Laramie, WY (Sports Network) - Adam Muema rushed 26 times for career-highs of
255 yards and four touchdowns to push the San Diego State Aztecs to a 42-28
victory over the Wyoming Cowboys in a Mountain West Conference contest at War
Memorial Stadium.
Adam Dingwell completed 19-of-24 attempts for 124 yards and two touchdowns
with one interception while under center for SDSU (9-3, 7-1 MWC). Derek
Largent had a strong showing on the defensive side of the ball with six stops,
one sack, one forced fumble, and one recovery.
San Diego State clinched at least a share of the Mountain West title with the
victory. Fresno State also finished the season 7-1, while Boise State is 6-1
and will finish its season next week against Nevada.
Brett Smith paced Wyoming (4-8, 3-5) by throwing for 260 yards and two
touchdowns on 19-of-35 passing. Smith also added two rushing touchdowns while
D.J. May tallied a team-best 87 yards on 15 carries. Robert Herron set career-
highs with 10 receptions and 187 yards while tying his career-high with two
touchdown grabs. Siaosi Hala`api`api anchored the Cowboys' defensive unit with
12 total tackles and a forced fumble. The loss snapped Wyoming's three-game
winning streak and ended its 2012 campaign.
The Aztecs struck first when Muema dashed six yards into the end zone with
just under six minutes left in the opening quarter. Smith answered with a 28-
yard run on Wyoming's ensuing drive to even the score, 7-7.
The Mountain West rivals went back and forth in the second frame. The Cowboys
took a 14-7 lead three minutes into the quarter when Smith punched it in from
a yard out. San Diego State responded with an 11-play, 75 yard drive which was
concluded with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Dingwell to Gavin Escobar.
The Cowboys quickly went back up by a touchdown as they scored 33 seconds
later when Smith found Herron for a 70-yard scoring strike, but the Aztecs
produced a 75-yard scoring drive that Muema capped off with a 2-yard rush
across the goal line on their next possession.
Wyoming then took over on its own 25-yard line with 1:28 left before halftime.
Smith moved the offense into SDSU's territory before completing a 42-yard
touchdown pass to Herron as time expired. Herron's second touchdown grab of
the contest put the Cowboys in front, 28-21, at halftime.
San Diego State's defense came out of the break with intensity as the Cowboys'
first five second half possessions consisted of four punts and a turnover on
downs. The sixth Wyoming drive ended as time expired.
While the defense thrived, the Aztecs' offense game the team control on the
scoreboard. Muema rushed 34 yards for a touchdown at the 10:51 mark of the
third stanza to tie up the score at 28.
Dingwell completed the go-ahead six-yard touchdown pass to Adam Roberts in the
final minute of the third quarter. Muema broke away for an 82-yard run to make
it 42-28 with 13:11 remaining in regulation, and neither team managed to
produce any more points the rest of the way.
San Diego State tallied a season-high 564 yards of total offense to earn a
share of the league's conference title.
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