Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose State
Bulldogs Fall To Spartans, 24-14
12/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 2, 2006
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Adam Tafralis threw three touchdown passes and rushed for a career-high 76 yards, helping San Jose State end a 12-game losing streak to Fresno State with a 24-14 victory Saturday.
Christopher Owens intercepted two passes, one in the final three minutes, and Matt Castelo made a key interception inside the five-yard line for the New Mexico Bowl-bound Spartans (8-4, 5-3 WAC), who last beat Fresno State in 1990.
Dwayne Wright rushed for 106 yards and scored a touchdown for the Bulldogs (4-8, 4-4), who had their three-game winning streak snapped and ended with a losing season for the first time since 1998.
Tom Brandstater threw for 215 yards on 21-of-37 passing for the Bulldogs, but he also threw four interceptions.
Dwight Lowry intercepted his ninth pass, a school record, for the Spartans.
Tafralis threw for 206 yards as the Spartans finished the regular season with five more wins than last year. The eight wins is the most since the Spartans finished 9-2-1 in 1990, also their last appearance in a bowl game.
The Spartans scored twice in the first 4 minutes of the game, including their first offensive play.
Senior wide receiver John Broussard got open deep and caught Tafralis' pass in stride, running untouched into the end zone to complete the 85-yard play, the eighth longest pass play in San Jose State history, with the game 35 seconds old.
Owens picked off Brandstater's first pass and returned it to the Bulldogs' 29, setting up James T. Callier's 10-yard pass from Tafralis with 11:36 left in the first quarter.
Fresno State struck back with two second quarter touchdowns to tie it at 14.
Wright's 11-yard romp with 12:32 left in the first half capped a 91-yard, 13-play drive.
Fresno State senior linebacker Alan Goodwin picked up a loose ball and returned it 28 yards for the tying score. Marcus McCauley knocked the ball loose from Spartan receiver Pat Perry and Goodwin grabbed the ball in the air.
San Jose State scored the go-ahead touchdown after a strange turn of events on a fourth down play in the closing minutes of the first half.
The Spartans tried to draw Fresno State off sides on a fourth down call at the Bulldogs' 42-yard line. Failing that the Spartans elected to take a delay penalty. Waylon Prather punted the ball, where it was originally ruled downed at the one.
A review of the play determined that the ball bounced into the end zone and would be placed on the 20. Fresno State, though, was offside on the play and the Spartans elected to take the penalty, getting another chance.
This time Tafralis hooked up with James Jones on a 42-yard touchdown pass. Jones caught the pass under heavy pressure and bulled his way into the end zone.
Jared Strubeck added a 25-yard field goal with 8:50 left to play to give the Spartans their 10-point advantage at 24-14.
NOTES:
Alan Goodwin's second quarter fumble recovery, the second of his career, led to his first career touchdown on a 28-yard return. That tied the score 14-14. He later added his first interception of the season in the third quarter.
San Jose State scored on the first offensive play of the game, the first time that's happened since Nov. 10, 2005 when Boise State did it. It was the only touchdown the Bulldogs allowed that day.
Dwayne Wright scored Fresno State's first touchdown of the game, his 11th rushing touchdown of the season. He had his eighth 100-yard game of the season and finished the season with 1,462 yards on 261 carries.
Wright's final career starts are: 501 carries for 2,495 yards and 17 touchdowns. He finished No. 3 in Fresno State history for most rushing yards in a season and career.
Clint Stitser's missed 48-yard field goal was his first miss in seven games, stopping a streak of nine consecutive field goals. He has made 21-of-28 in his career.
The Dogs allowed one quarterback sack in the contest, setting a new program record for fewest allowed in a season with 12. The old record was 14 set in 2005. The Dogs ranked No. 4 in the NCAA coming into the game.
The Bulldogs set a season record for fewest fumbles with five on the season. The Dogs did not have a fumble against the Spartans. Coming into the game, FS was No. 6 in the NCAA with the fewest fumbles.
Fresno State's offense started six players who are freshmen or sophomores in the game.
Fresno State will hold its annual year-end awards banquet on Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. at the Fresno Convention Center.
Quotes
Fresno State Head Coach Pat Hill:
"We got down early and never really got into a rhythm. We were able to get back into the game but we had some things happen that really hurt us. That's been the story of our season. "
"At the end of the half we have the running into the kicker penalty which gave them the ball back and they hit a big play for a touchdown going into the half with the momentum. We have a first and goal on the four and have a motion call when we can really run the ball but then we are back-up and forced to throw and turn it over. Good teams can't do that."
"Give credit to San Jose State. They really played well today. They made some big plays. Dick deserves a lot of credit. San Jose State has always had great athletes but they believe right now and very confident."
"We just need to go back and get back to work. We will start over. It's been a bad year, no question, but now it's over and we can get ready for 2007. The Dogs will be back, I promise you."
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