Nov 16, 2002
Final Stats?|? Notes
By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Bradlee Van Pelt threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more as No. 21 Colorado State defeated San Diego State 49-21 Saturday night, the Rams' fifth straight win.
Van Pelt completed 9 of 12 passes for 188 yards and rushed 13 times for 93 yards. He even outgained star running back Cecil Sapp, who had 80 yards on 20 carries and scored once for the Rams (9-2, 5-0 Mountain West).
San Diego State quarterback Adam Hall was carted off the field with a concussion in the second quarter after he was dragged down by the facemask by linebacker Drew Wood.
Lon Sheriff finished at quarterback for the Aztecs (3-8, 3-3).
San Diego State senior J.R. Tolver became the Aztecs' all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,163. On a 10-yard pass from Sheriff in the third quarter, Tolver moved past Darnay Scott, who had 3,139 yards from 1991-93.
Tolver, who caught touchdown passes of 5 yards and 1 yard, also became SDSU's single-season leader with 1,376 yards, breaking Patrick Rowe's record of 1,372 yards in 1990.
Tolver, ranked second nationally in catches and yards per game, finished with 10 catches for 96 yards. Teammate Kassim Osgood, ranked third nationally in catches and yards per game, had 10 catches for 170 yards and one touchdown.
The Rams scored on four of their first five possessions to take a 28-6 lead late in the second quarter. They might have scored on their first five drives, but Van Pelt fumbled the snap at the Aztecs 6-yard line on their third drive, and San Diego State's Matthew McCoy recovered. Van Pelt was intercepted once.
Van Pelt threw touchdown passes of 11 yards to Henri Childs and 80 yards to Joey Cuppari in the first half, and 17 yards to Matt Bartz in the third quarter.
On first-and-10 from the Aztecs 31 late in the second quarter, Van Pelt dropped back to pass but was flushed by blitzing safety Marviel Underwood. Van Pelt scrambled for a touchdown and a 35-6 lead, with two Aztecs missing tackles at the goal line.
Van Pelt also scored on a 5-yard run early in the fourth quarter.
Rams freshman quarterback Justin Holland played one series in each half and threw a 7-yard TD pass to Cuppari in the second quarter.
Hall threw a 5-yard TD pass to Tolver in the second quarter. Sheriff threw a 34-yarder to Kassim Osgood to pull the Aztecs to 35-14 at halftime, and a 1-yarder to Tolver in the fourth quarter.