Utah State Wins 49-30 Over Air Force in Mountain West Opener

Utah State defeated Air Force 49-30 in their Mountain West Conference opener, with quarterback Bryson Barnes accounting for five touchdowns, including three rushing and two passing. Barnes completed 17-of-22 passes for 287 yards and connected twice with Braden Pegan, who had 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Utah State's aggressive defense forced a key early fumble from Air Force quarterback Josh Johnson, which led to the opening touchdown and set the tone for the game. Air Force relied heavily on its rushing attack, with quarterback Liam Szarka scoring three rushing touchdowns, but Utah State's balanced offense and stout defense ultimately controlled the game. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall, recalling his past matchups against Air Force while coaching at BYU, praised his team's performance and identified Pegan, Brady Boyd, and running back Miles Davis as key offensive contributors. The victory improved Utah State to 2-1 as they prepared for their next game against McNeese.