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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 12:06 p.m., Saturday, November 8, 2008

CFB: Boise State overcomes mistakes, beats Utah State

By TODD DVORAK
Associated Press Writer

BOISE, Idaho — Kellen Moore threw for 362 yards and two scores, and two Boise State receivers threw touchdown passes and the unbeaten Broncos earned a 49-14 victory over Utah State today.

The No. 9 Broncos (9-0, 5-0 Western Athletic Conference) rolled up 563 total yards and held the Aggies to 44 yards rushing and forced six turnovers.

But for a top-10 team playing an unheralded opponent, the Broncos' performance was sloppy and flawed at times.

Boise State, one of the most penalized teams in the WAC, was flagged 12 times for 114 yards, the third straight game with at least 11 penalties.

The offense was sluggish at times in the first half, was just 5-of-12 on third downs and had three turnovers, the first setting up a touchdown that closed the gap to 28-7 and gave the Aggies (2-8, 2-4) momentum heading into halftime.

But the Broncos also showed their knack for scoring quickly and keeping opponents off balance with trickery.

In the second quarter, Moore tossed a lateral to wide receiver Tanyon Bissell, who turned and fired a 57-yard TD to a wide open Jeremy Childs, the first of two TDs for Childs.

Then in the final minutes of the third quarter, wide receiver Vinny Perretta took a handoff and faked an end run before zipping a 17-yard TD pass to Childs, all alone in the back corner of the end zone to put the Broncos up 35-14, sealing their eighth straight win over Utah State.

Childs led Boise State receivers with seven catches for 135 yards, and Austin Pettis had seven catches for 57 yards and two TDs. Moore was 27-of-36 for 362 yards and one interception.

Boise State, which travels to Idaho next Saturday, also had 105 yards rushing from four different running backs.

Utah State also committed several mistakes. The Aggies were penalized 13 times for 122 yards. Quarterbacks Diondre Borel and Sean Setzer threw three interceptions and the Aggies were able to convert on just 4 of 12 third downs.

Utah State had 305 total yards, with the majority coming through the air after Setzer replaced Borel midway through the second quarter. Setzer was 19-of-33 for 226 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yard pass to Robert Turbin that brought the Aggies within 28-14 early in the third quarter.