Philadelphia, PA (Best E Casino) - BOISE STATE: In just his third start for the Broncos, Kellen Moore threw for 386 yards and three touchdowns to help the squad slip past 17th-ranked Oregon on the road by a score of 37-32. Running back Ian Johnson was limited to only 40 yards on 19 carries, but he did make it into the end zone once in BSU's first-ever meeting against the Ducks. With the victory the Broncos jumped into the national rankings at number 19 on Sunday, joining Fresno State as the WAC representatives in the AP's Top-25. The Broncos now take some time off between battles and will prepare for an October 1st visit by the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs to kick off Western Athletic Conference play. Of the nine meetings between the two programs, BSU has claimed victory six times.
FRESNO STATE: The 25th-ranked Bulldogs scored 55 points on Saturday versus Toledo, and still only won by a single point on the road in Ohio. The point total for Fresno State was the most since the squad produced a 55-17 win over Weber State three years ago. The hero of the day for FSU was Nico Herron who deflected a potential game-winning two-point conversion in the second overtime period by Aaron Opelt. Quarterback Tom Brandstater, who had a touchdown run of his own in overtime, connected on 22-of-28 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns, without an interception. The Bulldogs continue their assault on BCS programs as they contend against UCLA on the road this coming Saturday. FSU defeated the Bruins in the Silicon Valley Bowl in 2003 by a score of 17-9, marking the only win in seven tries for the Bulldogs against the Pac-10 Conference member.
HAWAII: The Warriors enjoyed their first of two byes this past week after being blown out by Oregon State on the road on September 13th. Over the course of the team's first three games it has been outscored by a combined 118-53, with the only victory coming against Weber State out on the island. Next up for the Warriors is a date with San Jose State on Saturday at Aloha Stadium. Dating back to 1924, the majority of the meetings have taken place out on the island where each team has recorded 10 victories. Hawaii has won seven in a row over SJSU, including a 42-35 overtime decision a year ago to even out the overall series at 15-15-1.
IDAHO: The Vandals' defense was treated rather rudely by Utah State on Saturday, the hometown Aggies posted nearly 600 yards in the 42-17 victory at Romney Stadium. Idaho signal-caller Nathan Enderle converted 20-of-35 passes for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but was sacked three times and intercepted once in the setback. Despite running two more plays than the Aggies (70-68), Idaho had less than half the yardage (271), averaging less than three yards per rushing attempt. The Vandals try to hunt down San Diego State this coming weekend in southern California. Idaho posted a 48-38 win in the most recent meeting in 2002 to even the all-time series at 1-1.
LATECH: The special teams for the Bulldogs came up big in their meeting with Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, with Phillip Livas scoring on a punt return and Weldon Brown getting credit for a touchdown following a blocked field goal attempt in LaTech's 41-26 victory at home. The Bulldogs rolled up 249 yards on the ground, while quarterback Taylor Bennett hit on 15-of-27 pass attempts for 196 yards and a score. This week LaTech finds itself with a bye, giving the program more time to plan for the October 1st WAC opener versus nationally-ranked Boise State on the road.
NEVADA: After sitting idle last week, the 1-2 Wolf Pack get back to action with a Silver State showdown on Saturday night. This coming weekend brings the annual battle for the Fremont Cannon against UNLV to Sam Boyd Stadium in Sin City. Thanks to a 27-20 victory in last year's meeting, the Pack now owns an 18-15 advantage over the Rebels all time.
NEW MEXICO STATE: The Aggies posted their first win in the Sun Bowl in over a decade on Saturday when they defeated the UTEP Miners by a score of 34-33. Quarterback Chase Holbrook lit up the skies for 329 yards and five touchdowns, offsetting his two interceptions and three sacks. Marcus Anderson had a huge game as well for NMSU with five catches that led to 70 yards and three TDs. The downside to the team's efforts came in the running game which generated a mere 37 yards on 25 attempts. The next opponent for the Aggies comes to town this weekend in the form of the New Mexico Lobos. Dating back to 1894, UNM maintains a 66-28-5 record versus New Mexico State, beating the Aggies for the fifth straight time in 2007 with a 34-33 decision in Albuquerque.
SAN JOSE STATE: Less than seven minutes into the second quarter the Spartans found themselves with a 10-0 advantage against local foe Stanford. However, the Cardinal refused to go away and came storming back with 23 unanswered points to take the victory at Stanford Stadium. Under constant pressure, quarterback Kyle Reed hit on an amazing 23-of-26 passes for 165 yards, but he was taken down a total of eight times by the Cardinal, resulting in a loss of 31 yards, which left SJSU with a mere 54 yards rushing on 35 chances. SJSU head coach Dick Tomey returns to his former stomping grounds in the South Pacific as he and the Spartans face off against WAC foe Hawaii this weekend. The Spartans have a record of 15-15-1 versus the Warriors over the years, but it was Hawaii that picked up the 42-35 win in overtime a season ago on the mainland. The last victory for the Spartans in the series came in 2000 when SJSU posted a thrilling 57-48 win.
UTAH STATE: The Aggies' offense exploded for 580 yards and 42 points as it demolished WAC opponent Idaho on Saturday in a 25-point triumph in Logan. The yardage total for USU was the highest since the squad dropped an incredible 684 yards on Weber State in 2001, while freshman Robert Turbin rolled up 123 yards rushing to mark the most for a Utah State player in two years. The Aggies take a break from action this week before facing off against in-state rival BYU at home on October 3rd. The Cougars are ahead in the all-time series by a count of 41-33-3, winning the most recent contest by a score of 38-0 two years ago.
