Wyoming opens bowl season with win

ALBUQUERQUE — Freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels threw three touchdown passes, the last a 13-yarder to David Leonard in the second overtime Saturday, and Wyoming beat Fresno State 35-28 in the New Mexico Bowl.

The first of 34 bowls was a high-scoring matchup that was decided by defense.

Wyoming (7-6) stopped the nation's leading rusher, Fresno State's Ryan Mathews, on three rushing attempts from the 1 in the first overtime. The Bulldogs (8-5) tried a quarterback sneak on third down, and Mathews came up short again on fourth down.

The Cowboys scored on the first possession in double overtime, then held Fresno State on downs.

Wyoming fans spilled out of the stands to celebrate as the school band played "Cowboy Joe." This was Wyoming's first bowl appearance since 2005, and it capped a winning season for first-year coach Dave Christensen.

Mathews, who led the nation in rushing average at 151.3 yards per game, finished with 144 yards rushing on 31 attempts with two touchdowns. But he had a big fumble midway through the fourth quarter, setting up Carta-Samuels to lead a 19-play drive that tied it up.

Wyoming's Ian Watts kicked a 37-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation. But after the Cowboys stopped Mathews in the first overtime, Watts was wide left a 40-yard field try that would have won it.

Carta-Samuels, the Mountain West's freshman of the year was picked the game's offensive MVP after completed 17 of 31 attempts for 201 yards passing with one interception. Wyoming tackle Mitch Unrein, who forced and recovered the key fumble by Mathews, was defensive MVP.

Fresno State led 28-25 and was driving when Mathews fumbled. The Cowboys took over with 8:08 remaining and converted twice on fourth downs — including a daring fake punt — on the march that ended with Watts' 37-yard field goal.

ST. PETERSBURG BOWL: With versatile freshman Mohamed Sanu doing a little bit of everything, Rutgers extended its string of postseason success with a 45-24 rout of Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

The multi-threat receiver ran for two touchdowns out of the wildcat formation and also scored on an 11-yard reception from Tom Savage, another true freshman who threw for a career-best 294 yards Saturday night.

Rutgers (9-4) claimed a school-record fourth consecutive bowl win to finish with at least nine victories for just the sixth time in 140 years.

UCF (8-5) fell to 0-3 in bowl games under coach George O'Leary.

DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP: At Salem, Va., Levell Coppage had 111 yards rushing and three touchdowns and Wisconsin-Whitewater scored 10 points in the final 1 minute, 17 seconds to beat defending champion Mount Union 38-28 in the NCAA Division III championship game on Saturday.

The Purple Raiders (14-1) had their winning streak snapped at 29 games.

Jeff Donovan was 26 of 40 for 323 yards and two touchdown passes for the Warhawks (15-0), who won their second national championship in the past three years. This is the fifth straight year that the two teams have met in the national championship game.