Cowboys pull out a thriller in San Diego
by The Road on Nov 15, 2009 1:23 AM PST
in Football
7 comments
Down 27-6 heading into the fourth quarter it looked like the Wyoming Cowboys dreams of a bowl berth were fading faster then the seconds counting down on the clock.
But suddenly things started to click for a team that had managed only 16 points in the last 15 quarters. QB Austyn Carta-Samuels scored on a 10 yard run on the second play in the fourth quarter to make the score 27-13 in favor of the Aztecs. The Cowboys stopped the Aztecs and got the ball back on their own 27. After working down the field and into Aztec territory Alvester Alexander busted a 33 yard touchdown run to make the score 27-20 with ten and a half minutes remaining in the game.
San Diego State got the ball back and put together a 11 play 5:29 long drive that stalled on the Wyoming nine yard line. A 28 yard field goal attempt by Lane Yoshida was blocked and recovered by Tashaun Gipson of the Cowboys and returned to the Wyoming 38. The Pokes put together a solid drive highlighted by long runs by Alvester Alexander and Brandon Stewart. Austyn Carta-Samulels found freshman TE David Tooley for a 9 yard TD pass and tied the game at 27-27 with 2 minutes and 3 seconds remaining.
The Cowboys kicked a pooch kick on the ensuing kickoff that was fumbled by the Aztecs and recovered for Wyoming by Kenny Browder at the San Diego 44 yard line. Slowly the Cowboys crept down the field before Ian Watts kicked a 43 yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining to give the Cowboys an improbable 24 point come back and 30-27 victory.
With the victory the Cowboys improved to 5-5 (3-3 Mountain West) and kept their bowl chances alive. The Cowboys will now need to win one more of their remaining games: 11/21 vs TCU or 11/27 @ CSU to secure a bowl game.
San Diego State (4-6,2-4 MWC) was in control most of the game and looked they were cruising towards a victory with their 27-6 lead after three quarters. The Aztecs will have to beat Utah on the road next week and UNLV in Vegas if they want a shot at a bowl game. Buzz had been building the last couple weeks as the Aztecs had won some big games in the middle of the season over Colorado State and New Mexico that gave them hopes of playing in December.
QB Ryan Lindley didn't have the offense humming for the Aztecs like he usually does and finished 18 for 29 for just 200 yards and no touchdowns. The Aztecs did have one of their best performances on the ground this season as Brandon Sullivan rushed 18 times for 105 yards and two TD's in the first half.
The Cowboys had a rather balanced offense that put up 446 total yards compared to 357 for the Aztecs. Austyn Carta-Samuels went 16 of 22 for 246 yards passing plus 51 yards rushing. He also had one touchdown passing and one rushing.
The rushing attack for the Cowboys was impressive as they put up 200 yards on ground. They were led by Brandon Stewart with 7 yards and Alvester Alexander with 72. Alexander also had a 56 yard reception.
Dave Tooley had his best game of the season as he finished with 4 catches for 70 yards and the game tying touchdown.
The Cowboys won because they played their best in the fourth quarter and made some big plays on special teams. The Aztecs let this one slip away and their bowl chances probably went with it.
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WOW
Can not believe I turned the game off when SDSU was up big.
by Jeremy Mauss on Nov 15, 2009 3:00 AM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Man, this thrills me.
I’m a Wyoming alum, but I’m just stuck in the Eastern time zone (if it were up to me, the Eastern/Central line would be moved 40 miles eastward and I’d get a precious hour back). I had to turn off that game late in the third because it was already waaay past my bedtime.
After the way that SDSU had just owned time of possession in the third quarter, I didn’t think Wyoming would have enough gas left in the tank to make that comeback. I could have seen it happening in Laramie, where the altitude tires out sea-level opponents, but not in San Diego. And having read through the play-by-play, to see that only one turnover was involved was shocking. (That depends on how you count the blocked field goal attempt, I guess.)
Man, I’d love to see that fourth quarter, though. Condolences to Dude52089; I’m all too familiar with that feeling.
by Hooper on Nov 15, 2009 7:48 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
The Mtn
will probably replay this game as they do often.
by Jeremy Mauss on Nov 15, 2009 8:36 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry if i wore my emotions on my sleeve
Just a tough way and i thought we had dominated 3 quarters of the game so to watch you team just implode its tough good luck in the last week we need you guys to make a bowl.
Chargers = Aztecs
We have proof.
by Dude52089 on Nov 15, 2009 1:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, hey. No problem.
That’s just being a fan. I knew you meant it respectfully and you weren’t just slinging mud.
Besides, I’d rather you express yourself; at least I’ll know where you stand. ;-)
And besides, if you do beat Utah, I’ll certainly be pulling for you against UNLV.
by Hooper on Nov 15, 2009 8:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
The blocked field goal and the fumbled kickoff return were killer.
And the SDSU defense just fell over in the second half, giving up big play after big play. It kind of reminded me of Air Force in basketball a few years back, except not quite as miraculous.
by JollyWaffle on Nov 15, 2009 10:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
That mystified me.
After that third quarter, I would have expected Wyoming’s defense to implode with fatigue. But they didn’t have to play a whole lot in the fourth. It was just one of those games. Reset the world at the end of the third, and SDSU wins that 97 times out of 100.
by Hooper on Nov 15, 2009 8:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
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