LOGAN, Utah — Connor Coles kicked a career-best four field goals, including a 34-yarder to give Utah State a two-score lead with five minutes left, and the Aggies held off Colorado State 26-24 on Friday night.

But the Rams certainly provided an assist, as they completely mismanaged the waning moments of the game with a rushed field goal attempt that sailed wide.

CSU Rams quarterback Todd Centeio found Ty McCullouch for a first down at the Utah State 24-yard line with 11 seconds to go and his team trailing by two. But with the clock temporarily halted as officials moved the chains, the Rams inexplicably rushed the field goal unit onto the field rather than spike the ball to stop the clock.

Hurrying to get the kick off before time expired, Cayden Camper’s kicked went wide left, and the Aggies survived to hand CSU its first conference loss of the season.

As called on Utah State radio: pic.twitter.com/cTOujP93lL

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 23, 2021

Coles was a perfect four-for-four on the night with kicks of 45. 30. 42 and 34 yards, his last giving the Aggies (5-2, 3-1 Mountain West) a 26-17 lead.

Centeio, who passed for 282 yards, needed 81 seconds to tear 73 yards downfield and answer with a 13-yard pass to Gary Williams that shaved the Utah State lead to two points. Centeio and the Rams (3-4, 2-1) nearly pulled off a stunner, taking a final possession 61 yards in 44 seconds, but were instead left to wonder what might have happened had they simply took their time.

Utah State started hot with Luke Bonner, 233 yards passing, hooking up with Derek Wright on a pair of touchdown strikes, including an over-the-shoulder catch for a 38-yard touchdown. Deven Thompkins made six catches for 104 yards — his seventh 100-yard game.

Bonner endured eight sacks — a season high for the Colorado State defense — for a loss of 52 yards, had four passes broken up and was intercepted once.

The swarming Rams also made 13 tackles for loss. Between the sacks and the tackles behind the line, Colorado State forced 113 yards in losses on Utah State.

David Bailey ran for a pair of short touchdowns for Colorado State, and gained 159 yards on 30 carries. The yardage is his career-best with the Rams, though he has a 181-yard game while at Boston College.