Ohio snaps bowl skid, rallies past Utah State in Boise

Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho

Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton scored on 1-yard run with 13 seconds left to give the Bobcats a 24-23 victory over Utah State on Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Tettleton also threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He led a 61-yard drive in the final 2 minutes to give Ohio (10-4) its first bowl victory and first 10-win season since 1968.

Tettleton was 3 of 4 on the final drive, and had a 14-yard pass to LaVon Brazill on fourth down to put the Bobcats inside the 1 with 37 seconds left on a play that was initially ruled a touchdown.

Tettleton scored two plays later when he rolled out to the right and outran two defenders to the end zone.

Utah State (7-6) dominated most of the game behind a rushing attack that rolled up 345 yards. Michael Smith ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, including a 63-yard scoring run early in the third quarter. Robert Turbin added for 101 yards on the ground in the Aggies’ first bowl appearance since 1997.

The Aggies extended their lead to 23-10 on Smith’s11-yard run in the third quarter.

But the Bobcats began the comeback on their next possession when Tettleton fired a 44-yard TD pass to Brazill with 3:45 left in the third quarter.

Brazill led the Bobcats with eight catches for 108 yards.

New Mexico Bowl TEMPLE 37, WYOMING 15

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Bernard Pierce ran for two early touchdowns and Chris Coyer threw for 169 yards and a touchdown to help Temple beat Wyoming 37-15.

The Owls (9-4) had three interceptions — tying a New Mexico Bowl record — en route to the second bowl victory in school history.

The New Mexico Bowl was Temple’s second bowl game in three years, but that 2009 game — a 30-21 loss to UCLA in the EagleBank Bowl in Washington — was the Owls’ first bowl in 30 years. The Mid-American Conference East runner-up did not get a bowl invite last year despite going 8-4.

“Our team played real well. We played a team game,” first-year Temple coach Steve Addazio said. “Our starting point is playing great defense. That’s the starting point of our program. We have a lot of pride in playing great defense.”

Sophomore Coyer, who also rushed for 71 yards, was selected the game’s offensive MVP.

Coyer said Temple got a little worried at the end of the first half when Wyoming freshman Brett Smith threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Josh Doctson with 28 seconds left. But Coyer responded with a 61-yard touchdown pass to Rod Streater moments later.

FCS North Dakota State 35, Georgia Southern 7.

FARGO, N.D.

Wide receiver Warren Holloway scored twice to help North Dakota State in a Football Championship Subdivision semifinal.

The Bison (13-1) will face Sam Houston State (14-0) for the FCS championship Jan. 7. NDSU’s lone loss came at home against Youngstown State in the penultimate game of the regular season.

Holloway scored on a 19-yard reception in the first quarter and a 17-yard run in the second quarter. NDSU led 14-7 at the half.

North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen accounted for 231 yards of total offense, including a 55-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Sam Ojuri and D.J. McNorton added touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

NDSU had a 451-333 advantage in total offense. The Bison forced three turnovers.

Dominique Swope scored on a 23-yard run for the Eagles (12-2).

It’s the first FCS title game appearance for NDSU, which moved up to Division I in 2004.

Division II Pittsburg State 35, Wayne State 21

FLORENCE, Ala.

Zac Dickey passed for 190 yards and for 68 to lead Pittsburg State in the Division II championship game.

The Gorillas (13-1) also blocked a punt and returned a blocked kick for a touchdown to claim their second national title and first since 1991. They snapped a streak of three title-game losses.

The Warriors (12-4) had navigated four playoff road games but fell short of becoming the first unranked team to win the title.

Toney Davis, who rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns, closed the gap on a 1-yard score with 5:11 left.

Wayne State’s defense couldn’t keep Dickey & Co. from the end zone.

Dickey fired a 53-yard pass to Andrew Castaneda and Jason Spradling scored on a clinching 4-yarder.