The Aztecs made it a one-score contest again after Mikey Welsh caught a 67-yard pass to get San Diego State inside the Utah State 20, and SDSU quarterback Danny O’Neil scored on a 5-yard scramble with 1:01 to play, making it 29-21 with the extra point.

Iowa State tight end Gabe Burkle (84), running back Carson Hansen (26) and offensive lineman Jim Bonifas (63) celebrate after Hansen’s touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City.

Now, Utah will have the chance to play spoiler. Can the Utes knock off No. 22 Iowa State and keep themselves alive for bowl eligibility when Utah hosts the Cyclones on Saturday night (5:30 p.m. MST, Fox).

When the final whistle blew inside Maverik Stadium a couple of hours later, though, the scoreboard read 41-20 in favor of Utah State. Instead of falling to 3-8 on the season, the Aggies were 4-7 overall and .500 in Mountain West Conference play with a 3-3 record.