HONOLULU (ABC4 Sports) – In what has been a tumultuous season, Utah State is one win away from becoming bowl eligible.
Cooper Legas threw three touchdown passes, including one to Calvin Tyler Jr., who finished with 25 carries for 113 yards rushing and a TD, to help Utah State beat Hawaii 41-34 Saturday night.
Legas completed 16 of 25 for 238 yards with no interceptions for Utah State (5-5, 4-2 Mountain West Conference).
On the Aggies’ second offensive play from scrimmage, Legas hit tight end Josh Sterzer for a 68-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown that made it 7-0 about 4 minutes in and they led the rest of the way.
Legas added second-quarter touchdown passes of 16 yards to Broc Lane and 35 yards to Tyler that made it 24-10 at halftime, Tyler scored on a 4-yard run in the third quarter and after Brayden Schager threw a 31-yard TD pass to Caleb Phillips that trimmed Hawaii’s deficit to 34-24, Ike Larsen returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown to give the Aggies a 17-point lead.
Schager completed 23 of 46 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions for Hawaii (2-9, 1-5). Dedrick Parson added 16 carries for 101 yards and Tylan Hines scored on a 69-yard run for the Rainbow Warriors.
Hunter Reynolds led the Aggies with nine tackles, but Larson was the defensive star, Larsen logging six tackles, including a game-high 2.0 tackles for loss, one of which was a sack, and two interceptions, one of which was a pick-6.
The Aggies forced four Hawaii turnovers, while committing none themselves.
Utah State has now won four of its last five games.
The Aggies will host San Jose State Saturday at 7:45 p.m. in its home finale at Maverik Stadium.