BYU Routs Utah State, 42-14

LOGAN, Utah – BYU totaled 639 total yards in a 42-14 win against Utah State on Saturday night at Maverik Stadium to take back the Old Wagon Wheel. 

The Cougars' 639-yard total against the Aggies is the highest since 741 yards against Wagner in 2015. BYU set season-high passing yards with 418 and rushing yards at 221 while also scoring a season-high 42 points.  

BYU split time between two quarterbacks as Jaren Hall went 12 for 16 for 214 yards as well as seven carries for 54 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Baylor Romney went 10 for 16 in the second half for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four rush attempts for 19 yards.

Lopini Katoa and Gunner Romney led all BYU receivers with four catches each. Katoa recorded a career high with 129 receiving yards while Gunner Romney had 45 yards and one touchdown. Sione Finau was the Cougars' leading rusher with 15 attempts for 72 yards.

The Cougar defense forced five turnovers as Kavika Fonua, Payton Wilgar and Beau Tanner all recorded interceptions. 

Box Score
Photo Gallery
Postgame Notes

First Quarter Review
After Utah State went three and out, the Cougars marched down the field, capitalizing on major chunk plays. Talon Shumway caught a 28-yard pass, followed by a 15-yard pass to Aleva Hifo. Two 20+ yard throws to Lopini Katoa and Talon Shumway, respectively, put BYU on the Aggies 7 yard-line. Hifo finished off the drive, maneuvering between Utah State’s defense to get into the end zone, putting BYU up 7-0 early.

After turnovers by both teams, the Aggies got their first touchdown of the game. A 26-yard pass caught in the end zone tied the game at 7-7 with 16 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

• JJ Nwigwe and Devin Kaufusi both recorded career firsts, tallying a forced fumble and fumble recovery, respectively.
• Dax Milne caught a career long 36-yard pass which topped his 35-yard catch against USF earlier this season.

Second Quarter Review
​​​​​​​The momentum shifted in the second quarter as Fonua intercepted a ball deep in Aggie territory. He returned the ball 16 yards before BYU’s offense came onto the field. It only took one play to score as Hall ran 16 yards for another BYU touchdown to give the Cougars the lead back 14-7 with 11:52 on the clock.

A 27-yard catch by Moroni Laulu-Pututau put BYU in great scoring position on the Utah State 8-yard line. Two plays later, Hall found a hole in the Aggie defense and made it into the end zone as the Cougars went up 21-7 with under four minutes left in the half.

The Aggies quickly answered back with a touchdown of their own as Utah State’s Gerold Bright stretched to getting the ball over the end line to make the score 21-14 going into halftime.

• Payton Wilgar grabbed his third career interception and returned it 17 yards.

Third Quarter Review
To start the second half, Baylor Romney came in as quarterback and led the team down the field on the first drive. A 30-yard pass to brother Gunner Romney got BYU within scoring distance before Baylor Romney found Micah Simon in the end zone on the next play to put BYU up 28-14. The Cougars added another touchdown on their next drive as Baylor Romney connected again with his brother Gunner Romney this time for a one-yard touchdown, making the score 35-14.

• For the first time in school history a brother threw a touchdown to his brother as Baylor Romney found little brother Gunner Romney in the end zone
• Micah Simon threw his first career pass finding Baylor Romney for 13 yards

Fourth Quarter Review
In their first drive of the fourth quarter, Katoa made two big plays for the Cougars. First, a 77-yard reception brought BYU to the 3-yard line before he finished it off the drive with a 6-yard rushing touchdown, increasing BYU’s lead to 42-14. BYU was able to hold off the Aggies for the remainder of the fourth quarter and took the win, 42-14.

• Lopini Katoa recorded a career-long 77-yard reception to give him his first 100-yard receiving game with 129 yards total. It was also the Cougars' longest scoring drive of the season with 10 plays for 99 yards
• Austin Kafentzis tallied his first career forced fumble while Isaiah Kaufusi recovered the fumble for his second this season
• Beau Tanner returned his first career interception 73 yards with eight seconds remaining in the game

BYU returns to LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, for a game against Liberty. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on ESPNU and BYU Radio Sirius XM 143/89.1 FM.