Colorado State used numerous big plays, including Greg Myers' 84-yard punt return for a touchdown, to win a share of its second straight Western Athletic Conference title and a Holiday Bowl berth with a 24-13 victory over San Diego State on Saturday night.
After shutting down San Diego State's high-powered offense, the Rams (8-3) will return to Jack Murphy Stadium on Dec. 29 to play Kansas State. It is the first time Colorado State has gone to bowls in consecutive years, and only its fourth bowl bid overall. The Rams lost 24-14 to Michigan in last year's Holiday Bowl.The Rams shared the WAC title with Utah and Brigham Young at 6-2, but gained the Holiday Bowl berth by virtue of victories over both schools. Air Force, playing a late game at Hawaii, also could share the title, but had no shot at the bowl berth.
San Diego State (8-4, 5-3 WAC) is now 1-3-1 in regular-season home finales that have helped to decide the Holiday Bowl berth. The Aztecs have played in the hometown bowl only once, losing 39-38 to Iowa in 1986. San Diego State needed a win against Colorado State to reach the bowl, plus scenarios involving Brigham Young and Air Force.
Colorado State has the top-ranked defense in the WAC and San Diego State the top-rated offense. The Rams won that battle, holding George Jones, the nation's No. 3 rusher, to his second-lowest output of the year, 87 yards on 26 carries. Jones had been averaging 159.5 yards a game.
Billy Blanton was harassed all night and sacked six times, three times by end Brady Smith and twice by the other end, Sean Moran. Steve Standifer had two interceptions, one in the end zone and one at the Colorado State 13.
Blanton still finished with 311 yards and one TD, completing 33-of-48.
Myers stunned the Aztecs with his third punt return for a touchdown this year, giving Colorado State a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter. He caught Noel Prefontaine's punt at the 16, with his momentum carrying him backward, then evaded three San Diego State tacklers in the first 10 yards and springing through an opening in the middle to finish the 84-yard return.
Moses Moreno threw touchdown passes of 14 yards to Paul Turner and 4 yards to Jeremy Calhoun as Colorado State took a 21-3 halftime lead.
On the Rams' first possession after Myers' punt return, Moreno needed only five plays to move the Rams 85 yards, capping it with the TD pass to Calhoun. Jaime Blake had a 28-yard run and Calhoun a 46-yard reception.
Calhoun had a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch for 43 yards to set up the TD pass to Turner for a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter. Moreno was 16-of-25 for 247 yards, Calhoun had five catches for 107 yards and Blake ran 15 times for 85 yards.
San Diego State's only touchdown was a 55-yard pass from Blanton to Daryl Hawkins early in the fourth quarter. Peter Holt had field goals of 42 and 28 as San Diego State was continually frustrated inside the Rams 30.
Colorado State hadn't won in San Diego since 1980, losing six straight to the Aztecs and then last year's Holiday Bowl. However, the Rams won their 10th straight WAC road game since late in the 1993 season.
Wyoming 42, UTEP 19
At El Paso, Texas, Josh Wallwork threw for four touchdowns and ran for one as Wyoming defeated Texas-El Paso 42-19 on Saturday in the season finale for both teams.
Wallwork, who completed 13-of-20 passes for 252 yards, hooked up with Marcus Harris on a 66-yard touchdown pass to cap a seven-play, 79-yard drive at 8:23 in the opening period. On the next series, Wyoming (6-5, 4-4 WAC) went ahead 14-0 as Wallwork found Harris wide open for a 55-yard touchdown reception.
Harris, the 6-foot-2, 209-pound junior, entered the game as the leading receiver in the Western Athletic Conference. He caught five passes for 180 yards and two TDs, giving him 78 catches for 1,423 yards this season.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WAC standings
Conf. Overall
Team W L T W L T
Colorado St. 6 2 0 8 3 0
Utah 6 2 0 7 4 0
BYU 6 2 0 7 4 0
Air Force 5 2 0 7 4 0
San Diego St. 5 3 0 8 4 0
Wyoming 4 4 0 6 5 0
Hawaii 2 5 0 4 6 0
New Mexico 2 6 0 5 6 0
Fresno St. 2 6 0 5 7 0
UTEP 1 7 0 2 10 0
Saturday's games
Wyoming 42, UTEP 19
BYU 45, Fresno State 28
Air Force at Hawaii, late
Colorado State 24, San Diego State 13