Logan, Utah-----A varied and steady Utah State ground attack produced 381 yards and three touchdowns as the Aggies outlasted San Jose State, 24-9, in a Western Athletic Conference football game.
Running back Robert Turbin gained a career-best 190 yards on 34 carries and accounted for all of the first half scoring giving the Aggies (3-7, 2-4 WAC) a 14-0 lead. Turbin, from Irvington High in Fremont went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
San Jose State (1-8, 0-5 WAC) scored all of its points in the third quarter and trailed 14-9 with 15 minutes to go. The Spartans took advantage of 2-yard Utah State punt due to a bad snap and cashed in on a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Lamon Muldrow. After forcing the Aggies to punt again, Tyler Cope connected on a 31-yard field goal with 4:14 left in the third quarter.
Utah State closed out the game with a Chris Ulinski 40-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter and a 6-yard run by ru8nning back Derrvin Speight with 9:36 left in the game.
The Spartans gained 245 of their 301 yards of total offense through the air. Quarterback Jordan La Secla was 18-of-34 for 216 yards. Brandon Rutley completed a halfback option pass to Lamon Muldrow that set up the Spartans' touchdown two plays later. San Jose State went for a two-point conversion, but Philip Zavala's pass to tight end Ryan Otten was incomplete.
Muldrow finished with 46 yards on 14 carries.
Though Utah State quarterback Diondre Borel was just 7-of-18 passing for 50 yards, his option-style running was effective for the Aggies. He gained 73 yards on 12 carries and his late pitch to Turbin on a 2-and-10 from the Spartan 35-yard line allowed the Aggie running back to set up his run to the end zone.
The Spartans had a chance late in the game to make things interesting after linebacker Travis Jones recovered a fumble at the Utah State 28-yard line. San Jose State was unable to get into the end zone and the Aggies ran out the clock.
San Jose State returns to action, November 21, hosting Hawaii in a 5:00 p.m. game in Spartan Stadium.