LAS VEGAS, Sporting Alert – College football bowl results from the games that took place on Saturday, 17 December.
SAN DIEGO STATE 34, HOUSTON 10
The highlighted game on the day came from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas in front of an 89,154 crowd where San Diego State beat Houston 34-10 in the Las Vegas Bowl.
During the contest, senior running back Donnel Pumphrey broke the NCAA career rushing record after he ran for 115 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries for the Aztecs.
Pumphrey’s outing saw him going ahead of former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne’s total of 6,397 yards after he tallied 6,405 yards to pick up the game’s most valuable player award in the win.
He ended the season with a total of 2,133 yards rushing to go with 17 touchdowns.
An emotional Pumphrey said afterwards: “It means the world to me.”
“The first quarter, they came out with more intensity than we did, at least their defensive side of the ball,” he added.
Christian Chapman was 10 of 14 for 128 yards and a touchdown for San Diego State.
“When you are leaving your defense out there too long that’s what happens,” Houston coach Major Applewhite said.
“When you give a great back that many at-bats and that many opportunities, one is going to hit at some point and it did.”
Star quarterback Greg Ward Jr. passed for 229 yards by also had four interceptions in the defeat for Houston.
“They beat the crap out of us,” Cougars tight end Tyler McCloskey said. “We didn’t show up. We didn’t execute the way we needed to.”
San Diego State, with the win, picked up its first victory over Houston in three outings all-time.
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 28, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 21
At the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Nick Mullens threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and Allenzae Staggers had a record setting day in the New Orleans Bowl with 11 catches for 230 yards with a score and Southern Mississippi beat Louisiana-Lafayette 28-21 on Saturday.
Staggers tallied a New Orleans Bowl record 202 yards in the first alone.
Running back Ito Smith was also impressive in the win for the Golden Eagles as he finished with 138 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 26 carries.
Elijah McGuire ran 17 times for 99 yards in the defeat for Louisiana-Lafayette, which trailed 14-0 in the first quarter but came back to tie the scores at 14-14.
However, the Ragin’ Cajuns were outscored 14-7 in the second half.
College Football Bowl Results
Saturday, 17 December
LAS VEGAS BOWL: SAN DIEGO STATE 34, HOUSTON 10
NEW MEXICO BOWL: NEW MEXICO 23, TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO 20
AUTONATION CURE BOWL: ARKANSAS STATE 31, UCF 13
CAMELLIA BOWL: APPALACHIAN STATE 31, TOLEDO 28
NEW ORLEANS BOWL: SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 28, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 21
