Fullerton Hopes This Is Worst It Gets

Cal State Fullerton and New Mexico State, on a collision course for several weeks, will meet next Saturday to determine the nation’s worst Division I-A football team.

This lowdown of showdowns--call it the Siesta Bowl, or the Rotten Bowl--was made possible by Fullerton’s 45-17 loss to Utah State and New Mexico State’s 56-20 defeat to San Jose State Saturday.

For the past three weeks, Fullerton (1-10) has been ranked 105th and New Mexico State (0-10) 106th of 106 Division I-A teams by The National, an all-sports publication.

Just in case there was some dispute over the rankings, the Titans and Aggies will determine the worst team next week in Las Cruces, N.M., on the field, the way these things should be determined.

“It will be for bragging rights for last place in the whole world,” Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy said. “It will mean national notoriety for Cal State Fullerton. I’m sure we’ll be in The National and make the wire services. We just want to win the damn game.”

The Titans gave 4,110 Santa Ana Stadium spectators a slight impression that they might win Saturday’s game against Utah State (4-4-1). Fullerton drove 94 yards for a touchdown on its first possession and, with the score tied, 7-7, early in the second quarter, appeared headed for another score.

But the Aggies stopped the Titans on three plays from the Utah State one-yard line and reeled off 21 second-quarter points en route to an easy victory. Aggie quarterback Ron Lopez connected with Rod Moore on a 94-yard touchdown pass play two plays after Utah State’s goal-line stand.

The Aggies rolled up 528 yards, including Lopez’s 218 yards passing on 11 of 17 attempts. Roger Grant, the Big West Conference’s rushing leader, added 150 yards in 22 carries and scored two touchdowns, and Tracey Jenkins caught six passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

Utah State scored on seven of nine possessions, its only non-scoring drives coming at the end of the first half, when the Aggies ran two plays in the last 41 seconds, and at the end of the game, when they ran five plays in the final 2:27. Utah State didn’t punt.

“We played as hard as we could, but from a defensive standpoint, we were outmanned,” said Murphy, who was without five defensive starters Saturday. “These players are ours, and we love them, but they’re just not good enough. They’ll jump in a fox hole with you, though.”

Redshirt freshman quarterback Terry Payne of Fullerton, who started in place of the injured Paul Schulte, completed 20 of 29 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.