Utah State Football Hangs On To Beat San Jose State
Oct 17, 2025, 10:44 PM
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 06: Bryson Barnes #16 of the Utah State Aggies runs with the ball during the second half of a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on September 06, 2025 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Joe Buvid/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Buvid/Getty Images)
LOGAN, Utah – A Friday night thriller came down to the final play as Utah State pulled out a 30-25 win after knocking away a final Hail Mary attempt in the back of the end zone.
The Aggies (4-3, 2-1) hosted the San José State Spartans (2-5, 1-2) for Homecoming on Friday, October 17.
𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐔𝐁 🤘#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/JNPy0f3qgY
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
Bryson Barnes completed 22-of-31 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown while adding a team-high 54 yards and a TD on the ground.
Anthony Garcia caught three passes for a team-high and career-high 121 yards and a 74-yard touchdown. Braden Pegan added seven catches for 93 yards.
Linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. led the defense with 14 tackles. USU was credited with nine pass breakups and seven QB hurries.
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First Quarter
SJSU took the opening kickoff and drove deep into Utah State territory after a personal foul on the Aggie defense.
The calm before the storm.#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/NDIEUDtcdg
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
The drive stalled at the 19-yard line, resulting in a 37-yard field goal from Denis Lynch.
A holding penalty almost derailed USU’s first drive before it started, but Bryson Barnes connected with Anthony Garcia on third down for a 15-yard completion.
Three plays later on fourth down, Barnes found Javen Jacobs on the outside. Jacobs showed great strength in breaking several tackles on a 30-yard gain into the red zone.
Offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven used misdirection to set Braden Pegan up for a two-yard rushing score three plays later. The extra point gave USU a 7-3 lead.
AGGIES STRIKE! Braden Pegan takes in to make it 7-3!
📺@CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/lk4EIWJanL
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
The Spartans moved into enemy territory with a 25-yard pass from Walker Eget to Kyri Shoels in the middle of the field.
USU nearly forced a stop, but SJSU’s screen game came up with 17 yards for another first down.
An incompletion on 3rd-&-short set up a fourth-down attempt. The Spartans tried to pound the football into the line, but USU’s interior defenders forced the turnover on downs.
Big 4th down stop by @BronsonOlevao & the crew!!
TURNOVER ON DOWNS! pic.twitter.com/usYMw08BU2
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
Utah State was 2-for-3 on third down in its only drive. The Spartans converted 2-of-4 third-down plays in the period.
Both teams committed two penalties in the opening 15 minutes.
Second Quarter
San José State was driving following an Aggie punt, but the game’s first turnover stalled the momentum.
Noah Avinger punched the football loose after a completion to Kyri Shoels. Bronson Olevao Jr. scooped up the loose ball and returned it to the Aggie 43-yard line.
HOT POTATO! @BronsonOlevao with a fumble recovery!!
📺@CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/vosyXLJHDY
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
Utah State’s offense struggled to find consistency, largely due to a lack of pocket integrity. Barnes rarely had time to survey the defense or run anything other than a quick game.
Both programs traded punts midway through the period.
The Aggies finally got on track when Barnes completed a 27-yard pass to Brady Boyd. On the next play, McGiven dove deep into the playbook for a tossback pass that resulted in a 32-yard catch for Anthony Garcia.
GORGEOUS throw @USUFootball pic.twitter.com/mqg8n3cdha
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 18, 2025
The drive ended in a turnover on downs when Barnes was flushed from the pocket before completing a pass short of the yard to gain.
SJSU used a 43-yard gain on first down to set the stage for a late scoring drive. The Spartans capped their final drive of the half with a six-yard TD pass from Eget to Matthew Coleman, but missed the extra point.
Utah State ended the half with a 31-yard Tanner Rinker field goal to take a 10-9 halftime lead.
Homecoming Halftime!#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/UWP7h7wZ6a
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
USU didn’t convert a third down in the second quarter, finishing the half with 222 yards of offense. The Spartans were credited with four QB hurries and two sacks.
Third Quarter
Utah State took advantage of a busted defensive coverage when Barnes rolled to his left before throwing a bomb to a wide-open Anthony Garcia for a 74-yard TD.
The former USU QB sprinted untouched into the end zone, giving his team a 17-9 lead.
The Swiss Army Knife strikes AGAIN!! Deep shot from @bryson_barnes10 to Anthony Garcia for 6⃣!
📺@CBSSportsCFB pic.twitter.com/NbKnRm3ac0
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
San José State countered with an explosive play of its own. Steve Chavez-Soto slipped out of a would-be Noah Avinger tackle and galloped 64 yards to make it 17-16 Aggies.
The shoot-out that never was in the first half came together with Utah State punching right back.
Barnes moved his team into the red zone on a 37-yard sideline dart to Pegan. The drive ended with Barnes pounding his way into the end zone from two yards out.
.@bryson_barnes10 with the keeper for a tuddy!
📺@CBSSportsCFB pic.twitter.com/zznyVYuPBc
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
The extra point gave USU a 24-16 advantage.
Following three quick drives, SJSU slowed the pace down with an extended possession deep into Aggie territory. The Spartans settled for a 35-yard FG after a 14-play drive.
Fourth Quarter
Following a punt, the Spartans went back to the deep passing game. Eget threw a well-placed 45-yard pass that Leland Smith came down with despite being blanketed by a defender.
SJSU couldn’t convert the two-point attempt, keeping their lead 25-24 with 11:48 left.
A bad snap on first down put the Aggies behind the chains with a 2nd and 13. Two instances of off-setting penalties gave Barnes a chance to evade heavy pressure and find Brady Boyd for 18 yards and a first down.
Moments later, a second down holding penalty erased a first down, forcing a 45-yard FG attempt from Tanner Rinker. The junior split the uprights to give his team a 27-25 lead with 6:09 to play.
4⃣5⃣ yard kick from @Tanner_Rinker is good! Aggies up 27-25!
📺@CBSSportsCFB pic.twitter.com/wBzypbItTa
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
The next SJSU drive appeared to get extended when safety Ike Larsen was flagged for a targeting personal foul near midfield. After review, the call was reversed, setting up 4th and 1.
Utah State’s defense made one of the biggest plays of the night, stuffing a Spartan run to get the football back.
Big 4th Down stop by the Defense!! Aggies take over on downs!
📺@CBSSportsCFB pic.twitter.com/QHPMUZmZid
— USU Football (@USUFootball) October 18, 2025
Unable to run out the clock, the Aggies increased their lead to five with another Rinker field goal, this time from 44 yards out.
San José State took over with 1:48 left and needed a touchdown to win.
Multiple false starts kept the Spartans behind the chains as they looked for a final big play.
A Hail Mary attempt was batted away with no time left on the clock, giving the Aggies a 30-25 win.
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Utah State travels to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a matchup with Bronco Mendenhall’s former team, the New Mexico Lobos, on Saturday, October 25. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. MT.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
