Colorado State University Athletics
Postgame Notes
11/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 6, 2010
Recap |
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 1 
|
Photo Gallery 2
TEAM NOTES
Fumble return: Mychal Sisson's 88-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, giving the Rams go-ahead points, was the longest fumble return in program history. Sisson, who became the first player in team annals to return two fumbles for touchdowns (also vs. BYU, Nov. 1, 2008), broke Sean Moran's 16-year-old record, set in arguably the most memorable game of the Sonny Lubick era, the reverberating, 21-16 win at No. 4 Arizona, Oct. 8, 1994. In that upset, Moran returned a fumble 77 yards for a score. The 14 fumble-return touchdowns at CSU, arranged by length:
| Mychal Sisson | 88 | at San Diego State | 11/06/10 |
| Sean Moran | 77 | at Arizona | 10/08/94 |
| Rhett Nelson | 54 | New Mexico | 11/23/02 |
| Jason Gallimore | 52 | Wyoming | 11/16/00 |
| Matt Rupp | 48 | Air Force | 10/13/07 |
| Jeff Babcock | 29 | at Air Force | 10/31/02 |
| Bryan Save | 28 | at BYU | 11/01/01 |
| Brandon Cathy | 26 | UNLV | 11/13/04 |
| Mychal Sisson | 20 | BYU | 11/01/08 |
| Erik Olson | 18 | Hawaii | 10/04/97 |
| Patrick Goodpaster | 16 | at BYU | 10/19/03 |
| Ron Cortell | 11 | Southern Miss | 11/09/85 |
| Willie Taylor | 0 | at SMU | 11/14/98 |
| Fred Boeger | 0 | UTEP | 11/23/68 |
On third down, offense: CSU now has converted 16 of its last 32 third-down snaps, since the beginning of the New Mexico game, Oct. 30.
Solid defensive effort: Larry Kerr's defense shut out opponents over nearly four straight quarters, including the second half in a victory vs. New Mexico Oct. 30, until SDSU scored late in the first half. The scoreless streak was 66 minutes, 53 seconds, since the Lobos scored in the second quarter Oct. 30. The Aztecs had scored in 11 consecutive quarters, their longest streak in several years, until the Rams held them scoreless in the opening stanza.
- SDSU's longest play from scrimmage was 26 yards.
- CSU held the MWC's leading passer, Ryan Lindley, to season lows in yards (171) and attempts (23). CSU also matched a season-high for a Lindley opponent with two interceptions and matched his season low in completions (14).
- The Rams also held in check the conference's top two receivers, DeMarco Sampson (two catches, 23 yards) and Vincent Brown (three catches, 40 yards). Sampson's yards were a season low and his catches tied a season low. Brown's catches also matched his lowest output on the year. Brown didn't catch a pass until the first play of the second half. CSU blanked Sampson over the game's first 43 minutes, until his first catch late in the third quarter.
- CSU's five takeaways were its most in a game since a 35-20 win over Nevada, Sept. 19, 2009, when the Rams also posted five.
- CSU had its most opponent fumble recoveries (three) since that Nevada contest in 2009, when the Rams also recovered three.
- CSU's two INTs matched the Rams' season total entering the night (2), and were their most since the team also had two in a narrow loss at New Mexico, Nov. 21, 2009.
Three-and-out, defense: The Aztecs had 12 possessions until running out the final seconds on their final drive. Four of those 12 were drives in which the Rams held SDSU to three plays or less without a first down. Included in that quartet was the final stand after the Aztecs recovered CSU's onsides kick, a critical three-and-out in which the Rams held Ronnie Hillman to 2 total yards on three carries, forcing a punt with less than 2 minutes left in a 24-19 game.
Three-and-out, offense: Until their final drive stalled, the Rams had just two three-and-outs on offense. Pete Thomas had engineered16 straight possessions with at least one first down until the team ran out the clock late in the first half. The streak began on his last series at Utah, Oct. 23. Over the last two games, the Rams have just three three-and-outs in 22 possessions.
Coin toss: The Rams have won the opening coin toss seven times in10 games, including tonight. They've now won the toss in five straight games.
Gold uniforms: CSU wore its eighth 2010 uniform combination tonight. The Rams are 2-0 with green jerseys and gold pants, 0-1 with green jerseys and white pants, 0-1 with green jerseys and green pants, 0-2 with white jerseys and white pants, 0-1 with white jerseys and green pants, 0-1 with white jerseys and gold pants, and 1-0 with orange jerseys and white pants. The Rams debuted the new, gold Russell threads tonight. While they may remind some fans of the 1990 Freedom Bowl jerseys, CSU wore the jersey really because it was the last opportunity for the Rams' seniors to wear them. Head Coach Steve Fairchild feels the tops are too light to wear at home. CSU received permission from the MWC to wear the uniform on the road.
