Despite a strong first half out of the Robert Morris Colonials, Utah State managed to take care of business and avoid an upset against the FCS opponent in Week 1. The Aggies used a a handful of chunk plays to hold off the Colonials and defeat them, x-x.
The Colonials started the game on defense and it did not start well for them. The Aggies used their tempo to get all the way down to the Colonials’ 21-yard line in just eight plays.
The ninth play of the game ended with Colonials freshman cornerback Tysin Harvey hauling in an interception and returning it 31 yards. Unfortunately for the Colonials, a delay of game penalty stunted their opening drive and they were forced to punt after just three plays.
The Aggies opened their next drive up with two strong runs by running back Rahsul Faison totaling 20 yards. Then, they tried to get greedy and tested Harvey again, and for the second straight drive, he came down with an interception.
The Colonials failed to cash in again even though the drive looked hopeful. They used a seven play drive to get all the way down to the Aggies’ 26-yard line before being stopped on a fourth down attempt.
Both teams traded punts after that failed fourth down attempt before the Aggies scored the first touchdown of the game.
On a third-and-four, Aggies quarterback Spencer Petras hit wide receiver Kyrese White on a drag route that he took 57 yards for the touchdown. On the play, White outran every Colonial defender after hauling in the pass.
Petras completed 10 of his 15 passes for 145 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions before being removed due to injury.
The Colonials matched it with a touchdown drive of their own. Anthony Chiccitt led a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended in a 40-yard touchdown reception by Cole Mitchell. Chiccitt faked the handoff and it left Mitchell unguarded up the seam.
Chiccitt finished the game having completed 22 of his 30 passing attempts for 171 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Following the game-tying score, the Aggies marched down field but their drive was stalled inside of the Colonials’ 20-yard line. They opted to kick the field goal and take a three point lead.
The Aggies held that lead for nearly the next nine minutes before the Colonials cashed in with under a minute left in the half on a Delvecchio Powell run that went 31 yards for a touchdown.
The Colonials carried a 14-10 lead into halftime after intercepting their third pass of the first half.
The Colonials started the second half with the ball but did nothing with it. The Aggies did not waste time re-taking the lead after they got the ball back. For the second time of the game, White hauled in a 50-plus yard touchdown pass.
White finished as the game’s leading receiver as he totaled 131 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Following the Aggies’ field goal, the Colonials looked to match it and were marching near midfield before Chiccitt threw his first interception as he tried to stretch the field. Then, the Aggies scored just one play later as backup quarterback Bryson Barnes took a quarterback scramble 63 yards for the touchdown.
Barnes totaled a game-high 198 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception in addition to his game-high 88 rushing yards and rushing touchdown.
This was the first sign that the Colonials defense was running out of gas. After another three-and-out by the offense, the defense was gashed for 55 yards on the first play by Robert Briggs which set the Aggies up on the plus-21. On the very next play, the Aggies iced the game when Barnes found Jalen Royals for the passing touchdown. This pushed the score to 33-14 in the Aggies advantage.
Robert Morris will play host to Edinboro in the Colonials’ home opener at Joe Walton Stadium next week at 6 p.m.
