Just like the plains of Wyoming, Utah State's victory over the Cowboys wasn't pretty. However, the Aggies got it done 24-16, and a win is a win. The Aggies are still undefeated in conference play, so close to being ranked (27th overall now), and the boys in blue are bowl eligible for another year. Here are three things from Laramie and some other things, too.
Three things from the past: USU at Wyoming
1. You spell it Rocquemore, but it should be Rock-a-More.
Jontrell rocked it some more as he intercepted Wyoming and ran it 20 yards to set up a 3-yard touchdown run for Darwin Thompson. It was the senior's third straight game with a turnover.
Not only did he have the interception to set up the last touchdown for the Aggies, but he also helped force a fumble earlier in the first half. It seems that Rocquemore has his hand in a lot of big plays for the Aggies, which isn't all that surprising when you remember he had a 97-yard fumble return in 2015 as a redshirt freshman versus Washington.
He's a special safety and a special senior we've been lucky to have in Logan.
2. The offense struggled, but there were still quick scores
To start the game, right off the bat, the Aggies needed a 30-second possession to score with a 56-yard Thompson run. In the second half, the Aggies cut that number in half and took 15 seconds off the clock for Thompson's other touchdown. Savon Scarver gave the Aggies their other points on a kickoff return, which took 10 seconds off the clock if you were wondering.
The low-scoring output dropped USU to fourth in the nation in points per game, but the Aggies are third last in the nation in time of possession with an average of 25:06 minutes a game. The scoring drives mentioned above certainly highlight the stat.
Quarterback Jordan Love certainly wasn't hot in Laramie as he was 12 of 28 for 53 yards. Ouch. He also threw his first interception in over 150 attempts (and his fourth of the season) while not throwing any touchdowns for the first time since the season opener against Michigan State. Ouch, indeed.
It's more likely the funk stays in Laramie and Love will get back to his lovely ways in Logan this weekend.
3. Wyoming's curious last possession
Love may not have received the trophy for worst QB play, however, as Tyler Vander Waal, a freshman, started at quarterback for Wyoming and went 7 of 19 for 38 yards and an interception.
The coaching staff decided to switch it up and inserted another freshman, Sean Chambers, to generate some offense. He did. Chambers was more of a rushing threat as he kept the ball 19 times and gathered 100 yards on the ground. He only threw the ball five times but averaged 20 yards a completion. It was Chambers' first game of the season, but he did good things and gave Wyoming a chance in the fourth quarter.
Curiously, however, Wyoming put Vander Waal back in the game for the final drive with two minutes to go in the game and the Cowboys down by eight. Perhaps thinking the moment may be too big for the newbie, or thinking Chambers wasn't the passing threat they needed to get down the field, Vander Waal was the man to take the snaps that mattered most.
It didn't go well. Four straight passes. Four straight incompletions. Four-and-out to end the game. Aggie victory.
Bonus: Something nice for Wyoming
Nico Evans, a senior, is the Mountain West Conference's leading rusher with 803 total yards on the season. Second-place isn't relatively close with 660 for Lexington Thomas of UNLV.
While USU defense bottled Evans up at times, it was a real battle to keep him contained. He broke through once, but it was a 53-yard gain for a touchdown. As a side note, it was Wyoming's first offensive touchdown in 21 days.
Overall, Evans had 25 carries for 133 yards which gave him a hard-earned 5.3 yards a carry. While the quarterback play is in flux, Evans is an anchor.
Bonus, bonus: Something nice for Utah State
The win makes USU bowl eligible for the seventh time in eight years. Prior to this current run, the Aggies have played in six total bowl games in 113 years.
Three things for the future: USU versus New Mexico
1. Team outlook: some offense, but many inconsistencies
This season, New Mexico has put up high-scoring affairs: 50 versus UNLV, 43 in a loss to Liberty, 62 in their home opener against Incarnate World; and 42 against the other New Mexico team.
However, head coach Bob Davie hasn't liked what he has seen of late. According to the Albuquerque Journal, Davie said, "For two weeks in a row we haven’t made a lot of progress. We’re not efficient enough or polished enough against a good defense. Our inability to be mature enough or polished enough, whatever it is, we’re just an inconsistent hit-or-miss type of team on offense. On defense, we’re not good enough.”
Harsh, but ESPN's Football Power Index agrees and gives Utah State a 92.2 percent chance of taking the win with a -22 spread.
More bad news for the Lobos: they are on a three-game stretch against the Mountain West's elite. New Mexico faced one-loss Fresno State last week (38-7 loss); one-loss Utah State is on the map for Saturday; one-loss San Diego State is licking its chops for the week after.
2. Attendance issues
An interesting article was published by the Sante Fe New Mexican about the "Decline and fall of Lobos football," highlighting specifically attendance issues. While they are on the road this week, it was a specific glimpse into the struggles a program faces trying to get buy-in from communities to attend games.
The article points out that New Mexico is "on pace to hit its lowest per-game total in nearly 30 years — well on its way to produce an average attendance below 20,000 fans for the first time since 1992."
In 2013 and 2015, the team was able to average 23,000+ for a three-win team and a seven-win team. Halfway through 2018, New Mexico is averaging 17,908 fans a game.
What I found most interesting, however, is that coach Bob Davie is nonchalant about attendance issues and deflects questions at each opportunity. To him, it's not a big deal. But to his wallet, it actually is.
When he signed his contract, the university put in an attendance-related clause. Davie will get $25,000 if the team averages more than 19,000 fans a season and another $25,000 on top of that if the average climbs over 21,000. I guess he won't be getting that new bonus this year.
3. Player to watch: senior running back Tyrone Owens
In 2015, Owens wasn't a starter, but he still surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season. That year, he had five 100-yard or more rushing games, including a 181-yard game against the University of Louisiana-Monroe. It took him 137 carries to get 1,097 yards.
It's not 2015 anymore as Owens has 507 rushing yards on nearly the same amount of carries from that 2015 season (132). While he may not be breaking off long runs, he is a tough runner in his 5-foot-9, 188-pound frame. His numbers are somewhat similar to Darwin Thompson (fewer carries and more TDs for Thompson), but their running style and physical stature is where the similarities are poignant.
On the season, Owens has rushed for six touchdowns. If he gets one more against USU, he'll tie his career high from 2015.
Last thing: quote from Kirk Herbstreit
On the "College GameDay" broadcast last Saturday, Herbstreit, ESPN's lead college football analyst, talked about other teams besides the University of Central Florida as a group of six contender. While UCF hasn't lost a game in nearly two years, it hasn't played the toughest opponents, which is Herbstreit's main argument.
"UCF, you need to not just worry about being undefeated and getting into the top four," he said, "you need to look behind you at teams like Utah State, App State, Fresno State." He adds, "Those teams, on paper, are better than UCF and more deserving than UCF."
While he did include USU in his rant, Herbstreit does think Fresno State is the main competitor for a playoff invite, should they win out. "The only team ranked in the Top 30 of FPI, Sagarin, S&P is Fresno State," he said. "Fresno State has the toughest strength of schedule. You need to play someone to be rewarded."