Oct 19, 2002
By ROBERT W. BLACK
Associated Press Writer
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Kirk Morrison returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown with 11:39 left to lead San Diego State past Wyoming 24-20 Saturday.
San Diego State linebacker Heath Farwell belted Wyoming's Casey Bramlet just as he released the ball, and Morrison picked off the fluttering duck and ran untouched into the end zone.
After Wyoming punted, the Aztecs (2-5, 2-0 Mountain West) held the ball for the next 11:05, converting four third downs and one fourth down to preserve the victory.
Wyoming (1-6, 0-2) lost its 17th straight conference game dating to 1999. The Cowboys' only victory came against The Citadel.
Bramlet's third touchdown pass, a 9-yarder to Scottie Vines, put the Cowboys up 20-17 with 14:42 remaining. But after San Diego State's Tommy Kirovski missed a 36-yard field goal, Morrison came up with his interception five plays later.
Adam Hall, who was fourth in the nation in total offense with 335 yards per game, completed 22 of 32 passes for 335 yards and one touchdown.
State's J.R. Tolver, the nation's second-leading receiver with 10.5 catches per game, finished with seven receptions for 133 yards.
Tolver, who has 1,065 yards, became San Diego State's first 1,000-yard receiver since Will Blackwell in 1996.
Bramlet completed 33 of 51 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns to move into No. 5 on Wyoming's career passing list with 4,960 yards.
He surpassed Scott Runyan who threw for 4,817 yards from 1984-87.
Jovon Bouknight had nine catches for 57 yards for Wyoming.
Kassim Osgood's streaking 61-yard TD catch from Hall gave the Aztecs to a 17-13 lead with 7:59 left in the third quarter.
Derek Armah's second scoring reception, a 16-yarder from Bramlet, put Wyoming up 13-10.
The score came shortly after Shane Johnson recovered a blocked punt in the end zone to give San Diego State a 10-7 advantage four plays into the second half.
Freddie Keiaho blocked Luke Donovan's punt deep in Wyoming territory.
Armah's 25-yard TD catch from Bramlet with 5:24 to go in the second period gave the Cowboys a 7-3 halftime lead.
Kirovski's career-long 48-yard field goal put the Aztecs up 3-0 early.