Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Idaho
Bulldogs Top Vandals, 45-32
10/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 12, 2008
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Game Action 
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -Tom Brandstater passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third, and Lonyae Miller rushed for a career high 181 yards and a touchdown as Fresno State outlasted visiting Idaho 45-32 on Saturday night.
For the second straight game the Bulldogs (4-2, 1-1 WAC) rushed for 318 yards as Anthony Harding rushed for 94 yards on eight carries and Ryan Mathews added 57 yards on eight carries.
Nathan Enderle passed for 237 yards and three touchdowns for Idaho (1-6, 0-3), including two to Preston Davis.
After pulling to within 42-32 on Deonte Jackson's 2-yard touchdown with 7:48 left, Idaho tried its second consecutive onside kick but was unsuccessful after recovering one and converting it into a touchdown a few minutes earlier. The Bulldogs drove 12 yards on six plays before Kevin Goessling booted a 46-yard field goal, a line drive that almost skimmed the crossbar, with 4:57 left.
Seyi Ajirotutu scored two touchdowns for Fresno State, one on a 15-yard reception to close the first half and another on a fumble recovery.
Idaho outgained the Bulldogs 452 to 433 in total yardage and won the time of possession battle.
Leading by 11 points at halftime, the Bulldogs went ahead 28-10 with a touchdown on their opening possession of the third quarter. The four-play, 85-yard drive was capped by three consecutive runs of 19 yards or longer by three different tailbacks. After Miller gained 19 yards, Harding burst through a gaping hole in the Vandals' defense for a 44-yard pickup to the 20. Then Mathews took over, dodging several would-be tacklers on his way to a 20-yard score.
Idaho answered with a drive deep into Bulldogs territory, but quarterback Quin Ashley coughed up the fall when hit by linebacker Nico Herron. Defensive end Chris Lewis made the recovery at the 10.
On the next play, Miller burst off tackle and sprinted down the sideline for a 90-yard touchdown without any Idaho defender even laying a hand on him. Fresno State led 21-10 at halftime after the teams traded touchdowns in the final 1:28 of the second quarter.
The Bulldogs moved 65 yards on nine plays on their final possession, capped by Brandstater's 15-yard touchdown pass to Ajirotutu with 22 seconds left. The score came two plays after Ajirotutu dropped the ball on a similar pass.
Ajirotutu scored his first touchdown by recovering Anthony Harding's fumble in the end zone with 13:18 left in the second quarter, which put Fresno State ahead 14-3. Idaho pulled to within 14-10 on Enderle's 17-yard touchdown pass to Davis with 1:28 left before halftime.
Jackson finished with 93 rushing yards on 18 carries for the Vandals.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs travel to Utah State to take on the Aggies on Saturday, October 25 at 12 p.m. The game will be broadcast by the Bulldog Sports Network and can be seen on KAIL-TV Digital 7.1 (MY 53) beginning at 11:30 a.m. with the Bulldog Blitz pre-game show. The `Dogs return home to Bulldog Stadium on Friday, November 7 as they host Nevada at 6 p.m in a game televised nationally on ESPN2. To purchase tickets, click on the tickets icon at the top of this page, call the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS, or stop by the Bulldog Ticket Office.
