2014 Mountain West Roundup – Week 8

Oct. 18 San Jose State 27, at Wyoming 20 OT 
And You Care Because … San Jose State forced overtime on a 50-yard Austin Lopez field goal, and then came up with a four-yard Tyler Winston touchdown catch in the extra frame. Wyoming was stuffed, and the Spartans came away with the win. The Cowboys tied the game in the fourth on a 48-yard Shaun Wick run, and took the lead on a 19-yard Stuart Williams field goal before Lopez came up with his kick. Wyoming’s offense only came up with one touchdown, with Blair Burns returning a fumble for a 63-yard touchdown for the defense in the third quarter, but Joe Gray threw two touchdown passes and ran for another for the Spartans. 
What Else? Total yards: San Jose State 471 – Wyoming 277 
– San Jose State QB Joe Gray completed 33-of-45 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for a touchdown 
– Wyoming RB Shaun Wick ran 16 times for 97 yards and a touchdown, and caught four passes for 27 yards 
– San Jose State RB Tyler Ervin ran 22 times for 96 yards, and ran six times for 59 yards 
Game Rating: B+

Oct. 18 at Air Force 35, New Mexico 31 
And You Care Because … Both teams ran the ball and ran some more, but Air Force got a 50-yard touchdown catch from Jalen Robinette late in the third quarter for a 35-28 Falcon lead. New Mexico could only manage a 28-yard Zack Rogers field goal the rest of the way, stalling in the fourth. D.J. Johnson ran for three short scores for the Falcons, and Kale Pearson added a 21-yard touchdown run to go along with his big scoring pass, but New Mexico got big plays from Jhurell Pressley on touchdown runs from 42 and 50 yards away along with a 43-yard David Guthrie fumble return for a score for a 21-14 lead, but Johnson and the Falcons took over for most of the rest of the way. 
What Else? Rushing: New Mexico 52 for 367 yards and three touchdowns averaging 7.1 yards per carry – Air Force 74 times for 269 yards and four touchdowns averaging 3.6 yards per carry
– New Mexico RB Jhurell Pressley ran 11 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns 
– Air Force QB Kale Pearson completed 5-of-9 passes for 159 yards and a score, and ran 20 times for 66 yards and a touchdown 
– Third down conversions: Air Force 9-of-18 – New Mexico 4-of-15 
Game Rating: B+

Oct. 18 Nevada 42, at BYU 35 
And You Care Because … BYU appeared to be in control for most of the game, with Christian Stewart finding Mitch Mathews for two touchdowns and Paul Lasike scored twice on the way to a 28-13 lead in the first half. It was all Nevada in the second half with Cody Fajardo running for two scores and finding Richy Turner for an 18-yard touchdown on the way to 22 straight points. BYU couldn’t stop making mistakes, turning it over three times and not getting back into the end zone until a Stewart eight-yard touchdown pass to Keanu Nelson with just over two minutes to play to pull the Cougars within seven, but that was it, fumbling away the final drive after getting down to the Wolf Pack 39. 
What Else? Turnovers; BYU 3 – Nevada 0 
– BYU QB Christian Stewart completed 39-of-63 passes for 408 yards and four scores, and ran 16 times for 47 yards 
– BYU WR Mitch Mathews caught 16 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns 
– Nevada QB Cody Fajardo completed 26-of-40 passes for 285 yards and a score, and ran eight times for 47 yards and two touchdowns 
Game Rating: B+

Oct. 18 at Colorado State 16, Utah State 13 
And You Care Because … Jared Roberts hit a game-tying field goal for Colorado State from 46 yards out with less than two minutes to play, and then won it on another 46-yarder with no time left on the clock. Roberts hit his first of three field goals in the first half on a 52-yarder, but the Rams got a touchdown early on a one-yard Dee Hart run. Utah State managed two Nick Diaz field goals and only got into the end zone on a 59-yard Joe Hill run in the first quarter. 
What Else? Penalties: Colorado State 11 for 116 yards – Utah State 6 for 45 yards 
– Colorado State WR Rashard Higgins caught ten passes for 187 yards 
– Utah State QB Darell Garretson completed 14-of-19 passes for 132 yards with an interception before leaving an apparent arm injury 
– Colorado State QB Garrett Grayson completed 20-of-31 passes for 243 yards 
Game Rating: B-

Oct. 17 at Boise State 37, Fresno State 27 
And You Care Because … Jay Ajayi ran for two first half scores and Grant Hedrick hit Shane Williams-Rhodes for a 21-yard score and caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Sperbeck as Boise State put away a game Fresno State. With the game tied at 27 in the fourth, Boise State went 75 yards in 17 plays finishing off with the Hendrick scoring grab, and put away in the final minutes on a 24-yard Dan Goodale field goal. The Bulldogs got Marteze Waller touchdown runs from 76 and three yards out, and Brian Burrell hit Josh Harper on a 32-yard touchdown pass, but the offense couldn’t get the ball back long enough in the fourth to get any rhythm back.
What Else? Boise State RB Jay Ajayi ran 30 times for 158 yards and two scores 
– Time of possession: Boise State 35:33 – Fresno State 24:27 
– Fresno State RB Marteze Waller ran 18 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three passes for 12 yards 
– Total yards: Boise State 492 – Fresno State 313 
Game Rating: B

Oct. 18 at San Diego State 20, Hawaii 10 
And You Care Because … Hawaii came up with the play of the game on a brilliant Hail Mary to Marcus Kemp to end the first half, but that was about it for the offense. San Diego State grinded out a big day from Donnel Pumphrey getting a ten-yard touchdown run early, and Lloyd Mills caught a 26-yard touchdown catch late in the third. The Hawaii offense could only managed a 25-yard Tyler Hadden field goal outside of the one big play. 
What Else? San Diego State RB Donnel Pumphrey ran 25 times for 182 yards and a score 
– Hawaii QB Ikaika Woolsey completed 17-of-31 passes for 174 yards and a score with two picks 
– San Diego State QB Quinn Kaehler completed 13-of-24 passes for 174 yards and a score 
– Total yards: San Diego State 457 – Hawaii 264 
Game Rating: D+