La. Tech 44, New Mexico State 0
The Bulldogs clinched the WAC and an automatic bowl berth with their defeat of the Aggies in the regular season finale in Ruston, La. The La. Tech shutout saw the host score all 44 points prior to the fourth quarter. The win caps the end of a regular season seven-game winning streak that started on Oct. 8. Six of those wins came against WAC opponents. La. Tech will likely face Mountain West champion, TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl. Against New Mexico State, La. Tech utilized a red hot rushing game led by Hunter Lee, who ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Aggie freshman quarterback Travaughn Colwell threw three interceptions, one of which was returned 45 yards for a Bulldog touchdown. Utah State 21, Nevada 17
Utah State became bowl eligible after its fourth consecutive win in a nail biter that came down to a Robert Turbin touchdown reception as time expired in the third quarter. The Wolf Pack retained a three-point lead heading into halftime, and Utah State’s offense waited until late in the third quarter to initiate a comeback. Matt Austin and Aggie quarterback Adam Kennedy connected for a 21-yard touchdown with less than two minutes remaining to give Utah State its first lead of the game. Nevada answered immediately when Wolf Pack quarterback Cody Lantrip found receiver Rishard Matthews down field for a 76-yard touchdown throw that put the visitors back on top with 1:23 left in the third. This lead didn’t last as Utah State receiver and back-up quaterback Stanley Morrison came through when he hooked-up with Turbin for a 34-yard touchdown. This proved to be the decider as neither team scored during the fourth quarter.
San Jose State 27, Fresno State 24
Both teams’ dismal WAC marks didn’t ruin the battle of the 152nd rivalry between the in-state foes. The host Bulldogs started out with all of the momentum, earning an early 10-0 lead following a field goal and Robbie Rouse rushing touchdown. The Spartans charged back with a field goal and rushing touchdown of their own to tie it at 10-10, but Rouse punched one more before halftime to help Fresno State regain the lead. The third quarter favored the visiting Spartans, who converted a field goal and took back the lead through Matt Faulkner’s 38-yard touchdown pass to Jabari Carr. Faulkner found receiver Noel Grigsby early in the fourth to extend San Jose’s lead to 10. Fresno State attempted a comeback of its own as Bulldog quarterback Derek Carr made things interesting late in the fourth when he closed the gap to three after Fresno State’s first passing touchdown of the game. It proved to be too little too late for the Bulldogs though as both teams finish the season with 3-4 WAC records. Hawaii 35, Tulane 23
With an injury to standout starting quarterback Bryant Moniz, the Warriors employed a two-quarterback system with David Graves and Shane Austin and barely came out of their season finale with a victory. With the win, Hawaii is now bowl eligible but will be without Moniz. Against the Conference-USA opponent, Graves accounted for two of Hawaii’s three first half touchdowns and the hosts led 21-14 heading into the third quarter. Graves found Trevor Davis early in the third for his third touchdown of the game but Tulane forced a safety and Orleans Darkwa ran in a 2-yard touchdown to close the Warriors’ lead to five. Hawaii running back Joey Iosefa clinched the win midway through the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run and the Warriors finish the season .500 despite major injury setbacks.