Big West Roundup : Long Beach Wins 2nd Straight Despite 8 Turnovers

Reserve fullback Jim Bittner scored on an 11-yard run following a muffed New Mexico State punt early in the fourth quarter and Cal State Long Beach overcame 8 turnovers to post a 21-16 victory in a Big West Conference game Saturday at Las Cruces, N.M.

The victory, the second straight for the 49ers, improved to 3-7 overall and 3-2 in the conference. New Mexico State is 1-9 and 0-6.

Long Beach also got touchdown runs of 1 yard from LaFayette Shelton and 11 yards from Brian Browning as the 49ers overcame a 10-0 New Mexico State first-half lead.

Long Beach linebacker Mauricio Gutierrez sacked quarterback Phil Vinson for an 11-yard loss on a fourth-and-goal at the 49ers’ 8-yard line with 24 seconds left in the game to preserve the win.

Long Beach quarterback Jeff Graham was intercepted 6 times and the 49ers also lost 2 fumbles. New Mexico State lost 4 fumbles, including the one that set up Bittner’s game-winner.

Fresno St. 31, UNLV 14--The Bulldogs wrapped up the Big West championship and a trip to the California Bowl in Fresno next month with this win at Las Vegas.

Mark Barsotti and Dave Telford shared quarterback duties as the Bulldogs (8-2, 6-0) won their fifth straight.

A 49-yard touchdown pass play from Barsotti to Craig Jones gave Fresno a 17-7 halftime lead, but Las Vegas (3-6, 2-3) trailed only 17-14 in the third quarter before falling victim to crucial turnovers and penalties.

Utah 42, Utah St. 21--Scott Mitchell threw for three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter, and set another college passing record as Utah of the Western Athletic Conference defeated Utah State of the Big West on a wind-swept field in Logan, Utah.

Mitchell, who threw touchdown passes of 18, 4 and 27 yards, broke the record set by Miami’s Bernie Kosar for the most yards passing by a sophomore. Kosar had 3,642 yards as a sophomore in 1984 and Mitchell has 3,938 yards passing.

The Aggies led, 21-13, going into the final quarter, but Utah converted 3 interceptions of Brent Snyder passes into touchdowns.

Utah is now 5-5, Utah State 4-6.