Utah State 24, New Mexico State 21
Utah State was bowl eligible prior to Saturday’s game but the win earned it a berth to the Idaho Potato Bowl. New Mexico State kept it close until the last minute of the game when Utah State concluded a successful drive with an Adam Kennedy touchdown pass to Matt Austin with 35 seconds remaining.
Utah State scored the game’s first touchdown but New Mexico State didn’t go away, and replied with three touchdowns of their own. The visiting Utah State Aggies took advantage of an unstoppable ground game that saw four players rush for at least 60 yards. Michael Smith led Utah State with 121 yards on 18 carries and Kennedy threw for 123 yards and three touchdown passes, completing 75 percent of his passes. BYU 41, Hawaii 20
The Cougars have been the WAC’s Achilles heel all season and Saturday’s match-up in Honolulu wasn’t any different when the visitors rose to 5-0 against WAC opponents. BYU will play Tulsa in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Despite Hawaii’s six wins, the Warriors also have seven losses and won’t represent the conference during bowl season.
The Warriors were competitive early, and scored the game’s first touchdown then took a 13-10 lead into halftime before the Cougar onslaught began. BYU found the end zone four times in the third quarter and Hawaii scored just once in the second half.
The Warriors haven’t found an offensive rhythm since losing quarterback Bryant Moniz to injury. BYU quarterback Riley Nelson on the other hand, threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns and the Cougars outrushed the Warriors 167-17.San Diego State 35, Fresno State 28
Saturday’s loss in San Diego was Bulldog coach Pat Hill’s last game at the helm in Fresno, the 59-year-old was fired shortly after the game. The Aztecs will be on a plane to New Orleans for the Carriers New Orleans Bowl Dec. 17, but had trouble with Fresno State early Saturday.
The Bulldogs blocked a field goal in the first quarter and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown, then extended their lead following an 88-yard pass from Derek Carr to Jalen Saunders. Carr found Josh Harper for a 23-yard touchdown pass to make it a three-touchdown game but San Diego State started the offensive ignition toward the end of the first half, and scored two touchdowns in five minutes.
It was an all-Aztec third quarter when San Diego State took its first lead of the game after Ronnie Hillman punched in his third rushing touchdown of the game. Fresno running back Robbie Rouse responded in the fourth quarter but Hillman’s fourth of the game with one minute remaining secured the San Diego State win. Tillman rushed for 178 yards on the day and despite the loss, Carr was 19-35 with 336 passing yards.