FORT COLLINS, Colo. (ABC4 Sports) – Utah State true freshman quarterback Bishop Davenport passed for 41 yards and rushed for 29 more, including a 4-yard touchdown, to help the Aggies rally for a 17-13 win over Colorado State on Saturday night at Canvas Stadium.
Davenport, the Aggies’ fourth-string quarterback at the start of the season, was on the field after junior Cooper Legas, who started against the Rams (1-5, 1-1 Mountain West), left the game due to injury, as did his backup, sophomore Levi Williams.
Davenport’s touchdown with 7:34 to go in the third quarter proved to be the game-winner and gave Utah State (3-4, 2-1 MW) a 17-10 lead.
The Aggies, who have won two straight after having lost four in a row, finished with 390 yards of total offense, including 252 on the ground. Grad senior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. led all rushers in the game with 129 yards on 24 carries.
Before leaving the game, Legas was 9-of-12 passing for 85 yards and a 32-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin McGriff that gave Utah State a 7-3 lead with 1:54 to go in the first quarter.
McGriff finished with a game-high 63 yards receiving on four receptions, while junior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn had a game-best six catches for 48 yards.
Defensively, junior inside linebacker MJ Tafisi had a team-high 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, while junior defensive end Daniel Grzesiak had five stops, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks – both career highs – to go along with a forced fumble, pass breakup and quarterback hurry.
Utah State senior inside linebacker AJ Vongphachanh added nine tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
Colorado State struck first courtesy of a 23-yard field goal by Michael Boyle with 11:45 to go in the opening quarter. The points came after Cam’Ron Carter intercepted a pass by Legas and returned it 39 yards to the Aggies’ 29-yard line.
Colorado State led 10-7 at the break following a 26-yard touchdown run by Avery Morrow, who gained 92 yards on the ground in the first half alone.
Grad senior placekicker Connor Coles made a 48-yard field goal with 10:57 remaining in the third quarter to tie the game at 10-apiece.
Boyle’s final field goal of the night, a 35-yarder, pulled the Rams to within 17-13 with 14:08 to go in the game.
Colorado State’s final offensive possession of the night ended when Utah State grad senior safety Gurvan Hall Jr. intercepted a pass by Rams quarterback Giles Pooler. Davenport and the Aggies ran the final 5:16 off the clock from there to preserve the road victory.
The Aggies wrap up their two-game road swing when they head to Laramie, Wyoming, to take on Wyoming on Saturday, Oct. 22, at War Memorial Stadium.