The Aggies accepted their invitation after finishing with an 8–5 record after losing in the 2013 Mountain West Championship Game to Fresno State.
On NIU's ensuing drive, they ran 13 plays that totaled 55 yards, ultimately setting up a 37-yard field goal attempt for Mathew Sims.
After USU's next drive resulted in a punt, NIU took possession, and approached the red zone, but on a fourth down, failed to convert, consequently turning the ball over.
The Aggies capitalized off the turnover; Darell Garretson threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Swindall, and USU regained the lead, 13–7.
[5] NIU's drive at the end of the third quarter carried over; however, when faced with another fourth down, they did not run another fake, and ultimately gave the ball back to USU.
USU drove back down the field on their succeeding possession that lasted 17 plays and 80 yards, encapsulating 7:19, and scored on a DeMartino 1-yard touchdown run.
Starting around their own 40-yard line, with just over four minutes remaining and no timeouts, NIU achieved two first downs before advancing into the red zone, at which point Lynch threw three consecutive incomplete passes into the end zone, before, on 4th down and 10, throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Brescacin with 1:44 remaining, pulling within seven points.