For Utah State, the 1994 grid season was one thing: "A very humbling experience," coach Charlie Weatherbie says. His team won a bowl and league title last year but went into its season finale Saturday winless at home and on a four-game losing streak.
"We had nothing to lose, so we all sold out," said senior tackle Dave Balls, speaking for a roaring defense that had four sacks and made four interceptions leading to 13 points by the offense."This team really felt a hunger to win it for the seniors and send them out in a good way," said sophomore quarterback Matt Wells, speaking for those with eligibility remaining.
Wells threw three touchdown passes and caught another to help Utah State bust its blues in a big way Saturday at sunny but frigid Romney Stadium before an announced crowd of 8,819.
USU scored the first three times it had the ball and on six of its seven first-half possessions, a half worthy of last year's bowl champs, in a healing 47-20 win over New Mexico State.
It was USU's best score by 16 points and best defense against scoring since it beat Louisiana Tech 7-3 Oct. 15.
Both Aggie teams, contenders last year, were projected in the preseason for top-three finishes in the Big West Conference, but both suffered staggering personnel losses.
Weatherbie usually takes 56 players to the home-game hotel on Fridays for final meetings and team dinner. This week, USU only had 49 players to take. NMSU had similar problems.
Both teams finished 3-8, 2-4 in the Big West.
"A fitting end to a bad season," said New Mexico State coach Jim Hess, whose warm-weather Aggies never recovered from the frosting Profail Grier gave them with his 77-yard runback of the opening kickoff. That led to Shaun Johnson's 15-yard TD reception from Wells just 53 seconds into the game.
The Red Aggies played better in the second half, but USU was up 38-13 by halftime, and even the Blue Aggies' trademark third-period woes (outscored again, 7-6) couldn't jump-start NMSU.
It became a record-setting day. Wells's 247 yards passing gave him 1,812 total, a USU sophomore record. "It's nice," he said, "a reflection of the offensive line and receivers."
Balls became the only USU man ever to play in 45 career games, thanks to last year's bowl. "I'm proud of it," said Balls. "Not a lot of people can say they played 45 games in any college career. I've been very lucky with injuries." He started his last 34 games.
Junior Abu Wilson had a career-best 203 rushing yards including dashes of 53 and 51 yards and a 1-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter. "It's my first (200 game) in five years. It was great," said Wilson. "Our passing game was on, so it was inevitable the running game would open up."
"Abu Wilson is the best runner in the league; I don't think there's any question about that," said Hess.
Wilson missed the bowl year with a knee injury, then was eased back to full-game shape this season. He had 190 yards through the first six games but totaled 802 for the season.
Saturday he often ran through three and four tackles per rush or dragged 250-pounders for extra yards.
Micah Knorr was perfect on PAT kicks 5-for-5 (18-for-18 in '94) and 4-for-4 on field goals for 17 points and a team-high season total of 63.
Following Johnson's TD catch, a Knorr field goal and Wilson's TD, Wells was crossed the goal line with a halfback toss from Grier at 9:03 of the second period as USU began breaking it open. On the first play of the next drive, Wells threw 48 yards to Kevin Alexander for a TD and 31-13 lead.
Senior safety Paul Gustafson intercepted NMSU's Jon Gyhra - who alternated at QB on nearly every play with Tim Snowden - to set up a Wells-to-Kevin Corner 10-yard TD toss for a 38-13 lead by halftime. Gustafson's second interception brought on a Knorr field goal midway through the third period as USU took its biggest lead, 44-13. He also had three tackles for loss. Other interceptors were Tod Townsend and Travis Schow, whose pick introduced another Knorr field goal.