The Hive Sports

by Daniel Olsen

Utah State came into the game with a 5-6 record vs Air Force since joining the Mountain West, and ended with a .500 or better record vs everyone not named Boise. The Aggies proved their worth in a 49-30 statement win over the Air Force Falcons. Big plays highlighted the night, while the details also proved to make their impact.

Turnover Margin

The key to beating Air Force is to get ahead from the start which was exactly what Utah State did. The Aggies jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter and never trailed in the game. They put their foot on the gas in the third quarter to keep the Aggies up by double digits for good.

One reason the Aggies were able to maintain that lead was the 3-0 advantage on the turnover margin. D’Angelo Mayes and Noah Avinger both recorded interceptions. William Holmes tacked on a fumble recovery. On the other end, the Aggies played a clean game which was a stark contrast from the tough road loss they had to Texas A&M the previous week.

Not only did the Aggies forced turnovers, but they scored 14 points off them. Capitalizing on those mistakes played a key factor in the win. While that is a great turnover margin, there were a couple of missed opportunities on dropped interceptions or other things of that nature. However, the Aggies felt confident in their approach to create those opportunities and hopefully continue to cause chaos at a high level.

“The coaching is great,” William Holmes said. “The scheme is great. During the week we practice hard and really train and that will prepare us for games. They are very hard on us in practice. When we get to the game we will know our assignments and play.”

Less Penalties is More

The Aggies had just 28 penalty yards against Air Force, which was less than half of the total they had at Texas A&M (72).

“Our focus has been largely on pre-snap,” quarterback Bryson Barnes said. “That’s on us. We aren’t playing dirty or having many holds. It’s something that we were able to address in practice and clean up in the game.”

This helped the Aggies get more third down conversions than they had all season. They were a combined 4-26 in their first two games, but improved to 4-9 in this game.

Significance of Air Force Rivalry

With the win, Coach Mendenhall continued his success over an Air Force team that he had beaten previously at other schools, but for the first and possibly last time for a while with the Aggies. Utah State will be going to the PAC-12 while Air Force will be staying in the Mountain West.

“You better buckle up if you schedule Air Force in the preseason,” Coach Mendenhall said. “I don’t think that’s a came most people want to schedule for a non-conference game. I respect the type of players and coaches they have. Air Force will be successful in whatever conference they are in. I don’t know what anyone’s plans are. There are some rivalries that are going to go away. It’s important to be a valuable asset to whatever league you’re in. I hate the idea of getting left behind. New Mexico where I was last year has been doing great and just had a big win. There is a business aspect but also a sentimental aspect too.”

Up Next

Utah State will face FCS foe McNeese State on Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 6 p.m. MDT. The Cowboys just recently suffered a close loss to nearby Weber State.

All images courtesy Joe Oliver.