Jalen Royals Sets Utah State Single-Season Touchdown Record
Dec 23, 2023, 2:08 PM | Updated: Dec 26, 2023, 3:33 pm
USU wideout Jalen Royals makes his first touchdown grab as an Aggie against the Idaho State Bengals on Saturday, September 9 at Maverik Stadium in Logan, UT.
BOISE, Idaho – Jalen Royals started his route in the shade and it ended in the end zone with a touchdown grab that set the Utah State single-season receiving touchdown record of 15.
Utah State is taking on the Georgia State Panthers in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho.
RELATED: USU Not Overlooking Undermanned Georgia State In Potato Bowl
1 FOR THE RECORD BOOKS🔥‼️
⚡️ @RoyalsJalen #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/g8oFLtD1Es
— USU Football (@USUFootball) December 23, 2023
Trailing 7-0, Levi Williams needed just four plays to lead his team into the end zone on their second possession. On first down from the Panthers 35, Williams dropped back and lofted and slightly underthrown pass in the direction of the first-year wideout.
Royals located the ball and backtracked a step before rising up to make the grab, coming down in the end zone for the score. The extra point tied the game at seven with more than six minutes to play in the first quarter. Royals has three grabs for 57 yards in the opening quarter.
RELATED: USU Hopes Momentum Snowballs Into 2024 Success
Georgia State Panthers (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt)
Led by seventh-year head coach Shawn Elliott, the Panthers look to overcome the loss of over 2,000 yards of offense and 20 TDs without Carroll and Lewis. They will have to do it with a left tackle making his second career start, a redshirt freshman center making his first career start, and a sophomore taking over at one of the guard positions.
Aggies In The House 🏟🥔🤘#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/8Y297MsIKT
— USU Football (@USUFootball) December 23, 2023
It’s an unenviable position but not one that Elliott is shying away from.
“Some people think it’s a bowl game, we’re just going to a bowl game. These guys are fixing to step in, some of them their first start a, lot of them their first start. They are so fired up about it… I guarantee they’re going to make mistakes, but they’re going to play their butts off.”
RELATED: USU’s Potato Bowl Depth Chart
The Panthers averaged 25.8 points while allowing 30.8 points per game this season. During its five-game losing streak, the defense gave up 41.8 points per game.
GSU QB Darren Grainger enters as the program leader in total offense and passing touchdowns while sitting second in passing yards and fourth in rushing yards. He will be making his 36th career start in the FIPB.
RELATED STORIES
Follow The Aggies With KSL Sports
Find USU football on KSL Sports Zone with the voices of Scott Garrard and former Aggie quarterback Kevin White (1988-89).
Find KSL Sports coverage of Utah State University Athletics here.
