FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Robbie Rouse ran for 140 yards, including the clinching fourth-quarter touchdown, as Fresno State stormed back to defeat Utah State 31-21 on Saturday night.
Derek Carr completed 23 of 39 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns for Fresno State (3-4, 2-0 WAC), including a 23-yarder to Jalen Saunders that put the Bulldogs ahead. Carr also ran for a score.
Robert Turbin had 155 rushing yards on 16 carries for Utah State (2-4, 0-1), whose three previous losses had come by a combined eight points.
Utah State, held scoreless in the second half after racking up 305 yards of offense by halftime, dropped its fifth straight game to Fresno State and fell to 0-6 at Bulldog Stadium since 1980.
The Bulldogs outscored Utah State 17-0 in the second half by sacking Aggies quarterback Chuckie Keeton three times and forcing a key fumble.
Fresno State took its first lead of the game, 24-21, on Carr's 23-yard touchdown pass to Saunders with 11:54 remaining.
On third and 14, Carr pump-faked to his right before throwing a sidearm screen pass to Saunders in the middle of the field. Saunders cut back against the defense, evading at least five tacklers before bursting up the sideline and into the end zone.
Utah State went nowhere on its next drive, and on third and 10, Keeton got clobbered from behind by Tristan Okpalaugo, who forced a fumble.
Jeremiah Toma made the recovery for Fresno State at the Aggies' 23-yard line. Seven plays later, Rouse bulled his way into the end zone from 9 yards out to put the Bulldogs ahead by 10 points with 8:05 remaining.
The Aggies drove to the Bulldogs' 26 in the final minutes before Logan Harrell sacked Keeton on third and 8 for a 12-yard loss.
Keeton was injured on the play and left the game. The freshman finished 15 of 31 for 194 yards and a touchdown.
The Aggies led 21-14 following a back-and-forth first half that featured 577 combined yards of offense.
Utah State regained the lead with 11:24 left in the second quarter when Michael Smith outran the Bulldogs defense for a 46-yard touchdown after taking an option pitch from Keeton.
Fresno State trailed 14-0 midway through the first quarter before rallying to tie the game on Carr's 23-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Burse and Carr's 1-yard TD sneak.
Smith caught a swing pass from Keeton on Utah State's first possession and took it 47 yards for a touchdown. After a Bulldogs turnover on the Aggies' 5-yard line, Turbin went around the edge for a 59-yard score that made it 14-0.
Smith finished with 71 yards rushing and 52 yards receiving.
