SALT LAKE CITY — When Utah State last beat Utah in football back in 2012, the atmosphere was electric. The game lived up to the hype that night, as the Aggies topped the Utes in overtime in Logan.
It’s such a classic game that USU’s football Facebook page is showing a rebroadcast of the game tonight at 7 p.m. MT. You can watch the game below.
With the coronavirus pandemic leaving us even more hungry for live sports, we’ll take the next best thing: a rebroadcast. During the USU Facebook watch party, the Deseret News’ Brandon Judd and KSL’s Sean Walker will share their thoughts on the game.
Final
Utah State 27, Utah 20
What a stand by the Aggie defense to snap USU’s losing streak to Utah. That’s how all games, especially rivalry games, should finish. The Utes drove inside the 10 easily on their overtime drive, but after two unsuccessful plays, Jake Murphy appeared to pull the Utes within one on a touchdown grab. But Murphy was called for pass interference, and it forced Utah into a big hole. Two plays later, cornerback Will Davis goes high to tip the ball away on fourth down in the end zone over DeVonte Christopher.
Ball game, and Aggie fans rush the field.
Davis went on to get drafted in the NFL and play in multiple pro leagues. Here’s a look back at what he had to say during his time with the AAF’s Salt Lake Stallions last year.
Overtime
Utah State 27, Utah 20
Vintage Chuckie Keeton. Facing a third-and-9 on the first possession of overtime, the Utah State quarterback makes the big play for a 23-yard scramble to the Utah 1. It leads to the go-ahead touchdown from Kerwynn Williams walking in untouched. Keeton’s play has been solid throughout the game.
0:00, fourth quarter
Utah 20, Utah State 20
This one heads to overtime with a bit of drama at the end. Coleman Petersen misses a 52-yard field goal after Utah got the ball back late, forcing the first overtime game between these two rivals.
3:19, fourth quarter
Utah 20, Utah State 20
Talk about a nice coming out party for Utah wide receiver Kenneth Scott. He makes his second touchdown grab, from 24 yards out on a leaping grab from Jon Hays, to tie this game up with just over three minutes to play. Utah’s defense held tough on the previous drive to set the Utes up with a 67-yard drive to tie this one up, setting the stage for an exciting finish.
9:10, fourth quarter
Utah State 20, Utah 13
The Aggies steal the momentum with an impressive, quick three-play drive reminiscent of recent years under Jordan Love. After Cameron Webb gets USU out the shadow of its end zone with a 24-yard punt return, Chuckie Keeton hits Matt Austin for a 23-yard gain, Kerwynn Williams rips off a big 34-yard run inside the Utah 10 and Keeton hits Kellen Bartlett for 4 yards for the go-ahead score. Keeton and Williams show off their offensive chops on this drive. The Utes also lost Joe Kruger for the game with a personal foul on the drive, leaving Utah a big man down.
Williams had a longer-than-average NFL career, while largely out of the shadows mainly as a backup and practice squad guy. Here’s a look at what Williams had to say after his first 100-yard rushing game as a pro for the Arizona Cardinals in 2014 in relief for an injured teammate.
4:22, third quarter
Utah 13, Utah State 13
Utah capitalizes on a second Utah State fumble in the third quarter to score on another Coleman Petersen field goal to tie this game up. Joe Kruger’s big hit on Chuckie Keeton forced the ball loose, and the Utes have flipped the script on USU by bringing the pressure defensively, and it’s paying off.
11:34, third quarter
Utah State 13, Utah 10
Utah made its way back into this game by capitalizing on a Chuck Jacobs fumble on Utah State’s first possession of the second half. Nice job by the Utah coaching staff to bring in then freshman QB Travis Wilson for a couple plays on the scoring drive, and Wilson hits Kenneth Scott for a 28-yard touchdown pass in the middle of the field. Wilson would go on to start the final seven games of the 2012 season for the Utes.
0:00, second quarter
Utah State 13, Utah 3
Utah State had a couple missed opportunities to extend its lead in the second quarter but couldn’t convert and even missed a field goal. Utah finally got on the board with a Coleman Petersen field goal at the half, but the Utes’ offense never got on track in the first half and saw quarterback Jordan Wynn go down with a shoulder injury. He was dealing with a ton of pressure in his face those first two quarters.
Utah did manage to get on the board, though, when Wynn’s fill-in Jon Hays came in and led the Utes downfield for the Petersen field goal as the half ended.
0:03, first quarter
Utah State 13, Utah 0
The Aggies’ Chuckie Keeton and Kerwynn Williams really took over on USU’s first touchdown drive right before the end of the opening quarter. Keeton ran for 23 yards and threw for 26 on the drive, including an impressive 15-yard TD pass to Joe Hill on a wheel route in a tight window. Williams also had 23 rushing yards on a carry that got the Aggies deep into Utes territory. Talk about a solid start for USU.
7:59, first quarter
Utah State 7, Utah 0
The Aggies got on the board first with a punt blocked by Zach Vigil and recovered in the end zone by Clayton Christensen. It’s not a surprise the three possessions prior to the big special teams play that there were three kick punts. Between the Aggies and Utes, there was plenty of NFL-caliber talent on the field that night in Logan. The Utes had Star Lotulelei and Eric Rowe, along with Trevor Reilly and Jared Norris on their 2012 defense. The Aggies had corners Nevin Lawson and Will Davis, along with Kyler Fackrell and Vigil.
Here’s a look at some of the in-state talent that was a part of an impressive local showing at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, including several of these players.
Two of the Aggies’ main offensive stars from that game — quarterback Chuckie Keeton and running back Kerwynn Williams — are on the USU football Twitter profile sharing their memories from the game.