Oct. 25, 2008
Final Stats
LOGAN, Utah - Kevin Goessling kicked a 58-yard field goal as time expired to lift Fresno State to a 30-28 win over the Utah State Aggies Saturday afternoon in Logan, Utah.
With Fresno State down 28-27, no timeouts remaining and just 32 seconds left on the clock, senior quarterback Tom Brandstater systematically marched his Bulldogs from their own 28-yard line down the field by connecting on 3 of 4 passes during the game-winning drive. Brandstater and the offense carefully managed the clock by working the sidelines and making sure to get out of bounds on each pass completion.
The first Brandstater strike zipped through the air to sophomore Anthony Harding from out of the backfield as he scampered 17 yards to the Utah State sideline. After an incompletion, Brandstater hit a streaking Rashad Evans over the middle. Evans maneuvered around the Aggie defense and sprinted to the Fresno State sideline at the Aggies' 47-yard line to stop the clock with six seconds remaining. The next play netted the Bulldogs six vital yards as Brandstater found wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu near the Bulldog sideline to keep just enough time for Goessling to have an opportunity to hit a school-record long field goal.
Goessling trotted onto the field to attempt a 58-yard field goal, 12 yards longer than any successful field goal by the redshirt freshman and 3 yards longer then the school-record 55-yard field goals by Armen Torigian in 1996 and Barry Belli in 1985. With the scoreboard leaving a mere two seconds on the clock, the 60-minute battle came down to one snap, one hold, and one kick.
The southpaw Goessling blasted an absolute rocket into the autumn Utah sky at the footsteps of the Wasatch mountain range that probably would have been good from at least 65 yards away through the yellow goalposts on the north end of Romney Stadium for a come-from-behind victory on Utah State's Homecoming.
The field goal sent the Bulldog sideline into jubilation as they denied the 14,000-plus Aggie faithful another Homecoming win that nearly materialized again when Utah State running back Marquis Butler scored on a run from less than a yard out with a mere 38 seconds left in the tilt. The Aggies snatched the lead after their kicker Peter Caldwell, who holds a 44-44 career point-after attempt record for the Aggies (1-7, 1-3 WAC), connected on the extra point to push Utah State to their first lead since early in the first quarter.
Brandstater completed 25-of-36 passes for 257 yards during the contest as the Bulldogs moved to 5-2 on the year and 2-1 in Western Athletic Conference play as Fresno State outgained the Aggies, 411 to 399.
Aggie quarterback Diondre Borel passed for 193 yards and one touchdown and ran for a team-high 74 yards for Utah State. Caldwell also kicked field goals from 35 and 20 yards out to help the Aggies.
Utah State started the scoring with a 3-yard run by Borel with 8:57 left in the first quarter.
Fresno State answered on the next drive by turning to the ground as junior running back Lonyae Miller, who led the Bulldogs in rushing on the afternoon with 12 runs for 67 yards and averaging 5.6 yards per carry, bolted through a huge hole on the right side for a 19-yard touchdown run to even the score at 7-7.
After one of Caldwell's field goals, Fresno State took its first lead of the game with 4:10 remaining in the first half, when Brandstater found sophomore wide receiver Devon Wylie on a 7-yard pass play. The pass marked the senior quarterback's 40th career touchdown through the air to put the `Dogs ahead 14-10 after a Goessling extra-point.
With a one-point halftime lead, the Bulldogs controlled the ball for more than half of the third quarter on their opening possession that ended with a Ryan Mathews rushing touchdown as Fresno State moved ahead 21-13, a lead they would hold, and even extend on a Goessling 43-yard field goal, until some late heroics kept the host Aggies in the game.
As just over six minutes remained in the contest, the Aggies relied on a three play, 75-yard drive highlighted by 52 and 20-yard pass completions by Borel to cut into the Bulldogs lead. An elusive Borel danced his way for a two-point conversion that left Fresno State ahead 24-21.
