Titans See Red but Fail to Reach End Zone, 26-3

Coaches call the area inside an opponent’s 20-yard line the red zone, a space that, for the good teams, usually serves as a prelude to the end zone.

But for Cal State Fullerton, it has turned into a no-trespassing zone. The Titans failed to reach the end zone for the second consecutive week and lost to Utah State, 26-3, Saturday before 8,957 in Romney Stadium.

Fullerton, 1-6 and 0-3 in the Big West Conference, has not scored a touchdown since the fourth quarter of a 56-28 loss to University of the Pacific on Oct. 5. The Titans lost to Nevada Las Vegas, 25-3, last week.

“Three points in two games is ridiculous,” Fullerton center David Porter said. “We drive pretty well inside the 30-yard lines, but once we’re in the red zone we can’t score. As an offensive line, we’re upset. We’re taking this real hard.”

The Titans had 228 yards in total offense and quarterback Chad May completed 15 of 28 passes for 128 yards. But Fullerton drove to the Aggie 22-, 34- and six-yard lines and couldn’t score a touchdown.

Typical was a fourth-quarter drive during which May completed five consecutive passes for 64 yards, bringing the Titans from their 29-yard line to the Utah State six.

But the Aggies blitzed on four consecutive plays, stopping May once for no gain, sacking him twice and forcing one incomplete pass. On fourth and goal from the 11, May was sacked by tackle Joe Jacobs, who finished with 12 tackles, including six for losses, two sacks and one interception.

Aggie quarterback Ron Lopez, out of Los Angeles Franklin High, completed 16 of 26 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown and also scored a touchdown to lead Utah State, which improved to 1-5, 1-1.

Roger Grant rushed for 114 yards in 25 carries and scored a touchdown for the Aggies.