Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
IDAHO: Back on the field for the first time since firing head coach Robb Akey,
the Vandals changed little in their approach against San Jose State at home on
Saturday as they suffered a 42-13 setback under the direction of interim head
coach Jason Gesser. The Vandals were paced by Logan Bushnell who connected on
14-of-29 passes for 196 yards and a score, but he was picked off once and
sacked five times as Idaho suffered its third straight defeat. Taylor Davis
converted 3-of-8 passes for a mere 11 yards and was sacked once as well. The
duo stepped up to replace former starting quarterback Dominique Blackman who
was dismissed from the team due to disciplinary issues. After nine games,
Idaho is not only last in the nation in scoring with only 15.7 ppg, the team
is also 118th in scoring defense, permitting 42.0 ppg. The Vandals are now set
to break from their WAC schedule in order to take on the BYU Cougars this
week. In a series that dates back to 1953, the teams are tied at two games
apiece after BYU delivered a convincing 42-7 win over Idaho in Provo last
season.
LOUISIANA TECH: Colby Cameron threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns as he
helped guide the Bulldogs to a convincing 51-27 WAC victory over the
Roadrunners of Texas-San Antonio in Ruston on Saturday. Cameron completed 30-
of-39 passes for LaTech as the team won its third straight outing and moved to
8-1 overall and remained perfect in league play at 3-0. Also having a strong
game for the Bulldogs was running back Kenneth Dixon who carried the ball 18
times for 72 yards and three touchdowns of his own. Quinton Patton caught a
game-high 10 passes for 152 yards and a TD as the team finished with 537 yards
of total offense, while being penalized a whopping 15 times for a loss of 157
yards. Next up for the Bulldogs, now ranked 19th in the latest AP Poll, is a
meeting with Texas State, the other new addition to the WAC for this season.
Even though the Bobcats have had a program for quite some time, this will be
the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
NEW MEXICO STATE: The Aggies took a break from their WAC schedule last
weekend, but that didn't mean the outcome would be any more favorable as the
squad suffered a lopsided 42-7 setback versus Auburn on the road. In a battle
between a pair of programs that each had just a single victory heading into
the week, New Mexico State was held to 305 yards of total offense, the team's
lone score coming on a two-yard touchdown run by Tiger Powell early in the
fourth quarter after the Tigers had already racked up 28 points. Quarterback
Andrew Manley converted 17-of-30 passes for 222 yards and was sacked four
times, while Austin Franklin, now ranked third in the nation with an average
of 124.3 ypg receiving, caught seven balls for a game-high 154 yards as the
team suffered its eighth straight loss. The Aggies, who defeated Sacramento
State in the season opener at home, 49-19, have not topped another program
from the FBS since delivering a 48-45 victory over Fresno State nearly one
year ago. The next stop for the Aggies is a home date against San Jose State
this weekend. Unfortunately for New Mexico State, the team hasn't had much
luck in this rivalry, winning just three of 19 meetings.
SAN JOSE STATE: David Fales threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns as he led
the Spartans to a 42-13 win over the Idaho Vandals in WAC action at the Kibbie
Dome on Saturday. Fales completed 27-of-39 passes and was sacked one time, as
the Spartans posted their third straight win and the seventh in the last eight
outings. Noel Grigsby caught six balls for 88 yards and a couple of scores,
while De'Leon Eskridge chipped in with 47 yards and a TD on 16 rushing
attempts. The defense contributed to the scoring as well with Bene Benwikere
intercepting a pass and returning it 47 yards to the end zone in the fourth
quarter to put the game far out of reach. The Spartans make their way to Las
Cruces this weekend to tangle with the New Mexico State Aggies. San Jose State
has won 16 of the previous 19 matchups between the two squads, including a
34-24 victory at home last season.
TEXAS STATE: The Bobcats were nowhere to be found on Saturday as they tried to
keep up with Utah State on the road. Unfortunately, Texas State trailed by
five touchdowns at intermission and never recovered in what became a 38-7 loss
at Romney Stadium in Western Athletic Conference action. Texas State, now 3-5
on the season overall and 1-2 in league play, allowed close to 600 yards of
total offense while producing just 158 yards on 54 plays. Shaun Rutherford
converted 8-of-15 passes for a mere 71 yards, tossed one interception and was
sacked three times. Backup signal-caller Tyler Arndt hit just two of his eight
pass attempts for five yards, while Marcus Curry accounted for the only
touchdown with a three-yard run in the third quarter. This coming weekend, the
Bobcats are back at home for the only time during a five-game stretch, taking
on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in conference play.
TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO: Eric Soza was back under center for the Roadrunners on
Saturday versus 22nd-ranked Louisiana Tech and while he was able to throw four
TD passes on the road, UTSA still came up short in a 51-27 final in Ruston.
Soza completed 23-of-41 passes for 314 yards, with tight end Cole Hubble
turning his three catches into 101 yards and a couple of TDs for the visitors,
but still they suffered their fourth straight loss and dropped to 1-3 in WAC
action after opening the 2012 campaign with five straight victories. The
Roadrunners generated 438 yards of total offense in the meeting, but at the
same time allowed 537 yards to the Bulldogs and were flagged 14 times for a
massive 142 yards. The Roadrunners take a break from their WAC slate this
weekend to do battle with FCS foe McNeese State. The teams matched up late
last season as well, with the Cowboys claiming a 24-21 victory at home.
UTAH STATE: The Aggies rattled off 35 unanswered points in the first half on
Saturday, en route to an easy 38-7 victory over the Texas State Bobcats in
Western Athletic Conference action at Romney Stadium. Now 8-2 on the season
overall and still undefeated through its first four conference games, Utah
State was paced by Chuckie Keeton who, despite throwing a pair of
interceptions, finished the outing 20-of-27 for 316 yards and four touchdowns.
Matt Austin caught four balls for 124 yards and a score, while Kerwynn
Williams logged a team-best 120 yards rushing on 19 attempts to help the team
produce a hefty 593 yards of total offense. Defensively, USU held the Bobcats
to just 158 total yards and 3-of-13 on third down during the contest. The
Aggies finally catch a break in the schedule this week and with the additional
time off they'll prepare for a matchup against mighty Louisiana Tech in Ruston
on Nov. 17.
The Sports Network