The `Dogs again turned to the Goessling's leg as they doubled their lead to 27-21 on the kicker's second field goal of the game after a three and a half minute drive.
The late-game rally by the Aggies to retake the lead at 28-27 nearly stole the show in Logan, but the `Dogs stayed focused and undeterred.
They turned to one leg from Placentia, Calif., that sent the Bulldogs back to Fresno with a hard-fought 30-28 win over a conference foe to keep the `Dogs undefeated away from home this season.
Fresno State vs. Utah State
Romney Stadium/Logan, Utah
Postgame Notes and Quotes
Oct. 25, 2008
Goessling's Big Day
Kevin Goessling's school-record setting kick of 58 yards was the first game winner of his career and the longest he's ever kicked in a game in his life. His kick broke the school record by 3 yards. The previous record was set by Barry Belli in 1985 vs. New Mexico State and Armen Torigian vs. Utah in 1996.
Life in Logan
Fresno State's win over the Aggies was the first since 1989 and just the third all-time. Fresno State is now 3-8 against Utah State in games played in Logan, Utah.
Tom Turns 40
After an impressive first half, in which he completed 10-of-13 passes for 109 yards, Tom Brandstater notched his 40th career touchdown pass, a 7-yard toss to sophomore Devon Wylie in the second quarter to give the Dogs a 14-10 lead. Only six players in Bulldog history have more TD passes than Brandstater. He needs 10 more to catch Mark Barsotti (1988-91) for 6th place on the all-time list.
Wylie's Return
Receiver Devon Wylie, who hadn't played since the Wisconsin game, return or the Dogs in a big way. He set a career-high to lead the Dogs in receiving with six receptions and 54 yards and caught a 7-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give Fresno State a 14-10 lead.
Top Dogs on the Shelf
Four key Dogs missed the Utah State game due to injuries, senior tight end Bear Pascoe, cornerback and return specialist A.J. Jefferson, safety Marvin Haynes and senior defensive tackle Jon Monga. Monga was in uniform for the first time since the Wisconsin game, but never played in the game.
Notables
Desia Dunn made his first career start at cornerback for injured A.J. Jefferson ... Lonyae Miller's first quarter touchdown was his fourth rushing touchdown in the last three games ... for the second straight game, the Bulldogs scored on their opening offensive drive. Fresno State's first drive was five plays for 50 yards ... Ryan Mathews scored his 22nd career touchdown. The Dogs are 12-2 when Mathews scores a touchdown and have won 12 straight games when he scores ... Chris Carter had nine tackles against the Aggies, one shy of his career high (10 vs. UCLA) ... Kevin Goessling's fourth quarter field goal of 43 yards was the second-longest of his career at the time. It wouldn't have happened if not for the quick hands of holder Robert Malone, who caught the snap on a short hop and got it down in time for the kick.
QUOTES
Fresno State Head Coach Pat Hill: "At the end of the day, this game is about winning and getting the W. We control our own destiny still and that's all that matters. We have lost close games before so we know the other end, but winning a game like this on the road is going to help us down the road."
"I'm so proud of Kevin (Goessling). I've said all along that Kevin's a talented kicker and he would win games for us. Winning a game like that is something he deserves."
"I'm really happy with the way we managed the clock at the end of the game. We got hurt by a couple penalties, but our guys played under control and played smart at the end to help us set up the field goal."
"I thought our offense and Tom (Brandstater) played well. We saw two hot quarterbacks out there today. We couldn't stop No. 12 (Borel). He really hurt us at some bad times."
"We got out of Logan with a win and now it's on to Ruston. I guess they (La Tech) lost today, so they will have their backs against the wall at home next week. We have our work cut out for. The most important thing is that we are getting on the plane and heading back to Fresno with a win."
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs continue WAC road play as they travel to Ruston, Louisiana to take on Louisiana Tech on Saturday, November 1 at 11:30 a.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 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.
