In Wild One, Fresno State Loses, 42-39

A 65-yard pass play from Baylor’s J.J. Joe to Marvin Callies with 1:59 to play held up as the game-winner when a trick play backfired on Fresno State with less than a minute to play Saturday night.

Baylor won, 42-39.

The Bulldogs of the Western Athletic Conference led, 33-14, at halftime but failed to score a touchdown in the second half.

Fresno’s Trent Dilfer completed 31 of 38 passes for a career-high 473 yards and three touchdowns, and the Bulldogs had 611 yards in total offense. But they yielded 561 to Baylor.

After the long pass play to Callies, Dilfer got Fresno down to the Baylor 10. From there, he passed to David Dunn, who passed back to Dilfer. But Dilfer fumbled when hit and Baylor’s Chris Lewis recovered. Two plays later, the first game between these teams was over.

“They made only one mistake all night and it was Dilfer’s fumble,” Callies said.

Said Bulldog Coach Jim Sweeney: “Dilfer gave an All-American performance but Baylor is a very physical football team and we got worn down. But we ran it right down to the last play and almost got off that Bobby Bowden screen that almost won the game for us.”

The game marked the debut of Baylor Coach Chuck Reedy.