First-time starter Eric Munoz and playmaking defense lift Utah State past Wyoming

LOGAN — The Wyoming Cowboys were driving, and the margin between victory and defeat was razor thin for the Utah State Aggies.

It had been a hard-fought game played between USU and Wyoming Saturday afternoon at Maverik Stadium, but it was a game largely controlled by Aggies.

The USU defense, much maligned due to past performances, looked rejuvenated, holding Wyoming to just 343 yards of total offense, 185 through the air and 158 on the ground. First-time starter Eric Munoz, the replacement for David Woodward at linebacker, had put forth a career performance, with a team-high 13 tackles and an interception. Fellow backer Kevin Meitzenheimer and safety Troy Lefeged Jr. were no less impressive, with 24 tackles and a sack between them. 

The Aggies had forced three turnovers to boot, an almost unimaginable feat prior to the game considering Wyoming had lost five turnovers all season.

The USU offense, meanwhile was hardly less impressive, picking up where it left off against Fresno State.

Quarterback Jordan Love had thrown for 282 yards and two touchdowns, Siaosi Mariner had hauled in four catches for a career high 123 yards and a score, and Gerold Bright and Jaylen Warren had combined to rush for 94 yards on the ground.

Special teams got in on the action too, as Dominik Eberle drilled four field goals, from 47, 44, 26 and 23 yards away. His first kick was historic, as it broke a tie between him and Utah’s Louie Sakoda for the most field goals made in Mountain West Conference history. 

“There are a lot of things to talk about, great plays here and great plays there, but at the end of the day, they’ve been tough and they’ve been together.” — Utah State Gary Andersen

And yet, for all the considerable success had by Utah State, it was Wyoming who had possession of the ball with under two minutes remaining in the game, trailing by five points.

All the Cowboys needed to do to leave Logan with a victory was march down the field and score a touchdown.

For over a minute of their final drive, it appeared they would do just that, as Wyoming quarterback Tyler Vander Waal threw completion after completion.

That is until with 58 seconds remaining, on a second-and-5 play from inside Utah State territory, Munoz intercepted Vander Waal.

A pair of kneel downs later and Utah State walked away with a 26-21 victory.

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“So proud of these kids,” Utah State coach Gary Andersen said. “They’ve battled these past couple of weeks. Just like they’ve done in every one of those conference games, they had to find a way to do something. Sometimes they make it harder than it has to be, but at the end of the day they find a way to get it done.”

It was just that kind of game for the Aggies, who overcame challenge after challenge.

Early on, the USU offense was less than sharp as Love threw a pair of interceptions, including a pick six.

Utah State bounced right back from those turnovers with 20 second-quarter points, the highlight of which was a career-long 80 yard touchdown reception by Mariner.

“I went out and made a play,” Mariner said.

From there, the Aggies’ red zone struggles reared their head again, leading to five field goal tries for Eberle and he missed one, a 50-yard attempt.

Then, just before the end of the third quarter, Love left the game never to return and afterward Andersen simply noted, “I can’t talk about that.”

Through it all, the Aggies managed to make just enough plays to pull out the victory.

“There are a lot of things to talk about, great plays here and great plays there,” said Andersen, “but at the end of the day, they’ve been tough and they’ve been together.”

Andersen did single out Munoz, who played a key role in the victory.

“The next player has to step up,” Andersen said. “I know I always say that, but there are probably no better example than tonight with Eric.”

Munoz was the best player on the field and his story was straight out of a Hollywood script.

A two-time transfer, walk-on and redshirt junior who was all but relegated to special teams, Munoz was a standout in his first career start, and the chance to play meant more to him than he could put into words.

“This has been a long time coming,” he said, choking back tears. “This is the third school I’ve been to. I’m a redshirt junior and I was sitting behind some younger guys. God blessed me with an opportunity, Coach A and Coach (Justin) Ena gave me an opportunity and all 10 guys on defense were cheering for me. I couldn’t let them down. I had to make the most of it.”

He did and as a result Utah State was victorious.