Another Fourth Quarter Scare

The Utah State Aggies gave fans yet another scare by waiting until the last seconds of the fourth quarter to win Saturday’s football contest.

With 35 seconds left in the game, USU quarterback Adam Kennedy connected with receiver Matt Austin for a touchdown to win the game 24-21, over New Mexico State University.

“We don’t try to make it close,” senior linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “But I like to keep the fans on the edge of their seats.”

Wagner had six tackles and a sack in the game.

Despite two failed fourth down attempts by the Aggies deep in NMSU territory, the defense played well to keep the score tied 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.

“After the two turnovers we just had to keep staying positive,” Wagner said.

Both offenses got on track in the second quarter.

USU junior running back Robert Turbin scored on a 21-yard pass from Kennedy to go up 7-0.

But NMSU answered right back on their next possession when quarterback Matt Christian ran for 16 yards into the end zone to tie the game. Christian scrambled past multiple USU defenders after finding no receivers open.

USU put together a seven play 60-yard scoring drive on their next possession ending in another Kennedy completion to an open Austin in the back of the end zone.

The USU Aggies looked to be gaining momentum going into the third quarter but that momentum ended with a Kennedy fumble recovered by NMSU on their own 49 yard line. The fumble proved costly for USU as NMSU scored on the very next play; a 51-yard strike to receiver Kemonte Bateman to tie the game again.

In the fourth quarter, after a USU field goal and a touchdown by NMSU, USU found themselves in familiar territory; Down by four late in the game.

With 6:49 left, USU started a drive at their own 17 yard line.

Utah State ran the ball 12 consecutive times with four different players to NMSU’s 8 yard line. Kennedy then completed a pass to Austin for a touchdown with 35 seconds to go.

“Turbin and Smith were great,” USU running back Kerwynn Williams said. “We got the job done when it came down to the end.”

Williams helped out during the 12 consecutive rushing plays and had 68 yards rushing in the game.

New Mexico could not answer back and the Utah State Aggies won their seventh game this season. The Aggies finished regular season play with a record of 7-5, 5-2 in the Western Athletic Conference.

“We pulled off the win again,” Wagner said. “Our players made plays.”

The Aggies will face the Ohio Bobcats in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Dec. 17 at 3:30 p.m. in Boise, Idaho.

“We’re excited to play in the bowl game,” Wagner said. “We got a chance to see Ohio play and they look good but we’ll be ready.”