Matt Scott threw two short touchdown passes in the final 46 seconds and college football’s postseason started with a wild one when Arizona rallied past Nevada 49-48 yesterday in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, N.M.
Arizona (8-5) recovered an onside kick in the final minute, setting up Scott’s 2-yard toss to Terrence Miller with 19 seconds left for the winning score.
Scott threw for 382 yards and overcame two interceptions. The nation’s rushing leader, Ka’Deem Carey, gained 172 yards for the Wildcats.
Cody Fajardo threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score to lead the Wolf Pack (7-6).
Stefphon Jefferson, the nation’s second-leading rusher, ran for 180 yards for Nevada.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Utah St. 41, Toledo 15
In Boise, Idaho, Kerwynn Williams ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns and No. 18 Utah State won a bowl game for the first time in nearly 20 years, beating Toledo (9-4) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The victory capped the best season in Utah State history. The Aggies finished 11-2 and won the Western Athletic Conference title outright.
FCS Semifinals
Sam Houston St. 45,
Eastern Washington 42
In Cheney, Wash., quarterback Brian Bell ran for two touchdowns and threw for another and Sam Houston State (11-3) raced to a 35-0 halftime lead but barely held on to beat second-seeded Eastern Washington (11-3), earning a trip to the FCS championship game.
The Bearkats will face top-seeded North Dakota State, which won last year’s matchup 17-16, on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.
The win was the Bearkats’ third straight over a Big Sky Conference team in the playoffs this year and fifth straight in the past two years.