Fourth quarter is a terrible time for Utah State University football. The Aggies (2-5) have blown fourth quarter leads in each of their five losses this season.
In September, the Aggies were hosted by Auburn University, the defending national champions. The Aggies were ahead by 10 points with 3:38 remaining in the game. Moments later Auburn started its comeback by marching down the field for a touchdown to cut the lead to three with 2:07 remaining. After a successful on-side kick, Auburn scored again, narrowly avoiding what would have been an embarrassing loss to a mediocre Western Athletic Conference team.
Two more fourth quarter losses would come in September.
The second loss came against Brigham Young University, when former USU quarterback Riley Nelson’s pass deflected off an Aggie defender and into the arms of a BYU receiver for the winning touchdown as time expired.
The third loss came when Colorado State scored with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter and converted a two-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21. The Aggies would then lose in double overtime after a failed two-point conversion.
The other two losses were against Fresno State when the Bulldogs scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and Louisiana Tech after USU gave up 10 points in the fourth quarter.
The Aggies are ranked nationally in the top 25 in points scored and rushing yards per game and the defense is ranked in the top 80, according to ESPN.
But who is to blame for the Aggies fourth quarter foul-ups?
USU students and fans have pointed fingers at multiple suspects.
Spencer Harris, a student at USU doesn’t blame specific coaches or players, but the teams inability to step-up at critical times to close out games.
“The team isn’t clutch,” Harris said. “It’s not that the coaches change their play calls or the players play worse, its that in the fourth quarter the other team steps up and we don’t.”
USU student John Penrod thinks otherwise. He blames the offensive coordinator.
“There is a lack of creativity in the fourth quarter,” Penrod said. ”We don’t play to win in the fourth, we play not to lose. We try and run the clock down instead of trying to score.”
Stats prove that Penrod’s argument is hard to dismiss. The Aggies points and yards decrease dramatically in the fourth quarter. The team has scored only 24 total points in the fourth quarters of the five games that they have lost.
Brady Sanderson, an Aggie football fan points the finger at USU special teams.
“Dropped punt returns, bobbled snaps, missed field goals and terrible kickoff coverage have plagued us in the fourth quarter,” Sanderson said. “We can’t win if we keep making stupid mistakes, especially at the end of the game.”
Despite the difficult losses, USU running back Robert Turbin still has a winning attitude and tries to have a short memory about the team’s losses.
“The focus right now is to win. Period. That’s it. I don’t care about nothing else,” Turbin said to the Associated Press after the Auburn game.
USU has a bye week to try and correct its fourth quarter problems prior to facing the toughest part of it’s schedule, which includes teams like Hawaii (4-3) and Nevada (4-3).
USU Coach Gary Andersen looks to improve his win loss record on Nov. 5, when it faces the Warriors of Hawaii.
(k.blesch)
