Saturday, October 05, 2002
Fresno St. 32, No. 25 Colorado St. 30
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
FRESNO, Calif. — Paul Pinegar passed for 184 yards, and Fresno State batted down Bradlee Van Pelt's 2-point conversion pass attempt with 50 seconds left as the Bulldogs upset No. 25 Colorado State 32-30 Friday night.
Van Pelt passed for 214 yards and rushed for 125 for the Rams (4-2), but the versatile quarterback couldn't manufacture one last scoring play as Fresno State (3-3) upset another ranked team and won for the 22nd time in 24 games at Bulldog Stadium.
Cecil Sapp, who rushed for 94 yards, scored on a 1-yard run in the final minute to cut Fresno State's lead to two points. Van Pelt rolled out for the conversion attempt, but two Bulldogs easily batted down the poorly thrown pass.
With another difficult night against the fired-up Bulldogs, Colorado State's Sonny Lubick was denied his 100th victory as a head coach. The Rams had difficulty moving the ball except on a handful of big plays as Fresno State beat Colorado State in the former WAC rivals' third straight meeting.
The Bulldogs scored just three points in the second half, but they won with outstanding play on special teams. Adam Jennings returned a punt 59 yards for a score, Fresno State got a safety on another Colorado State punt attempt, and Rodney Michael blocked a field goal attempt with 7:39 left.
Colorado State trailed by 15 points midway through the third quarter, but Jeff Babcock's 31-yard field goal cut the lead to 32-24 with 4:32 left. After the Rams stopped Fresno State and returned the ensuing punt to the Bulldogs 27, Van Pelt ran and passed Colorado State to its final touchdown, but he couldn't get the conversion.
Fresno State beat two ranked teams and both Colorado and Colorado State last season on its run to a No. 8 national ranking. Injuries and quarterback David Carr's departure to the NFL have limited the Bulldogs this season.
The game was the best performance yet by Pinegar, a strong-armed freshman who has moved past junior Jeff Grady to become Carr's heir apparent. With Fresno State alum Trent Dilfer — now with the Seattle Seahawks — watching from the sideline, Pinegar finished 20-of-28, making his throws with power and precision.
Van Pelt ran for a 79-yard TD and threw two long scoring passes, including a 70-yarder to David Anderson.
Last season, Fresno State edged Colorado State 25-22 in overtime thanks to dramatic game-tying and game-winning field goals by Asen Asparuhov. The Bulldogs' Bulgarian kicker made field goals from 39, 28 and 38 yards Friday night.
Jennings, a freshman, scored on a punt return late in the first quarter to give Fresno State the lead for good. Alec Greco caught a 23-yard TD pass from Pinegar after Cameron Worrell intercepted Van Pelt deep in Colorado State territory.
Fresno State scored 12 points in the final minute of the first half, starting with Rodney Davis' 1-yard TD run. A long snap sailed over the head of Colorado State punter Joey Huber, who batted it out of the end zone for a safety.
The Bulldogs then took the free kick 48 yards for Asparuhov's 28-yard field goal as time expired.
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CCD 55, Landmark Christian 28
Chaminade-Julienne 57, Purcell Marian 13
CHCA 37, Columbus Bishop Hartley 0
Clinton-Massie 33, Blanchester 0
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Dayton Dunbar 46, Western Hills 18
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East Central 31, Lawrenceburg 7
Glen Este 21, Winton Woods 14
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Holy Cross 36, Bellevue 6
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Indian Hill 19, Wyoming 0
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Kentucky football scores
Kettering Alter 28, Badin 14
Kings 42, Ross 13
Lakota West 33, Milford 21
Lebanon 7, Carroll 0
Lemon-Monroe 17, Talawanda 14
Lloyd 37, Newport 7
Loveland 35, Norwood 13
Madeira 29, Finneytown 0
Mason 39 , Northwest 21
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Meadowdale 34, Jacobs 6
Middletown 14, Fairfield 6
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NewCath 48, Ludlow 0
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Ohio football scores
Prep football scores
Princeton 42, Lakota East 21
Reading 34, Deer Park 0
Ryle 24, Boone County 9
Scott 56, Grant Co. 6
Simon Kenton 26, Campbell County 22
St. Xavier 35, LaSalle 7
Sycamore 49, Hamilton 7
Taylor 17, Mariemont 14
Turpin 20, Amelia 12
Wilmington 6, Little Miami 0
Woodward 26, Shroder Paideia 0
Fresno St. 32, No. 25 Colorado St. 30
