Calvin Tyler Jr. Leads Utah State to Win over Oregon State in 2021 LA Bowl
December 19, 2021
Utah State defeated Oregon State 24-13 in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel on Saturday night. The Aggies, who also won their first Mountain West conference title this season, finished with an 11-3 record.
Calvin Tyler Jr., who spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Oregon State, ran the ball 26 times for 120 yards and a score. It was a revenge performance for him, as he had just 30 total carries in his three seasons as a Beaver.
Porter Larsen @Larsen_ESPNCalvin Tyler Jr. gives <a href="https://twitter.com/USUFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USUFootball</a> the lead over his former team!<br><br>After four years in Corvallis, Tyler came to Logan to lead USU in rushing during a MWC title run<br><br>USU 14 | 10 OSU<br>Q2 | 3:36 | <a href="https://twitter.com/LABowlGame?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LABowlGame</a> <a href="https://t.co/2J6orkY5qc">pic.twitter.com/2J6orkY5qc</a>
After starting quarterback Logan Bonner exited the game with an apparent knee injury, sophomore signal-caller Cooper Legas stepped in and powered Utah State to victory. Legas, the team's third-string quarterback who had never thrown a pass college prior to Saturday, went 11-of-20 for 171 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
With the Aggies trailing 7-0, Legas made an immediate impact with a 62-yard touchdown to Deven Thompkins on his first-career pass attempt.
On the next possession, Legas helped engineer an 11-play, 85-yard drive that was capped by a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Tyler to give Utah State the lead for good at 14-10.
Legas came up big again near the end of the third quarter with a five-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Bowling.
Mountain West @MountainWestWhen your last name is ๐๐ข๐ช๐ing, you gotta score in the bowl game.<a href="https://twitter.com/bowling_brandon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bowling_brandon</a> puts <a href="https://twitter.com/USUFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USUFootball</a> up 24-10 in the <a href="https://twitter.com/LABowlGame?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LABowlGame</a> on ABCโผ๏ธ<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtThePeak?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AtThePeak</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AggiesAllTheWay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AggiesAllTheWay</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JimmyKimmelLABowl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JimmyKimmelLABowl</a> <a href="https://t.co/9F9vk8GEEZ">pic.twitter.com/9F9vk8GEEZ</a>
The Aggies looked to be on the verge of tacking on another score late in the fourth quarter, but Tyler fumbled near the goal line, and the Beavers recovered the ball in the end zone. It didn't make much of a difference, however, as Hunter Reynolds came up with an interception to seal the win.
Thompkins finished with six receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Bowling had four catches for 51 yards and a score. It was Utah State's first win in a bowl game since 2018.
Oregon State finishes the season 7-6. Chance Nolan completed 21-of-30 passes for 263 yards and an interception. Jesiah Irish had 26 rushing yards and scored the team's lone touchdown.