WESTERN ATHLETIC ROUNDUP : Colorado St. Rallies for Victory, Title

E.J. Watson ran for three touchdowns Saturday night as No. 10 Colorado State overcame a 21-point deficit to defeat Fresno State, 44-42, at Fresno to clinch the Western Athletic Conference title and a Holiday Bowl berth.

Watson, questionable for the game because of a sprained right ankle, ran for touchdowns of two, 24 and 22 yards as the Rams, 10-1 overall and 7-1 in the WAC, earned the WAC’s host berth in the Dec. 30 game at San Diego. Colorado State will play Michigan, which was beaten on Saturday by Ohio State, 22-6.

Colorado State won its first WAC title since joining the league in 1968 and finished the best regular season in school history.

Fresno State (4-7-1, 2-4-1) had its first losing season in 13 years.

Colorado State took its first lead of the game with 1:09 to play in the third quarter when Raymond Jackson blocked John Brown’s punt, scooped up the ball and ran 30 yards for a 31-27 lead.

Anthoney Hill’s 78-yard pass to Paul Turner with 9:29 to play increased the lead to 37-27.

Fresno State pulled to within 37-35 on a one-yard scoring run by Reggie Brown, his second touchdown of the game, and a two-point conversion.

Van Ward’s eight-yard run with 2:02 to play restored the margin, but Fresno State again cut its deficit to two points with 48 seconds left on a three-yard pass from Richie Donati to Michael Ross.

Colorado State recovered an on-side kick, however, and ran out the clock.

New Mexico 25, Texas El Paso 21--Stoney Case finished his record-filled career by passing for two fourth-quarter touchdowns and running for another as the Lobos (5-7, 4-4) rallied to beat the Miners (3-7-1, 1-6-1) at Albuquerque, N.M.

Case brought the Lobos back from a 21-6 deficit.