Aggies comeback falls short against UNLV, 50-34

LOGAN, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – Utah State fell into too big of a hole against UNLV on Friday night, and despite a valiant second half comeback, the Aggies lost their fifth straight game.

Hajj-Malik Williams threw three first-half touchdown passes, Kylin James ran for three TDs and UNLV erupted for 27 second-quarter points Friday night as the Runnin’ Rebels beat Utah State 50-34.

The Aggies have given up 112 points in their last two games, after giving up 62 to Boise State last week.

“This is just where we’re at right now,” said USU interim head coach Nate Dreiling. “41-7 at halftime, then we outscore them 27-9 in the second half. I say it every week that our guys play hard, nobody’s doubting that they’re playing hard. The halftime speech was simple, it was that we either need to execute, to be a smart football team and have discipline, or don’t go back on the field.”

UNLV (5-1, 2-0 Mountian West) made its first-ever AP appearance at No. 25 last week before a 44-41 overtime loss to Syracuse at home. The Runnin’ Rebels bounced back with a dominant first half against Utah State, racking up 367 total yards a setting a program record against FBS opponents for points in a half as they took a 41-7 lead into halftime.

Utah State (1-5, 0-2) has lost five games in row, the program’s longest single-season skid since it lost five straight to close the 2016 campaign.

James finished with 101 yards rushing on 11 carries. Ricky White III caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns and Jai’Den Thomas had 17 carries for 139 yards rushing and a TD for UNLV.

Jacob de Jesus caught a short pass from Williams and raced for a 38-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. James followed with a 33-yard run and then, after an incomplete pass, scored on a run from the 5 to give UNLV a 7-0 with 13:50 left in the first quarter and the Runnin’ Rebels led the rest of the way.

Williams scrambled for a 3-yard gain on a fourth-and-1 from the Utah State 40 and then hit Ricky White III on three consecutive plays for gains of 14, 5 and 18 yards, the last of which gave UNLV a 14-0 lead about 8 minutes later.

Utah State answered with an 11-play, 79-yard drive that culminated when Rahsul Faison scored on a 20-yard run that made it 14-7 going into the second quarter.

Caden Chittenden kicked a 33-yard field goal with 13:35 left in the first half to give UNLV a 10-point lead.

On the next play from scrimmage, Aggies quarterback Spencer Petras ran for a 12-yard gain before Charles Correa forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Jackson Woodard at the 37 and four plays later Williams threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Casey Cain before Woodard picked off a pass and James followed with a 22-yard touchdown run to make it 31-7 with 9:24 remaining in the first half.

Chittenden, a Las Vegas native, added a 49-yard field goal late in the first half — set up when Jett Elad intercepted a pass — and his 13 made field goals this season are a program freshman record.

White caught a 31-yard TD pass with 1:53 to go in the second quarter that gave the Rebels a 34-point halftime lead.

Petras set a school record with 41 completions for 461 yards and three touchdowns.

“We just have great guys all over the field,” Hestera said. “Everybody is worried about covering Jalen (Royals) and Rahsul (Faison), so it just kind of opened me up today. I’m super grateful that I’ve got great teammates. Since I got here, I’ve tried to gain everybody’s respect and earn guys’ trust and find ways to make plays, so it feels good.”

Utah State next hosts New Mexico a week from Saturday.

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