Fresno teaches Aggies about WAC

FRESNO, Calif. — Utah State used Saturday's game at Fresno State as a measuring stick to see where it stacked up in the Western Athletic Conference. After the 53-21 loss to the Bulldogs, the Aggies know that they have a lot to learn.

What did they learn from the Bulldogs? How to force turnovers, score off turnovers, convert third downs, sustain drives, and run the football.

The Aggies, who didn't have an offensive turnover in their 24-17 victory over San Jose State a week earlier, surrendered the ball three times — two fumbles and one interception — in the first half alone, and the Bulldogs turned those miscues into 17 points.

Aggie safety Terrance Washington got Utah State off on the right foot by intercepting the first pass of the game by Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar. Five plays later, Chris Forbes, who had a 19-yard reception earlier in the drive, scored on a 1-yard run. The Aggies held a 7-0 lead for the third time in four games this year.

From there it was all down hill.

After Utah State held the Bulldogs to a field goal, Aggie quarterback Leon Jackson III fumbled on the first play from scrimmage, and Fresno recovered on the Utah State 1.

One play later, Roshon Vercher with his only carry of the game, scored. Fresno took the lead for good at 10-7.

The Bulldogs scored on nine consecutive possessions — five in the first half and four in the second. In between their two second-half touchdowns, the Bulldogs tallied a safety on a bad snap on an Aggie punt to build a 32-7 lead.

Through three quarters, the Bulldogs converted eight of 12 third-down opportunities (10 of 15 for the game), while Utah State was zero of five through three quarters (two of nine for the game). Fresno State did not punt.

The Utah State defense held the Bulldogs to field goals in three of the nine scoring drives. Six of the Bulldogs' eight scoring drives were of 3:55 or more, and the Fresno scoring drives seemed to get shorter and shorter in terms of time as the game progressed.

Utah State's Jarrett Bush ended Fresno streak of nine straight scoring possessions with an interception with less than two minutes left.

Utah State finally answered one of the Bulldogs' scoring drives with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jackson with 13:24 left in the game, cutting the lead to 46-14.

Fresno State running backs Wendell Mathis and Bryson Sumlin had 97 and 63 yards rushing, respectively. The duo also scored one touchdown each.