Did Brady Boyd just have his breakout game for Utah State?

It was fitting that Brady Boyd had the game he had Saturday afternoon.

A native of Texas and a former Texas Tech Raider, Boyd was the best he’s been in his collegiate career against Texas A&M. Far and away.

Boyd led Utah State in receptions and receiving yards in the loss to Texas A&M, with six catches for 87 yards. Both of those were career highs for Boyd.

He was easily Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes’ favorite option in the passing game with 12 targets, twice as many targets as wide receiver No. 2 Braden Pegan got.

Boyd didn’t have a single drop, despite the 12 targets, either. The catches he didn’t make were on passes that he had no real chance on, with Barnes getting rid of the ball to avoid pressure from the Texas A&M defense.

One of Boyd’s catches was maybe the most skilled play of the day by a Utah State player, a 24-yard catch that tied his career long.

That catch set the stage for Utah State’s first touchdown of the game, which came only a few plays later when backup quarterback Anthony Garcia connected with Pegan on a trick play.

The only thing really missing for Boyd against Texas A&M was a touchdown reception, but other than that the 6-foot-1, 195-pound receiver was the best Utah State had.

It wasn’t too surprising.

Boyd, along with Pegan, had frequently been touted as a player to watch in the lead up to the season, and against UTEP he was Barnes’ preferred target, at least to start the game.

That Boyd was able to have the game he had Saturday, against the quality of competition that Texas A&M presented, was notable.

First and foremost because USU needs a reliable and productive receiver beyond running backs Miles Davis and Javen Jacobs. For a game at least, Boyd looked like that receiver.

But perhaps more importantly, at least to Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall, was the fact that Boyd was able to have a career outing in his home state, only a little under three hours drive away from his hometown (Southlake).

“Yeah, I was really, really excited for Brady,” Mendenhall said.

For Mendenhall, Boyd’s collegiate career — he started at Minnesota before transferring to Texas Tech, and then transferred to Utah State this past winter — could lead to some judgement of Boyd. Unwarranted judgement, Mendenhall believes.

“Any of these kids that have been at one (Division I program) or two are just trying to find a home where they’re valued and needed and can contribute,” he said. “That’s a happy ending for a lot of these kids. (Transferring) it’s not all negative. I think and sometimes it is painted that way.

“When you have a chance to transfer and then you end up kind of hitting a lottery pick of playing a game in your home state. I think that’s pretty special for not only him (Boyd) but his family.”

Time will tell if Boyd becomes a force to be reckoned with at Utah State; a go-to receiver for the Aggies. But even if that doesn’t end up happening, he couldn’t have picked a better game to have a career performance.

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