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BSU records win over Aggies: Martin has career night
Kirk Bell, Editor
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TRENT LOOTENS/THE ARBITER Doug Martin celebrates after one of his four touchdowns against the Utah State Aggies Friday night in Logan, Utah. The running backs combined for six touchdowns 323 combined yards against the Aggies' defense
LOGAN, Utah – Sophomore Heisman candidate Kellen Moore may not have had a multi-touchdown game. He had his first game throwing below 60 percent as a collegiate football player. But it didn’t stop the Boise State Broncos (11-0, 6-0 Western Athletic Conference) from scoring seven touchdowns and a field goal on the Utah State Aggies (3-8, 2-5 WAC) during a 52-21 in-conference skirting Friday night at Logan, Utah.
The Broncos struck first with a 58-yard drive to the end zone capped a connection to junior tight end Tommy Gallarda from Moore. The drive was capitalized from a Shea McClellin interception on a tipped ball. The Broncos’ sophomore defensive end added to his performance with one sack and two tackles for loss against USU.
“Shea’s a heck of a player. He really is,” BSU head coach Chris Petersen said. “I think we’ve got a good d-line. We really do. Each week it seems like it’s a new guy.”
USU had an answer to BSU’s first score on a 91-yard touchdown drive led by Aggie junior quarterback Diondre Borel.
Borel was difficult to contain which proved a nuisance early on with an ability to make plays out of the pocket. His longest of the day came on a pass during their first drive to junior wide receiver Eric Moats who was open in the middle of the field for a 46-yard gain. Two plays later junior running back Michael Smith took it home on a 22-yard scamper to tie the game 7-7.
“We knew their offense kind of centered around him,” Broncos’ junior defensive end Ryan Winterswyk said. “He makes things happen. On film they won when he was making big plays happen.”
BSU regained the lead with 8:51 left in the second quarter on a 17-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Doug Martin on a 54-yard drive.
The Aggies answered quickly, sewing together six plays for 71 yards set up by Borel finished again by a long rush, this time by sophomore Robert Turbin, on a 24-yard wide open scurry to tie it up, 14-14.
The BSU offense came to life, scoring three more times before the end of the second quarter in 4:42. The first came from a 2-yard touchdown run by Martin – going up 21-14 – set up by the a long one-handed grab from Moore to junior wide receiver Titus Young to the Aggies’ 2-yard line.
Young finished the night as the Broncos’ leading receiver with five receptions and 231 all-purpose yards.
“I think what it is it’s a lot of energy early on to play us,” Petersen said. “They’ve got good players and you could feel the electricity in the stadium. We’re proud of how the guys just settled down and played hard and got into a groove and started making plays.”
A fumble by Borel recovered by Winterswyk turned the ball over just 39 seconds into the Aggies’ drive.
BSU returned to the end zone again on a 1-play score by junior running back Jeremy Avery to go up 28-14.
The Broncos’ final points of the half came on an 83-yard drive in 10 plays in just 1:28 set up by passes to Young and junior wide receiver Austin Pettis. A 1-yard punch into the end zone by Martin brought the Broncos to 35-14 with five seconds remaining in the first half.
BSU lost no momentum going into the half after taking the ensuing kickoff to open the third quarter.
The Broncos took another touchdown home on a 32-yard rush by Avery to go up 42-14 for his second and final touchdown of the evening, rushing for 106 yards against the Aggie defense.
The Broncos’ first score in the second half made 28 points accrued in 6:44.
“We just came out with an intensity and never backed down,” Martin said. “Just keep pounding and pounding and pounding.”
Borel couldn’t match his first half production – completing 10 passes on 19 attempts and 56 yards rushing – leading the Aggies to their final score against the Broncos thanks to Smith’s second rushing touchdown on a 12-yard rush to make it 42-21, Broncos.
BSU junior kicker Kyle Brotzman answered with a career long 52-yard field goal to bring BSU to a 45-21 lead.
Martin scored his fourth and final touchdown of the night on a hard run up the middle on fourth and one for a 6-yard score. It marks a career high on touchdowns for Martin. He finished with121 yards rushing.
“We’re always so proud of our running backs for sharing the ball like they do,” Petersen said. “They’re always happy when the other guy gets it. Tonight was Doug’s night to get in the end zone.”
The win marks 23 straight regular season victories for the Broncos and a fifth straight game with 45 points or more against their opponents.
Junior safety Jeron Johnson recorded 14 tackles for the Broncos making it his third game with 10 or more tackles’
Moore had his first sub 60 percent completion percentage game since earning the starting job for the Broncos prior to last season. He completed 15 of 29 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown against the Aggies. It was his first one touchdown game since the season opener against Oregon. Moore has thrown at least two touchdowns in 19 of his 24 games as a starter. Three of those games were without touchdowns, all during his freshman season.
The Broncos return home for their final two regular season games. They meet Nov. 27 against the Nevada Wolf Pack (7-3, 6-0 WAC). The meeting decides who takes home the WAC crown and could make or break BSU’s Bowl Championship Series hopes. Kickoff is 8:08 p.m. at Bronco Stadium.