Utah State’s hopes of hosting a Mountain West title stalled in Boise, Idaho on Saturday.
“Every loss rips your guts out but as a coach this one will stick with me for a long time,” said Matt Wells, head coach for Utah State.
Jay Ajayi ran for 229 yards and five touchdowns to power the Broncos to a 50-19 win over the Aggies.
“He’s the best back in the league,” Wells said. “He ran behind his pads, he was strong and physical. It was very unlike our defense to allow that to happen but credit to him he’s a good back.”
Utah State missed a field goal on its first drive and Boise State scored a touchdown on each of its first five to jump out to a 34-12 lead at halftime.
“They come out, there’s a big explosive play and everyone gets a little bit nervous when you see that type of run,” said Brian Harsin, Boise State’s head coach. “Then the defense swells up, forces a field goal and they miss it. From that point on there really wasn’t a whole lot that they did. They really didn’t do much in the second half offensively.”
Boise State outgained Utah State 498 yards to 268 yards in the game. USU started inside its own 20-yard line five times and BSU started five drives either on the 50-yard line or better.
After a scoreless third quarter, Boise State opened up the fourth quarter with a 62-yard Ajayi run to take a 41-12 lead. Five minutes later he ran it in from one yard out for his fifth and final score.
“Our one goal going into the game was to stop Jay. We didn’t and he made us pay,” said senior free safety Frankie Sutera. “When you don’t stop a good back like that he’s going to make you pay and he definitely did.”
The Bronco defense would add a safety to put them up 50-12 after a punt pinned the Aggies on the 1-yard line for the second time. USU avoided a second half shutout with a late defensive touchdown. Cornerback Daniel Gray scooped and scored a fumble that linebacker Nick Vigil forced.
“It hurts,” said Kent Myers, who scored the lone USU offensive touchdown. “If it was a close game it wouldn’t hurt as bad but they just blew us out and beat us physically. We just didn’t get it done.”
