Nov. 9, 2002

Final Stats

Utah State avoided its third straight overtime game when New Mexico State's two-point conversion with :19 left was unsuccessful giving USU a 32-30 victory in the final home game for 15 seniors.

USU, which improved to 3-6 on the season, built up a 23-10 lead at halftime before fumbling the opening kickoff of the second half and allowing NMSU to score two plays later to make the score 23-17. USU then scored a touchdown to make it 29-17 and then held a 32-24 lead before NMSU scored with just :19 remaining in the game to pull within 32-30. Dombrowski's two-point pass attempt to tie the game fell incomplete.

USU missed an extra point in the second quarter and later failed on a two-point conversion to allow New Mexico State the opportunity to tie late in the game.

USU quarterback Jose Fuentes threw for 299 yards and two scores, while wide receiver Kevin Curtis pulled in seven of those balls for 111 yards and one score. Wide receiver Gary Coleman and tight end Chris Cooley both had career high reception totals as Coleman had seven catches for 49 yards and Cooley had six receptions for 60 yards and one touchdown.

USU got its ground game going posting a season-best 182 yards behind the efforts of James Samuel (14 attempts for 85 yards) and Richard Watson (eight for 63). The Aggies punted just once in the game and converted eight-of-eight third-down conversions in the first half as they scored on each of their first four possessions of the game.

New Mexico State, which fell to 6-4 overall, was led by quarterback Paul Dombrowski, who rushed 17 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 126 yards and two more scores.