Cameron Peterson / The Utah Statesman

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS 30, UTAH STATE AGGIES 28

Goessling̢۪s 58-yarder saves Fresno State, improves Bulldogs to 2-1 in WAC

It didn̢۪t happen how the Fresno State Bulldogs planned it. The game wasn̢۪t supposed to be decided by a last-second field goal.

But freshman kicker Kevin Goessling, who has had an unpredictable and trying start to his collegiate career, was again trusted to win for Fresno State with his leg.

With two seconds remaining in the game, down 28-27 and a humiliating loss in Logan, Utah, hanging in the balance, Goessling lined up 58 yards from the cross bar.

The snap was good, the hold was down and Goessling kicked the football true through the uprights with distance to spare. The Bulldogs defeated the Utah State Aggies, 30-28, with no time left on the clock.

“To end it like that with Kevin Goessling making that kick was good for our football team,â€Â coach Pat Hill said.

The 58-yard field goal is a Fresno State record.

The victory did not come easily for the Bulldogs, as was expected, but Hill was just happy to escape with the victory.

“It’s just about the win and we’re still in control of our destiny,â€Â Hill said. “It’s not about style points; it’s about winning.â€Â

The victory for the Bulldogs was the fifth of the year, improving their record to 5-2 and 4-0 on the road.

Senior quarterback Tom Brandstater led the Bulldog offense, going 25-for-36 for 257 yards and a touchdown. Brandstater led the offense into field goal position with less than a minute to go.

Utah State̢۪s offense finished a 12-play drive with a Marquis Butler 1-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds remaining in the game. The touchdown put the Aggies up 28-27, but there was just enough time for Brandstater.

The offense moved the ball 31 yards in five plays, despite a block in the back penalty, and managed to keep two seconds left on the clock for the field goal attempt.

“I’m really happy with the way we managed the clock at the end of the game,â€Â Hill said. “We got hurt by a couple penalties, but our guys played under control and played smart at the end to help us set up the field goal.â€Â

The last-second heroics from Goessling not only helped redeem him from his misses earlier in the season, but he saved the Bulldogs from losing two straight games on the road against the Aggies.

In 2006, the Bulldogs lost 13-12 late in the game and were the on the losing side of Utah State̢۪s only win that season.

Hill was thankful that his team avoided the letdown and felt that getting wins in the Western Athletic Conference is becoming more and more difficult.

“I’ll tell you what man,â€Â Hill said. “It is hard getting wins.â€Â

Linebacker Ben Jacobs, who had 10 tackles and a forced fumble, again led the Bulldog defense. Even with a strong performance from the sophomore, the defense struggled to slow down quarterback Diondre Borel.

Borel threw for 193 yards and a touchdown and added 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Bulldog defense had no answer for the quarterback and has not recorded an interception since the season opener at Rutgers.

“We couldn’t stop No. 12 [Borel],â€Â Hill said. “He really hurt us at some bad times.â€Â

The Aggies̢۪ 28-point output was their second highest of the season. Utah State̢۪s offense racked up more than 200 yards on the ground and took advantage of Fresno State̢۪s banged up defense.

The Bulldog offense saw production from receiver Devon Wylie, who has not caught a pass since being injured against Wisconsin. Brandstater found Wylie six times over the course of the game, including a 7-yard touchdown strike.

The Bulldogs welcomed back Wylie to the offense, but they are still without key contributors on both sides of the ball. Fresno State will need to get healthy and keep games out of reach when leading in the fourth quarter.

But for now, Hill and the Bulldogs are happy to go home with a win.

“That was a very important win the way we did it, coming back and never say die,â€Â Hill said. “We’re going to need that down the stretch with five [games] to go.â€Â

Collegian Players of the Game

The Collegian hands out its game balls following every Fresno State football game:

̢ۢ Offense: Wide receiver Devon Wylie РAfter sitting out the past few weeks with a foot injury, the sophomore receiver caught six passes for 54 yards and a touchdown Saturday.

̢ۢ Defense: Linebacker Ben Jacobs РThe sophomore middle linebacker continues to be the heart of the Fresno State defense. Jacobs had 10 tackles and forced a fumble against the Aggies.

̢ۢ Special Teams: Kicker Kevin Goessling РAfter some early-season struggles, Goessling finally put it all together. Goessling kicked a 58-yard field goal to lift the Bulldogs to victory. He was 3-for-4 on field goals.

Coming Up Next…

The Bulldogs barely escaped Logan, Utah, with a win and are now 2-1 in conference play. Fresno State is 4-0 on the road this season and will try to keep that undefeated streak alive Saturday against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech is 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the WAC. Last season, Fresno State beat La. Tech 17-6 at Bulldog Stadium.