Former players: Approximately 90 former players were on hand tonight. Included in the group were Kory Sperry, Mike Pagnotta, Tim Walter, Adrian Ross, Orbry Chamblee, Paul Turner, David Vickers, E.J. Watson, Jose Ochoa, Harlan Carroll and Mike McGee.
KGB has CSU tie: Former SDSU standout Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who went on to break Reggie White's career Green Bay Packers sacks record, was inducted into the Aztecs' Hall of Fame this weekend, and honored during the game. His wife is former CSU volleyball player, Eileen (Bermundo) Gbaja-Biamila. Eileen played for Tom Hilbert and the Rams, lettering from 1993-94.
Stiff competition: CSU met its fifth opponent in 10 games this season receiving votes in the national polls (also Nevada, TCU, Air Force and Utah).
San Diego success: At Qualcomm Stadium against the Aztecs, CSU had won six of its last seven games (1995-2008). Counting the 1995 and `97 Holiday bowls, the Rams have returned from the venue victorious in seven of their last nine San Diego trips.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- LB Mychal Sisson's 88-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the third quarter was the longest fumble runback in CSU history, breaking Sean Moran's 77-yard record, at No. 4 Arizona in a 21-16 CSU upset in 1994.
- QB Pete Thomas, the nation's only true freshman to start each of his team's games at QB, until his third-quarter interception had thrown just two interceptions over 186 attempts, dating to the first quarter of the Idaho win (Sept. 25). During the same stretch, he had eight TD passes.
- QB Pete Thomas played his second lifetime game at Qualcomm Stadium. In 2008, his junior year at Valhalla High School, his Norsemen lost to eventual Division II state bowl champion Cathedral, but Thomas was 25-of-33 for 308 yards with one TD and one INT. Combined at the stadium, he's now 47-of-73 (64.4 percent) for 574 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.
- Thomas helped keep the league's most dangerous offense off the field with pinpoint accuracy on several key third downs. He converted his first four third-down passes, converting third and 10, 13, 26 and 8. He was 6-for-his-first-8 on third down, for 100 yards.
- Thomas had engineered16 straight possessions with at least one first down until the team ran out the clock late in the first half. Over the last three games and 23 drives engineered, since his last series at Utah Oct. 23, he has only three three-and-outs. He produced at least one first down on 16 straight possessions until the Rams ran out of time late in the first half.
- QB Pete Thomas (now 209) on CSU's single-season completions list tied No. 7 Caleb Hanie (209 in 2006) and surpassed No. 8 Ryan Eslinger (206 in 1998), No. 9 Kelly Stouffer (205 in 1986), No. 10 Stouffer (204 in 1985), No. 11 Terry Nugent (201 in 1982) and his coach, No. 12 Steve Fairchild (200 in 1980). After passing Hanie Saturday vs. BYU, Thomas should also eclipse Matt Newton (211 in 2000 and 213 in 1999) and possibly No. 4 Billy Farris (233 in 2008).
- LB Michael Kawulok, who played all but the opening snap - when starter Alex Williams departed with a sprained knee - and posted a team-leading 10 tackles, a career best (previous high was nine, at TCU, 10/17/09). He also forced a Ronnie Hillman fumble in the fourth quarter, recovered by teammate Elijah-Blu Smith, setting up a CSU touchdown that brought the Rams within five points, 24-19.
- FB Zac Pauga scored his first TD this season, the fourth of his career (three in 2009). His last score was a TD reception vs. Wyoming in the 2009 season finale, Nov. 27.
- CB Dominique Vinson posted his first Division I interception, in the third quarter.
- LB Mychal Sisson also posted his first career INT.
- WR Lou Greenwood on the Rams' first series made his first career pass attempt, overthrowing a wide-open Pete Thomas in the end zone on CSU's first drive, off a reverse.
- Greenwood posted a career-high seven receptions.
- NT Guy Miller has now played in every game of his college career, 47, having started 22 straight.
- FB Zac Pauga has now played in every game of his college career, 47.
- LB Mychal Sisson has now played in 35 straight games, every CSU contest since the beginning of 2008.
- P Pete Kontodiakos compiled a 42.0 net punting average, and averaged 45.0 gross yards on three punts. His 14 punts inside the 20 this season are the most by a CSU punter since all-conference selection Jimmie Kaylor had 19 in 2007.
