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Logan • Coming off the least productive start of his career, Utah State sophomore quarterback Kent Myers was almost perfect Friday night against Wyoming.
Myers completed 14 of 17 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Aggies to a 58-27 victory over the Cowboys in a made-for-TV late show at Maverik Stadium.
Myers also ran 5 yards for a touchdown on Utah State's first possession of the second half, which bumped the Aggies' lead to 37-14 and buried Wyoming.
Along with Myers, Devante Mays was outstanding. A junior college transfer from Livingston, Texas, he rushed 22 times for a career-high 176 yards and two touchdowns.
With the win, Utah State put last week's 48-14 debacle at San Diego State in the rear view mirror. Myers was 8-for-19 with one interception against the Aztecs and fumbled twice.
Myers was too good for Wyoming, however, and USU improved its record to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the Mountain West Conference.
The Cowboys slipped to 1-8 and 1-6 despite a brilliant individual effort by sophomore running back Brian Hill. He rushed 26 times for 201 yards.
Utah State, seeking its 13th straight home victory dating to 2013, won the toss and took the football.
Usually, the Aggies defer in such a situation. But the new strategy paid off when they needed only five plays to drive 65 yards for a touchdown.
Myers, who was 3-for-3 on Utah State's first possession, hit Wyatt Houston on an 8-yard touchdown pass only 2:15 into the game to make it 7-0.
Wyoming quickly countered with a 13-play, 65-yard drive that burned 7:02 off the clock. The Cowboys converted one fourth down, one third down and tied the score when quarterback Nick Smith threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jake Maulhardt.
Utah State made it 14-7 on the next possession, when the Aggies drove 78 yards in nine plays. A 7-yard pass from Myers to Braelon Roberts on third-and-four kept the drive alive and, four plays later, Mays ran 11 yards for a touchdown.
After the USU defense stopped Wyoming on fourth-and-one at its own 30, Utah State took a 21-7 lead on Mays' 3-yard touchdown.
Hill followed by racing 47 yards for a touchdown with 6:54 left in the half to keep the Cowboys in the game, but the Aggies built a 30-14 halftime lead when Brock Warren kicked a 22-yard field goal and Jontrell Rocquemore recovered a blocked punt in the end zone with 34 seconds left.
Wyoming tried to run out the clock before Rocquemore's touchdown, but the Aggie defense stuffed three running plays. Utah State coach Matt Wells called time-out on second and third down and it paid huge dividends with a score by the special teams.
For Rocquemore, a redshirt freshman from McKinney, Texas, the touchdown was his second of the season. During a 31-17 loss at Washington on Sept. 19, he returned a fumble 97-yard for a score.
At halftime against Wyoming, Myers was 10-for-10 passing for 171 yards and one touchdown. Mays rushed for 86 yards on 12 carries. He scored his sixth and seventh touchdowns in the last four games.