Long Beach Comes Up Winner in Debut on National TV, 37-22

It was the first time a Cal State Long Beach football team had ever been on national television, so the 49ers celebrated by putting on a show Thursday night.

Long Beach, playing in front of ESPN cameras and a Veterans Stadium crowd that was announced as 7,110, easily defeated San Jose State, 37-22.

But TV was only No. 3 on the Long Beach motivation list.

First, it was a big game for Long Beach, which needed to win to remain in contention for the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. championship.

“The main excitement was just to stay in the race,” said quarterback Doug Gaynor, who completed 23 of 30 passes for 318 yards and a touchdown.

The second-place 49ers are 4-1 in the PCAA, trailing Fresno State (5-0), their opponent on Nov. 16.

Secondly, there was a matter of revenge. The Spartans beat the 49ers, 42-7, last season.

“We really weren’t worried about TV; we just wanted the payback,” split end Charles Lockett said. The fifth-ranked receiver in the country, Lockett caught six passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.

The 49ers (6-4 overall) led by only 17-10 at halftime but broke the game open with 20 points in the third quarter.

Early in the period, Gaynor rolled to his left from the four and just before he could have stepped untouched into the end zone, he handed the ball to freshman running back Michael Roberts, who got the touchdown to make the score 23-10.

The 49ers increased the lead to 30-10 when Martin Sartin scored his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard run to cap a 70-yard drive.

That was followed by a 61-yard drive that ended with a three-yard scoring run by Roberts.

By that time it was too late for San Jose (2-8 overall and 2-4 in the PCAA), although the Spartans scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter when they gained most of their yardage.

“This was probably our best game,” said Gaynor, who tried his best not to get excited about the telecast.

“I told myself I would be calm, and things would take care of themselves,” he said.

They did. Although Gaynor was sacked seven times, the 49ers still managed 29 first downs and 432 total yards.

“We played hungry,” said Long Beach Coach Mike Sheppard, whose team has won three straight games for the second time this season.