Rigtrup, transferring to Ogden from Snow College this offseason, found himself in the middle of a 49-20 win, just the second of the season for the Wildcats (2-2, 1-0 Big Sky), escalating to a double-digit lead early and leaning on the transfer for big plays.

Late in the first half, Rigtrup replaced an injured Spencer Ferguson (knee), a Davis High alum and the Wildcats’ starting running back, in the closing minutes of the first half. He’d punch in the first of two short-yardage touchdown runs for a 28-6 lead.

“I think that’s just how our running back room is — we’re just tight,” Rigtrup said. “Just being able to go in and fill in for Spencer and help in any way that I can is a big deal. I think all of us running backs have that same mindset.”

It’s the second time Ferguson’s left a game this season following his absence last week at Colorado. Wildcats head coach Eric Kjar anticipates the former Dart to miss a couple of weeks in recovery, but isn’t dialing back his expectations in the run game one bit.

Stepping up after Ferguson’s injury, Rigtrup carried the ball 12 times for 105 yards.

“Our running back room is really deep and I love all of them,” Kjar said.

“(Rigtrup)’s a really explosive player and … has been good for us so far this year,” the coach continued. “(He’s) explosive in our run game and makes some great cuts. … He’s a fast accelerator, which I think (NSU) saw today trying to make some tackles.”

Special teams, specifically, is a high note for WSU entering next week’s home Big Sky opener against Portland State.

Rigtrup, leading the Badgers with 688 yards and 10 touchdowns in his lone season at two-year Snow in 2025, considers himself fortunate to be back on special teams, too.

It’s a role he hasn’t filled since high school, but it fits the former All-State rusher like a glove, with two kickoffs returned for 100 combined yards, his longest worth 55 after a TD was shortened on a penalty.

“We’ve been working a lot on that, and I’m super happy we were able to put some things together,” Rigtrup said. “All of us just try to fill our role, and when we do that, good things happen, so we work a lot on that in practice, and it was fun to see that work out tonight.”

Trouble found WSU’s backfield when Ferguson, rushing nine times for 83 yards and a touchdown up to that point, went down with 3:16 to play in the second half. Rigtrup took over as No. 2 running back Omar Shah was held out of Saturday’s game.

After scoring before halftime, Rigtrup signaled his second touchdown at the end of an eight-play, 55-yard scoring drive atop the third quarter.

More opportunity awaits next week when a 0-4 Portland State program comes to town in desperate search of a momentum-booster. The Vikings, featuring a heavily overhauled front, are allowing 205 rushing yards per game and 5.7 yards per rush.

Connect with Standard-Examiner sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net, X @ctbecker and Instagram @standardexaminersports.