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BOISE STATE: The Broncos get back to business this coming weekend as they make
the trip to Laramie to face the Wyoming Cowboys in non-conference action. The
third-ranked Broncos are a perfect 4-0 over the years against Wyoming, but the
Pokes played BSU tough in the most recent meeting a few years back and lost by
a score of only 24-14 in 2007. Seen as the only other tough non-conference
battle on the schedule for the Broncos this season, Oregon State is next up
for the squad on September 25th. Unfortunately for BSU, its win over 10th-
ranked Virginia Tech in the season opener doesn't appear to carry much weight
anymore after the Hokies bowed to FCS foe James Madison in Blacksburg this
past weekend.
FRESNO STATE: Like Boise State, the Bulldogs are also coming back after an
early break in the action and will be competing against Utah State in the
Western Athletic Conference opener on Saturday night. The relationship between
the schools dates back to 1952 when Fresno logged a 27-21 win at home. Most
recently the Bulldogs picked up a 31-27 win in their building last year,
giving them three straight victories in the series and six in the last seven
matchups. However, USU is not that far out of contention when it comes to the
all-time series, with FSU holding a 14-10-1 advantage.
HAWAII: A 31-yard field goal by Scott Enos with just seven seconds remaining
proved to be the difference as the Warriors slipped by Army on the road,
31-28, on Saturday afternoon. Bryant Moniz was the star of the game for Hawaii
as he threw three straight touchdowns to begin the contest, while the defense
nearly put his effort in jeopardy as they allowed the Black Knights to score
four consecutive TDs between the second and third quarters. Moniz converted
25-of-36 passes for 343 yards in an effort to make up for the fact that the
squad registered a total of only 10 yards rushing on 11 attempts. The Warriors
head back towards the west coast now and will be taking on the Colorado
Buffaloes in non-conference action in Boulder this coming Saturday. This game
marks just the second meeting all-time between the two programs and the first
in 85 years. Back in 1925, the Buffs paid a visit to the islands and were
turned away in a 13-0 final.
IDAHO: The Vandals scored just three points in the first half of their meeting
with the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday afternoon, but the visitors managed
to make the final score a little more respectable with a couple of second-half
touchdowns. Nevertheless, against the sixth-ranked team in the country SJSU
still suffered the 38-17 defeat over the weekend. Nathan Enderle converted 16-
of-31 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, but not only was he sacked five
times, he also tossed an unsightly five interceptions, which resulted in
backup Brian Reader being brought in to mop up. Two of Enderle's picks were
returned for touchdowns by the Huskers late in the second quarter, so it
didn't much matter what the Vandals did on offense after that. Next up on the
schedule for the Vandals are the UNLV Rebels this weekend in Moscow. UNLV won
the most recent meeting by a score of 34-31 back in 2005, giving the squad a
narrow 3-2 edge in the all-time series.
LOUISIANA TECH: The Bulldogs appeared to be hanging with Texas A&M on the road
for much of the first half on Saturday night, but that was before the Aggies
tallied a touchdown at the end of the second frame and went on for the
lopsided 48-16 decision at Kyle Field. Colby Cameron may have had more action
at the quarterback position for the Bulldogs, hitting 15-of-31 passes for 115
yards, but he was sacked three times and intercepted twice. Junior college
transfer Tarik Hakmi stepped in and tossed one TD pass and ran for another
score, but it was too little, too late for a LaTech squad that surrendered 565
yards of total offense to the opposition. LaTech plays its first true home
game of the season this weekend when it entertains the United States Naval
Academy at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston.
NEVADA: Colin Kaepernick became one of only a handful of players in NCAA
history to register 3,000 yards both passing and rushing in his career as he
and the Wolf Pack completely dominated Colorado State in Reno on Saturday
night, 51-6. The signal-caller carried the ball 11 times, resulting in a game-
high 161 yards and a pair of scores and he also converted 21-of-29 passes for
241 yards and two touchdowns as well. The team as a whole again pounded the
opposing run defense by delivering 376 yards and four TDs on 46 attempts,
compared to just 78 yards on 31 carries for the Rams. Nevada has a short week
to prepare for its next opponent as it welcomes California to Reno for a non-
conference battle on Friday night. Cal leads the all-time series by a count of
22-1-1 versus the Pack, the lone victory for Nevada being a 6-2 final back in
1903. The most recent game took place in 1996 in Berkeley, as have every one
of the games in the series until now, with Nevada bowing in a 33-15 final. The
15 points for the Pack were more than they scored in the previous 11 meetings
combined. In fact, Cal had shut out Nevada a total of 15 times in the series.
NEW MEXICO STATE: An 18-yard touchdown run by Kenny Turner in the first
quarter put the home team up on San Diego State on Saturday night, but the
advantage was short-lived and the Aggies eventually bowed in the 41-21
decision. Matt Christian handled the quarterback duties for the Aggies and
finished the outing 17-of-34 for 223 yards and a pair of scores. Marcus Allen
was the top receiver on the night with four catches for 114 yards and a
touchdown, but the Aggies defense couldn't help but allow the Aztecs not only
244 yards on the ground but another 319 through the air in the team's eighth
consecutive setback. NMSU is back in action this coming weekend and will be
taking on the Miners of UTEP. Last season in the battle of I-10, the Miners
registered a 38-12 victory in Las Cruces, snapping a two-game win streak by
the Aggies. As a result, the Miners now own a 50-35-2 edge in the all-time
series.
SAN JOSE STATE: The Spartans scored touchdowns in both the third and fourth
quarters on Saturday afternoon, but by then it was too late as the squad bowed
to 11th-ranked Wisconsin on the road by a final of 27-14. Quarterback Jordan
La Secla completed 20-of-26 passes for 228 yards and the two scores, while
also being picked off once in the setback. Chandler Jones tallied eight
catches for 113 yards and a score for the Spartans, but their mere 55 yards
rushing on 20 attempts was no comparison to the 212 yards and two scores
produced by the Badgers. The Spartans are back home this Saturday and will be
clashing with Southern Utah for just the second time ever. A member of the
Great West Conference, Southern Utah lost the only previous game against SJSU
by a final of 47-7 back in 2000.
UTAH STATE: Diondre Borel threw for one touchdown and ran for another on
Saturday as he guided the Aggies to the 38-17 win over the Idaho State Bengals
in non-conference play in Logan. Borel missed on just five of his 26 pass
attempts, finishing with 255 yards through the air, but it was the rushing
offense that claimed the spotlight for USU as the squad generated 275 yards
and scored four times on 46 attempts in the easy win. The run defense also had
a strong game for the Aggies as they limited the visitors to just 49 yards on
24 attempts. The Aggies are at home for the second time in as many weeks this
Saturday and will be up against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the WAC opener.
USU is an impressive 8-3 versus the Bulldogs on their own field, but overall
the Aggies trail in the series by a count of 14-10-1 after losing for the
third straight time in 2009 by a score of 31-27 on the road.