In a game that nearly everyone predicted would end in a Utah State loss, the Aggies came out and proved they belonged in the Mountain West title game.

From the very start, Utah State controlled the game and made a big statement with a 46-13 victory over San Diego State on national television. The win gave Utah State it’s first Mountain West Championship.

The Aztecs, which came in ranked 19th in the country, couldn’t get anything going on offense and couldn’t stop the Aggies on defense in the lopsided loss.

After a scoreless opening 15 minutes, Utah State took the lead via a five-yard Logan Bonner touchdown pass to Derek Wright six minutes into the second frame.

 

They made the score 14-0 just four minutes later when Calvin Tyler Jr. broke across the goal line from one yard out after breaking multiple tackles on the play before. The Aztecs converted a field goal to make the score 14-3 going into the halftime break.

Determined to put the game away in the second half, Logan Bonnet found a wide-open Brandon Bowling down the middle of the field for a 58-yard score just as the second half was getting underway.

Now leading 21-3, Utah State kept their foot on the pedal. On the next possession, an Aztec punt was blocked and the ball traveled out of the back of the endzone, resulting in a safety and a 23-3 lead.

After a San Diego State field goal cut the lead to 17, Bowling caught a second touchdown pass from Bonner, this time an 18-yard score, that put the Aggies up 29-6 near the end of the third quarter after the PAT was blocked. The score was set up by an Aztec fumble on a punt return.

 

Another San Diego State fumble set up a Utah State field goal early in the fourth quarter, and the Aggies made the score 39-6 when Bonner found Justin McGriff for a nine-yard scoring strike just three minutes later.

After the Aztecs scored a consolation touchdown, the Aggies added a final score when Calvin Tyler Jr. found a hole but fumbled the ball forward at the two-yard line. Jordan Nathan pounced on it in the endzone, giving the Aggies a 46-13 lead and the final cruel blow to San Diego State’s title hopes.

Closing out the blowout upset win, the Aggies celebrated as the 2021 Mountain West Conference champions. 

After being doubted the entire year, the USU Athletics Twitter page had to get in on the fun.

Offense

Playing statistically what was one of the countries’ top defenses, the Aggies offense tore it to pieces.

Utah State racked up 363 yards of total offense in the game while scoring 46 points, the most points scored on the Aztecs all season.

Quarterback Logan Bonner completed 29-of-42 passes for 318 yards, adding four touchdowns and an interception to take home the game’s offensive MVP honors.

Safety Byron Vaughns was also named the defensive MVP of the game.

Records Broken

There were a lot of records broken in the game on Saturday.

Logan Bonner’s four scoring throws set a new Mountain West title game record, and his 36 touchdown passes this season are now a new school record. With 3,560 passing yards on the season, he is also just eight yards shy of breaking another single-season school record. 

Utah State even recorded the first safety in the nine-year history of the Mountain West title game, while the 46 points scored and the 33 point margin of victory are also new championship game records.

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