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Big West Roundup
Big West Game of the Week
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Idaho 31, Utah State 3 |
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The Vandals (5-2, 3-0 Big West) solidified themselves as the conference front runner, putting together another dominant defensive outing and knocking Utah State (2-5, 1-1 Big West) from the ranks of the Big West's unbeaten. With Boise State's victory over Nevada, Idaho is now the only undefeated team in the conference. If they win their three remaining Big West games, the Vandals will go to the Humanitarian Bowl for the second straight year.
Idaho coach Chris Tormey continues to experiment with his QB rotation, playing Ed Dean and Greg Robertson against the Aggies, and finding success with both. Ed Dean threw an 11-yard TD pass to Michael Moody in the first quarter. Robertson, meanwhile, found Chris Lacy on a 12-yard scoring pass and also hooked up with Ryan Prestimonico for 6 from 39 yards. After getting shutout last week by Kansas State, the Aggies have been outscored 71-3 in their last two games.
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Other Big West action
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Army 35, New Mexico State 18 |
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Omari Thompson ran for 108 yards and a touchdown to lead Army past the Aggies. Most of Thompson's yardage came on his 72-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The TD came 23 seconds after New Mexico State (3-4) had cut the deficit to 21-6.
Army (3-4) scored three times following New Mexico State turnovers. The third, Derick McNally's interception at the Cadets 5, set up a 95-yard drive that Michael Wallace finished with a 6-yard run to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter. New Mexico State, 11th nationally with 241.8 rushing yards a game, was held to 115 by Army. Army, the nation's top rushing team at 309 a game, ran for 388.
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Arkansas State 14, North Texas 10 |
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After a series of close misses, including an OT loss to conference-favorite Idaho last week, Arkansas State (2-6, 1-2 Big West) picked up its first win of the season over a Division I-A team. The team's lone win before Saturday came over Division I-AA Sam Houston State. Lamont Zachary's 8-yard run early in the fourth quarter gave the Indians the come-from-behind decision over the Mean Green (2-5, 1-2 Big West), just a week removed from pulling an upset of Boise State.
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Boise State 52, Nevada 17 |
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The Broncos (5-3, 1-1) reclaimed their position as conference title contender by drilling the Wolf Pack (2-5, 1-1) -- just a week after looking awful in a loss to North Texas. The battle of future Western Athletic Conference teams was a nip-and-tuck affair in the first quarter before BSU went nuts. The Broncos held a healthy 31-17 lead at the half, but put up 21 points in the third quarter to make the outcome an afterthought.
BSU QB Bart Hendricks continued the roller coaster ride that has been his career, hitting a considerable high in throwing for two TD passes and running for a pair of scores. If BSU is to win the Big West, it'll need to do it on the road, travelling to Utah State and Idaho among the final four games. Nevada, too, still has conference title aspirations, but will need some help and cannot lose another game.
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