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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, October 10, 2009

WAC: New Mexico State boots Utah State 20-17

Advertiser Staff

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Kyle Hughes' 28-yard field goal on the final play of the game lifted New Mexico State to a 20-17 win over Utah State today.

NMSU set up the win by stuffing Utah State quarterback Diondre Borel on a third-and-1 with 2 minutes remaining, forcing Utah State to punt from the New Mexico State 46-yard line.

Marcus Anderson fielded the ball near the 15-yard line, cut left and darted along the sideline to the Utah State 29-yard line. Five plays later, New Mexico State moved the ball to the 11, where Hughes banged it through the uprights on the game's final play.

Seth Smith ran for 103 yards on 26 carries for New Mexico State (3-3, 1-1 Western Athletic Conference). Trevor Walls completed 8-of-25 passes for 81 yards while running for a touchdown. Marcus Allen caught five passes for 58 yards.

Meanwhile, Robert Turbin gained 187 yards on 24 carries for Utah State (1-4, 0-1). Borel completed 15-of-25 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Omar Sawyer caught three passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Utah State outgained New Mexico State 429 yards to 230, but was penalized 12 times for 128 yards.

With the score tied 10-10, Utah State edged ahead when Borel hit Xavier Bowman on a 21-yard scoring pass just over a minute into the third quarter.

New Mexico State answered five minutes later. Anderson returned a punt to the Utah State 15-yard line. Three plays later, Smith rumbled into the end zone from 1-yard out. The extra point knotted the score at 17-17.

New Mexico State went up 10-0 on a Walls 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a Hughes 31-yard field goal early in the second.

Utah State battled back later in the quarter. Chris Ulinski knocked home a 34-yard field goal, followed by a touchdown pass from wide receiver Stanley Morrison to fellow receiver Sawyer.

It marked Morrison's second touchdown pass of the season. He also connected on a 29-yard scoring throw to running back Robert Turbin on Sept. 26 against Southern Utah.