LOGAN — BYU put an emphatic end to Utah State’s two-game win streak in the Old Wagon Wheel series, as the Cougars rolled past the Aggies 42-14 late Saturday night at Maverik Stadium.
BYU never trailed in improving to 4-4 on the year, while also knocking USU down to .500, also at 4-4, on the season.
Here’s three takeaways that defined the game.
QB battle
BYU’s Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney outgunned Utah State’s Jordan Love in Logan this time around.
Love completed 29 of 49 passes for 394 yards and one touchdown, though the highly touted quarterback threw three interceptions, two that led to BYU second-quarter touchdowns. He also had a fourth-quarter fumble.
Hall started the game for BYU and completed 12 of 16 passes for 214 yards and rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game just before halftime with what the BYU radio sports network reported was a concussion.
Romney came in for the second half and completed 10 of 16 passes for 191 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns with one interception. He gave way late to Joe Critchlow as BYU passed for 418 yards in the game.
Chunk plays drive Cougar attack
BYU had 10 plays of 20 or more yards in the game, including nine passes and one long run. That was led by a 77-yard Lopini Katoa catch in the fourth quarter, part of a 99-yard touchdown drive that shut the door on the Aggies. Katoa had a career-high 129 yards receiving.
BYU finished the game with 639 yards of total offense, well above the Cougars’ average of 380.1 yards heading into Saturday. BYU averaged 8.5 yards per play.
Utah State had 521 yards of total offense, averaging 6.4 yards per play.
Costly penalties
Utah State gave itself a chance down 35-14 late in the third quarter when Cam Lampkin intercepted Romney in the end zone and the Aggies quickly moved down the field.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Love hit Siaosi Mariner for what would have been a 7-yard touchdown pass, but USU was flagged for an ineligible player downfield. Three plays later on fourth-and-goal at the BYU 12, Love hit Jordan Nathan with a pass and Nathan got to the 1-yard line before BYU’s Austin Lee prevented him from scoring for a goal line stand.
On the ensuing drive, BYU couldn’t gain a first down on its first three plays and punted the ball, but the Aggies were flagged for roughing the punter and the Cougars retained possession. BYU later scored a touchdown to go up 28 after Katoa’s 77-yard catch gave way to a 6-yard Katoa TD run.
Scoring summary: BYU 42, Utah State 14
First quarter
BYU, Aleva Hifo 6-yard run (9:22), Jake Oldroyd kick
Utah State, Siaosi Mariner 26-yard pass from Jordan Love (0:18), Dominik Eberle kick
Second quarter
BYU, Jaren Hall 16-yard run (11:53), Jake Oldroyd kick
BYU, Jaren Hall 7-yard run (2:33), Jake Oldroyd kick
Utah State, Gerold Bright 1-yard run (0:34), Dominik Eberle kick
Third quarter
BYU, Micah Simon 11-yard pass from Baylor Romney (11:47), Jake Oldroyd kick
BYU, Gunner Romney 1-yard pass from Baylor Romney (7:12), Jake Oldroyd kick
Fourth quarter
BYU, Lopini Katoa 6-yard run (9:31), Jake Oldroyd kick