat out after suffering a helmet-to-helmet hit against Colorado State last week.
Linebacker Nick Vigil paced the Aggies defense with 14 tackles, a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and his first career fumble recovery.
Utah State forced seven turnovers in the first half to quickly take control of the game.
The Aggies took their first lead at 7-3 when Myers connected with wide-open receiver Wyatt Houston on a fourth-down pass. Receiver LaJuan Hunt ripped off a 51-yard gain on a screen pass and receiver Hunter Sharp followed with a 16-yard run to set up the scoring play.
USU extended its lead to 10-3 on a 51-yard field goal from kicker Jake Thompson. Then the Aggies forced turnovers on three straight drives to really blow the game wide open.
Ricky Ali’ifua forced a fumble on a sack of Rypien and linebacker Kyler Fackrell recovered the ball at the Bronco 11 to set up a 10-yard TD pass from Myers to Sharp. Then, on Boise State’s very next drive, linebacker Nick Vigil forced another fumble on another sack of Rypien. Jordan Nielsen recovered at the Bronco 15, setting up a 4-yard TD run by Hunt and giving the Aggies a 24-3 lead with 14:29 left before halftime.
Boise State finally moved the ball into USU territory on its first drive of the second quarter. But the Broncos’ momentum ground to a halt when Rypien tossed an interception to Torrey Green at the Aggies’ 29-yard line.
Utah State forced a fourth straight turnover when Jalen Davis picked off another Rypien pass. Broncos receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes stripped Davis at midfield on the play, however, giving Boise State the ball back. The Broncos made good on the second chance. Kelsey Young scored on a 1-yard run with 3:12 left before halftime to cut Utah State’s lead to 24-10.
Boise State could get no closer after turning over the ball three times over the final 2:09 before halftime. Vigil recovered a fumble at the Broncos 46 to set up a 39-yard gallop from Myers on an option run. Then Chaz Anderson recovered another fumble at the Boise 21, leading to a 21-yard TD pass from Myers to Sharp on the next play.
Marwin Evans capped it off by picking off Rypien at the USU 10 and returning 90 yards to put the Aggies up 45-10 on the final play before halftime.
NOTES: Boise State is the only FBS to rank in the Top 10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Entering Friday’s game, the Broncos ranked 10th in scoring offense (40.7 points per game) and 7th in scoring defense (12.0 ppg). … Utah State held Boise State to minus-26 yards of total offense in the first quarter. … Jason Thompson’s 51-yard field goal in the first quarter was the second of his USU career from 50 yards or longer.
