Vandals’ Offense Rolls Over Nmsu

Big West

A 610-yard offensive output helped heal the Idaho Vandals in a 35-18 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday at Las Cruces, N.M.

Saturday’s swamping of the Aggies left smiles over the faces of the Vandals. All were deserving.

From the offensive line that held solid, to quarterback Brian Brennan (19 of 33 for 314 yards), to freshman running back Anthony Tenner (22 carries for 149 yards), to a surehanded receiving corps led by senior Antonio Wilson’s eight catches for 135 yards.

“We moved the ball very well,” Idaho coach Chris Tormey said. “The downside was we were inconsistent in the red zone early on. We could have put the game away earlier.”

The inconsistencies were centered around the kicking game where two field-goal attempts were blocked and a third sailed wide of the uprights. The result was the Aggies stayed close enough to keep the Vandals sweating in the brisk autumn sun.

Idaho finally completed a drive that broke the Aggies’ hold. NMSU, which rode the sturdy legs of junior running back Denvis Manns, who ends the 1997 season with his third successive 1,000-yard-plus season, closed to 21-18 with 14:55 remaining.

Faced with memories of close losses to Air Force and Eastern Washington, Idaho responded with an 82-yard drive that gave them a 10-point lead with 10:11 remaining.

Idaho 14 0 7 14 - 35

New Mexico St. 3 7 0 8 - 18

UI-Thomas 14 pass from Brennan (Scott kick), 10:06 NMSU-FG Cecava 47, 6:34 UI-Wilson 3 pass from Brennan (Scott kick), 0:18 NMSU-Willson 10 run (Cecava kick), 11:54 UI-Price 26 pass from Brennon (Scott kick), 11:41 NMSU-Houghtaling 4 run (Shaw pass from Houghtaling), 14:55 UI-Anthony Tenner 1 run (Scott kick), 14:55 UI-Prestimonico 35 run (Scott kick), 5:51 A-6,425.

UI NMSU First downs 24 29 Rushes-yards 37-306 50-278 Passing 314 211 Comp-Att-Int 19-33-0 17-41-1 Return Yards 35 101 Punts-Avg. 1-51 1-8 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 6-51 2-20 Time of Possession 27:42 32:18

Utah St. 38, Nevada 19

Matt Sauk threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as the Aggies defeated the Wolf Pack at Reno, Nev., to win their first outright Big West Conference title.

Demario Brown rushed for 157 yards and a TD and Utah State’s defense registered eight sacks and the Aggies clinched the conference’s berth in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

Utah State, which finishes its regular season next Saturday at North Texas, will be seeking its first perfect conference season in its 105-year history.

Nevada trailed 24-0 at the half and lost despite a 425-yard passing performance by John Dutton.

Utah St. 17 7 0 14 - 38

Nevada 0 0 12 7 - 19

USU-FG Bohn 25, 8:00.

USU-Jenkins 53 pass from Sauk (Bohn kick), 6:11.

USU-Smith 71 punt return (Bohn kick), 3:56. USU-Sauk 1 run (Bohn kick), 5:35. Nev-Lemon 6 run (kick failed), 5:45.

Nev-Dutton 11 run (pass failed), :26. USU-McBride 21 pass from Sauk (Bohn kick), 13:48.

Nev-Gresham 2 run (Shea kick), 13:07.

USU-Brown 9 run (Bohn kick), 2:31.

A-22,780.

USU Nev First downs 20 29 Rushes-yards 44-254 32-75 Passing 215 425 Comp-Att-Int 9-19-1 27-52-0 Return Yards 139 120 Punts-Avg. 5-46.2 6-41.0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1 Penalties-Yards 8-84 8-74 Time of Possession 31:02 28:58 RUSHING-Utah St., Blue 10-65, Brown 26-157, Sauk 6-8, S. Smith 2-24. Nevada, Lemon 17-75, Dutton 12(minus-2), Noisy 2-0, Gresham 1-2.

PASSING-Utah St., Sauk 9-19-1-215. Nevada, Dutton 27-52-0-425.

RECEIVING-Utah St., Jenkins 3-70, Brown 1-69, S. Smith 2-23, Jones 1-27, McBride 1-21, Brumfield 1-5. Nevada, Noisy 9-154, Insley 6-131, Higgins 3-48, Russell 6-69, Lemon 1-15, Burr 1-3, Allen 1-5.

Army 25, North Texas 14

At West Point, N.Y., Rod Richardson ran 56 yards for a touchdown and set up another score with a long kickoff return to lead the Cadets over the Eagles.

Eric Olsen added four field goals, while Kenny Dale Rowland recovered two North Texas turnovers to lead an Army defense that limited the Mean Green to 259 yards in total offense.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: BIG WEST STANDINGS League Overall W L PF PA W L Utah St. 4 0 163 63 6 4 Nevada 4 1 227 137 5 6 Idaho 2 2 105 140 5 5 Boise St. 2 2 131 104 3 7 N. Texas 1 3 67 127 3 7 NMex St. 0 5 74 196 2 9

Saturday’s results Army 25, North Texas 14 Utah St. 38, Nevada 19 Idaho 35, N. Mexico St. 18