ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Connor Halliday had little to show for record-matching performance in the New Mexico Bowl after Washington State’s late collapse.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Connor Halliday had little to show for record-matching performance in the New Mexico Bowl after Washington State’s late collapse.
The Cougars fumbled the last two times they had the ball, helping Colorado State to an improbable comeback in a 48-45 victory Saturday.
Halliday threw six touchdown passes to match the NCAA bowl record and had 410 yards, but it wasn’t enough.
“It hurts that we have to look ourselves in the mirror that we weren’t able to win the game as an offense,” he said. “Just run the clock out and get first downs and keep our defense off the field.”
Washington State (6-7) led 45-30 when it punted to the Rams (8-6) with 4:17 remaining. Colorado State drove 72 yards in nine plays to score with 2:49 left.
And when the Cougars gained a first down with 2:30 and the Rams out of timeouts, it appeared the game was over.
Halliday, however, fumbled on the next play, but it was overturned on replay.
On the very next play, however, Colorado State linebacker Shaquil Barrett stripped Jeremiah Laufasa, who was making his first carry of the game.
The Rams scored with 33 seconds left and Donnell Alexander managed to hit the pylon on a Statue of Liberty play for the 2-point conversion and a tie.
On the ensuing kickoff, Teondray Caldwell fumbled and Colorado State recovered again, setting up kicker Jared Roberts for the winning 41-yard field goal as time expired, converting his fourth kick of the game.
“Colorado State finished the game. We didn’t,” Washington State coach Mike Leach said. “I think down the stretch they were more consistent on offense. They were more disciplined than we were on defense.”
The Cougars led 35-13 in the third quarter.
“I give Colorado State a lot of credit. They played extremely hard,” Leach said. “They were behind the whole game and they never gave up. They got rewarded for it. We have to be a tougher team. We have to play better.”
Halliday earned offensive honors for his play and freshman receiver River Cracraft turned in his best effort of the season with nine catches for 125 yards and one touchdown.
After the first touchdown pass, Halliday got into a shouting match with Colorado State defensive line coach Greg Lupfer when Halliday ran into the Rams’ sideline. That exchange created a social media buzz and McElwain vowed look into it.
“Coach grabbed me and said some profane things to me and that’s all I’ll say about it,” Halliday said.
After the game, Lupfer issued an apology through Colorado State’s twitter account. “”I am truly sorry for what I said. It was wrong and those words do not represent who I am and what I believe in,” Lupfer said without offering details to what he said. “I apologize for the embarrassment I caused for Colorado State University, this team (and) my family.”
The Cougars’ rushing game was ineffective throughout the game while Colorado State was able to move it well on the ground. Rams back Kapri Bibbs finished with 169 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns. And Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns.
“That win right there…it’s pretty amazing how it worked but at the end of the day, it’s about being resilient,” Rams coach Jim McElwain. “It’s about understanding (that) every play has a history and life of its own.”
LAS VEGAS BOWL
USC 45, Fresno State 20
LAS VEGAS — Southern California wrapped up its rocky season by rolling over Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Cody Kessler passed for 344 yards and a bowl-record four touchdowns in the Trojans’ victory over the 21st-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday under Clay Helton, their third head coach in less than three months.
Marqise Lee and Nelson Agholor had two touchdown catches apiece, Javorius Allen rushed two more scores, and the Trojans (10-4) answered every question about their motivation by dancing on the sideline while routing a BCS contender for the storied program’s first postseason victory since 2009.
Derek Carr passed for 217 yards and two TDs in his final game at Fresno State (11-2), which fell behind 35-6 at halftime and failed to secure the first 12-win season in school history.
From Kessler’s smooth offense to a dynamic defensive effort against Fresno State’s FBS-best passing game, USC was uniformly outstanding in its only game under Helton. The offensive coordinator filled the one-game gap between coaches Ed Orgeron and Steve Sarkisian on the Trojans’ coaching carousel, but USC picked up right where Orgeron left off after its desultory start to the season under Lane Kiffin.
Kessler even outdid Carr, his fellow Bakersfield native and friend, setting the Las Vegas Bowl record for TD passes before halftime and finishing 22 for 30. Carr, the nation’s leader in yards passing and total offense, became the fourth player in NCAA history to surpass 5,000 yards passing and 50 TD passes during the game. He went 30 for 54 under constant pressure.
FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL
San Diego State 49, Buffalo 24
BOISE, Idaho — Adam Muema rushed for 230 yards and three touchdowns and Quinn Kaehler threw two scoring passes in San Diego State’s victory over Buffalo in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The Aztecs pulled away early, scoring three touchdowns in a 5:24 span stretching from the end of the first half into the third quarter. The scoring spree was fueled by two costly Buffalo turnovers, the first an interception just before halftime that set up Kaehler’s 25-yard touchdown toss to Dylan Denso.
The Bulls then fumbled on the opening kick in third quarter. The Aztecs (8-5, 6-2 Mountain West) scored five plays later when Kaehler fired an 11-yard TD to Adam Roberts to go up 35-10.
Not much went right for the Bulls (8-5, 6-2 Mid-American Conference), playing in the second bowl game in the team’s 100-year history. Buffalo had three turnovers and just 309 total yards.
NEW ORLEANS BOWL
Louisiana-Lafayette 24, Tulane 21
NEW ORLEANS — Corey Trim returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown, Hunter Stover hit a go-ahead 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Louisiana-Lafayette held off Tulane for its third straight New Orleans Bowl victory.
Tulane set up for a 48-yard field goal try in the final seconds, but Cairo Santos, the 2012 Lou Groza award winner as the nation’s best kicker, missed just left.
Elijah McGuire and Alonzo Harris each had touchdowns runs for the Ragin’ Cajuns (9-4), who led 21-0 on Trim’s interception of Nick Montana. But Tulane rallied to tie it at 21 on three TD runs by Orleans Darkwa.
Terrance Broadway played with a cast on his broken right — and throwing — arm, passing for 143 yards and running for 33. Devin Powell replaced Montana in the first half and passed for 223 yards for Tulane (7-6).
DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP
Northwest Missouri St. 43, Lenoir-Rhyne 28
FLORENCE, Ala. — Trevor Adams passed for 277 yards and three touchdowns to lead Northwest Missouri State to a 43-28 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday in the Division II championship game.
The Bearcats (15-0) won their fourth national title to match Grand Valley State for second-most behind North Dakota State’s five. They’re the fifth team to go 15-0, managing that feat for a second time.
Lenoir-Rhyne (13-2) fell short in only the onetime NAIA champion’s second appearance in the Division II playoffs.
Adams completed 15 of 25 of passes with touchdowns of 29 and 30 yards to Reuben Thomas. The pair hooked up for their first score on fourth and 7 on the opening drive and the Bearcats were up 17-0 after 10 minutes.
Lenoir-Rhyne’s spread flexbone offense couldn’t catch up, despite a quick spark from backup quarterback and playoff star Josh Justice when he came in midway through the third quarter.
By wire sources