Utah State 31, Connecticut 20
Associated Press
LOGAN, Utah - Logan Bonner threw three touchdown passes, Calvin Tyler Jr. added 161 yards rushing and Utah State defeated Connecticut 31-20.
Trailing 14-7 late in the second quarter, Utah State scored 17 points in the final 3:42 to take a 24-14 halftime lead. Robert Briggs scored on a 23-yard run, Bonner connected with Justin McGriff for a 14-yard score and Connor Coles hit a 45-yard field goal.
Noe Ruelas kicked field goals of 47 and 54 yards to draw UConn within 24-20 early in the fourth quarter before Bonner led a 75-yard scoring drive, capped by his 11-yard TD pass to Brian Cobbs. A diving interception by Ike Larsen on UConn's next possession helped seal the win.
Connecticut, playing its first game under coach Jim Mora after going 1-11 last season, took a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Nathan Carter rushed for 110 yards on six carries in the period but his fumble in the second quarter led to Utah State's first touchdown. He finished the half with nine carries for 130 yards and 20 for 190 for the game.
Bonner finished 20-of-29 passing for 281 yards. Tyler's 161 yards came on 33 carries for Utah State.
The Aggies, favored by 23 1/2-points, improved to 13-1 in their last 14 home openers.
| Scoring Summary |
| First Quarter |
UConn | UtahSt |
| UConn |
TD |
10:05 |
Ta'Quan Roberson 1 yd run (Noe Ruelas kick) |
7 |
0 |
| UConn |
TD |
1:38 |
Keelan Marion 13 yd pass from Zion Turner (Noe Ruelas kick) |
14 |
0 |
| Second Quarter |
UConn | UtahSt |
| UtahSt |
TD |
12:28 |
Kyle Van Leeuwen 11 yd pass from Logan Bonner (Connor Coles kick) |
14 |
7 |
| UtahSt |
TD |
3:42 |
Robert Briggs 23 yd run (Connor Coles kick) |
14 |
14 |
| UtahSt |
TD |
1:48 |
Justin McGriff 14 yd pass from Logan Bonner (Connor Coles kick) |
14 |
21 |
| UtahSt |
FG |
0:01 |
Connor Coles 45 yd FG |
14 |
24 |
| Fourth Quarter |
UConn | UtahSt |
| UConn |
FG |
13:28 |
Noe Ruelas 47 yd FG |
17 |
24 |
| UConn |
FG |
10:09 |
Noe Ruelas 54 yd FG |
20 |
24 |
| UtahSt |
TD |
6:00 |
Brian Cobbs 11 yd pass from Logan Bonner (Connor Coles kick) |
20 |
31 |
| Team Stats |
| |
Connecticut |
Utah State |
| First downs |
21 |
31 |
| Rushing |
12 |
14 |
| Passing |
8 |
15 |
| Penalty |
1 |
2 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
6-15, 40% |
6-15, 40% |
| 4th down efficiency |
1-1, 100% |
0-1, 0% |
| Rushes-Yards |
39-245 |
54-261 |
| Passing Yards |
119 |
281 |
| Return Yards |
88 |
10 |
| Completions-Attempts-Int |
13-33-2 |
20-31-0 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost |
0-0 |
1--2 |
| Punts |
6 |
5 |
| Punts-Average |
41 |
48.2 |
| Fumbles Lost |
1-1 |
2-2 |
| Penalties - Yards |
4-35 |
6-60 |
| Time of Possession |
28:17 |
31:43 |
| Connecticut Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| Z. Turner |
12 |
31 |
109 |
1 |
2 |
| T. Roberson |
1 |
2 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
| Utah State Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| L. Bonner |
20 |
29 |
281 |
3 |
0 |
| L. Williams |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| B. Cobbs |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Connecticut Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| N. Carter |
20 |
190 |
9.5 |
0 |
| C. Millen |
2 |
22 |
11.0 |
0 |
| B. Brewton |
5 |
18 |
3.6 |
0 |
| T. Roberson |
3 |
8 |
2.7 |
1 |
| Z. Turner |
3 |
4 |
1.3 |
0 |
| D. Houston |
2 |
3 |
1.5 |
0 |
| D. Harrison |
1 |
3 |
3.0 |
0 |
| R. Burns |
1 |
1 |
1.0 |
0 |
| A. Turner |
1 |
-4 |
-4.0 |
0 |
| Utah State Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| C. Tyler Jr. |
33 |
161 |
4.9 |
0 |
| R. Briggs |
10 |
85 |
8.5 |
1 |
| P. Makakona |
3 |
11 |
3.7 |
0 |
| L. Bonner |
4 |
6 |
1.5 |
0 |
| L. Williams |
1 |
4 |
4.0 |
0 |
| Connecticut Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| A. Turner |
3 |
32 |
10.7 |
0 |
| R. Dixon |
2 |
29 |
14.5 |
0 |
| K. Clercius |
3 |
28 |
9.3 |
0 |
| K. Marion |
1 |
13 |
13.0 |
1 |
| B. Brewton |
1 |
10 |
10.0 |
0 |
| N. Carter |
1 |
10 |
10.0 |
0 |
| D. Houston |
2 |
-3 |
-1.5 |
0 |
| Utah State Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| B. Cobbs |
7 |
78 |
11.1 |
1 |
| K. Van Leeuwen |
3 |
54 |
18.0 |
1 |
| J. McGriff |
3 |
53 |
17.7 |
1 |
| T. Vaughn |
2 |
41 |
20.5 |
0 |
| C. Tyler Jr. |
2 |
33 |
16.5 |
0 |
| R. Briggs |
1 |
16 |
16.0 |
0 |
| J. Sterzer |
1 |
8 |
8.0 |
0 |
| N. Davis |
1 |
-2 |
-2.0 |
0 |
| Connecticut Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| Utah State Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| H. Reynolds |
1 |
6 |
| I. Larsen |
1 |
4 |
| Connecticut Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| G. Caratan |
6 |
246 |
41.0 |
| Utah State Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| S. Kotsanlee |
5 |
241 |
48.2 |
| Connecticut Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| Utah State Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| C. Jones |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Connecticut Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| D. Houston |
2 |
48 |
24.0 |
| B. Brewton |
2 |
40 |
20.0 |
| Utah State Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| Connecticut Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
| Utah State Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
