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Boise • That a talented freshman corner such as Utah State's Jalen Davis could score isn't much of a surprise, but how he did it Saturday was about as unpredictable as it gets.
Davis returned a blocked PAT for a defensive conversion that made it a 20-9 game in the first quarter.
The PAT was blocked by Utah State's Travis Seefeldt following a 19-yard touchdown run by the Broncos' Jay Ajayi.
Davis scooped up the ball and ran untouched down the left side of the field for the return.
It was the second time Davis has reached the end zone this season. The first for the La Mesa, Calif., native was a 44-yard interception return against Idaho State on Sept. 6.
Saturday's play will be a highlight in what has been a standout year for the rookie. With just one returning starter in the secondary, the Aggies needed Davis to have a solid year despite his youth.
He delivered, entering Saturday's game with 57 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and two interceptions.
Davis had a career high of seven tackles in four games and also returned two kickoffs for 66 yards last week against San Jose State.
Unfortunately for the Aggies, Davis' play was one of the few big plays the USU defense could provide as the Aggies were surprisingly manhandled by the Broncos built a comfortable 34-12 halftime lead.
Senior sensations
Boise State honored its 11 seniors before kickoff. The class is the 13th-straight to win 40 or more games in their careers, giving them an average of 10 wins a season.
In comparison, the Aggies' senior class, the winningest in the program's history, earned its 36th win last week against San Jose State. The 2011 team that went 11-2 was the first in USU history to earn double digit wins.
Of note
B.J. Larsen, Joe Hill, Zach Vigil and Brian Suite served as the captains for the Aggies…Offensive lineman Kevin Whimpey, who sat out the second half of the SJSU game with an injury, started Saturday…USU defensive coordinator Todd Orlando has been nominated for the Broyles Award, which goes to the top assistant coach.
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