This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Boise • Going into the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Utah State had won 20 straight games when one of its players rushed for 100 yards.

The streak ended Tuesday.

Aggie junior Devante Mays carried 12 times for 124 yards against Akron, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Zips from scoring a 23-21 victory at Albertsons Stadium.

Mays' impact on the game — Utah State's fifth straight postseason appearance — didn't start until the final 2:53 of the first half.

After Akron had taken a 10-0 lead, the Aggies received the kickoff and started at their own 29-yard line. On first down, quarterback Kent Myers handed the ball to Mays on a sweep to the right.

Mays burst through a hole at the line of scrimmage and, suddenly, was racing alone down the sideline. He got caught at the Zip 10 but, one play later, Myers hit Brandon Swindall on a 9-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-7.

The 61-yard run was the longest of Mays' career at Utah State.

"We just started changing up a little bit more on the perimeter with him," Aggie coach Matt Wells said. "We weren't having much luck moving those big bodies around inside and we had more success on the edge."

Utah State finished the first quarter with minus-five yards of offense. Mays managed 1 yard on two carries in the first quarter, but he finished the game averaging 10.3 yards per carry. In all, the Aggies outgained Akron, 363-282.

Still, Utah State quarterbacks Chuckie Keeton and Kent Myers did not have their best days while leading an offense which failed to take full advantage of its scoring chances.

Keeton completed 14 of 25 passes for 109 yards, but his interception in the second quarter stopped a possible game-tying drive at the Akron 6. He also rushed three times but gained only 1 yard.

Receivers Hunter Sharp and Swindall played well, however.

Sharp had 11 receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown — the 16th of his career at Utah State. A senior, he finished ninth on the school's all-time list for receptions with 71.

Swindall caught three passes for 35 yards against Akron, including a 24-yarder for a touchdown.

"Really, it doesn't mean anything to me," he said. "Honestly, we didn't get the win and that's what I wanted to finish my senior season. So it really doesn't matter."

Said Wells: "You have to go make plays to win games and we didn't do that enough."

luhm@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sluhm Storylines

R Utah State's Devante Mays rushes for 124 yards on only 12 carries in the Potato Bowl.

• Mays' 61-yard run in the second quarter is his longest by an Aggie player this season.

• Before losing to Akron, Utah State had won 20 straight games when a player rushed for 100 yards.