Pacific Football Game Report
Saturday October 11th 2014 1:00PM EST
Stagg Coliseum - Stockton, California
Utah State Aggies
@
Pacific Tigers
2-4 | 3-2
30 | FINAL | 40
FLETCHER'S LATE PICK SIX SEALED THE WIN FOR PACIFIC
THE CLOSER
Willie Fletcher picks off three passes including a walk off pick six and Pacific tops Utah State
Stockton, Caifornia - For the second week in a row the Pacific Tigers found themselves coming away with a victory in a back and forth affair.
Pacific jumped out to a 10-0 lead in a sloppy first quarter that saw each quarterback throw a pair of interceptions. Pacific was able to keep it together enough to score on a six yard Rashad Hall run and add a Kris Gudmundsson 25 yard field goal later in the quarter.
Utah State got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter when quarterback Chuckie Keeton scored on a 45 yard read option keep. The Aggies took their first lead a few minutes later when backup quarterback Craig Harrison connected with a very wide open Keegan Anderson for a 36 yard score. The tight end had gotten lost by the defense right in the middle of the field and didn't have a defender within 20 yards when he caught the pass. The score came two plays after Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell recovered a fumble by Pacific quarterback Myles Carr.
"Communication error." Fassel explained when asked about the play at halftime.
A few minutes later Pacific was back on top after freshman backup quarterback D'Arnel Lee ran into the endzone from two yards out. Lee had stepped in for Carr who was shaken up a few plays earlier after taking a hit on an incompletion. Lee's touchdown run was set up by a 44 yard completion to Braden Bishop.
After a 49 yard punt return by Brandon Chin set Pacific up inside the Utah State 20 yard line Carr scrambled and scored from a yard out on a run. Gudmundsson missed the point after. Pacific led 23-14 at halftime.
Utah State punted to end their first possession of the second half and Pacific extended their lead via a 43 yard Gudmundsson field goal. Utah State bounced right back when Kelvin Lee returned the ensuing kickoff 101 yards for a score. Coach Fassel was furious.
Each team punted to round out the third quarter.
After three more punts Utah State found the endzone once again when Keeton scored on a two yard run. The score was set up by a 32 yard run by Joe Hill and runs of four and nine yards by Kelvin Lee. Utah State's two point conversion attempt failed and with just over three minutes left to play the score was 27-26 Utah State.
Following a trio of runs by Rashad Hall Pacific was facing a fourth and inches at their own 28 yard line. Fullback Cody Barnett got the call and appeared to have the first down. The ball was spotted short of the line to gain and Utah State took possession.
Pacific's defense stepped up and held Utah State to a field goal, giving them a 30-26 lead with 1:40 left in the game.
Following a touchback Carr threw incomplete intended for Christian Tober then connected with tight end Billy Freeman for a gain of 23 yards. After another incompletion he hit Hall for a gain of six then Freeman for a gain of four. Next he found freshman Lukaz Richardson on a post for a gain of 15 yards down to the Utah State 27. On the next play Carr found backup runningback Jomal Sampson on a wheel route for a gain of 23. On the next play he went back to Sampson, connecting with the back for a four yard touchdown. Gudmundsson's kick made it 33-30 Pacific with 30 seconds left to play.
After a trio of Keeton completions Utah State was set up at the Pacific 45 yard line with 16 seconds on the clock. Keaton threw incomplete. On the next play Keaton was looking for junior receiver Brandon Swindall on an out route but Pacific cornerback Willie Fletcher picked off his third pass of the day and took it 52 yards to the house, ending the game.
Media Gallery
THIS FIRST QUARTER PICK BY FLETCHER WAS A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME
KEETON SCORES ON A LONG RUN
THIS WAS NOT A PLAY FROM PRE-GAME WARM UPS, THERE WERE IN FACT 11 PACIFIC PLAYERS ON THE FIELD
LEE FIGHTS HIS WAY IN FOR A SCORE
CHIN GETS THE CORNER ON A LONG TOUCHDOWN RUN
CARR ADDS A RUSHING TOUCHDOWN
LEE SCORES ON A 101 YARD KICK RETURN FOR UTAH STATE
KEETON MAINTAINS HIS BALANCE AND SCORES A SECOND RUSHING TOUCHDOWN
SAMPSON SECURES A LATE TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION
FLETCHER SEALS THE WIN WITH THIS LATE PICK THAT HE RETURNED FOR A TOUCHDOWN
Scoring
USU|00|14|07|09|
30
UOP|10|13|03|14|
40
1Q UOP Hall 6 Yd run (Gudmundsson kick)
1Q UOP Gudmundsson 25 Yd FG
2Q USU Keeton 45 Yd run (Diaz kick)
2Q USU Andersen 36 Yd pass from Harrison (Diaz kick)
2Q UOP Lee 2 Yd run (Gudmundsson kick)
2Q UOP Carr 1 Yd run (missed kick)
3Q UOP Gudmundsson 42 Yd FG
3Q USU Lee 101 Yd KR TD (Diaz kick)
4Q USU Keeton 3 Yd run (2-Pt failed)
4Q USU Diaz 25 Yd FG
4Q UOP Sampson 4 Yd pass from Carr (Gudmundsson kick)
4Q UOP Fletcher 52 Yd pick six (Gudmindsson kick)
Key Stats
Passing: Carr 21/34 199 1TD 2Int, Lee 1/1 44Yds
Rushing: Muhammad 13/91, Hall 8/17 1TD, Carr 11/7 1TD, Tober 1/7, Sampson 1/6, Lee 1/2 1TD
Receiving: Bishop 1/44, James 6/41, Richardson 2/34, Freeman 3/32, Duncan 2/29, Sampson 2/27 1TD
Tackles: Daniel 6, Hunt 6
Sacks: Hunt 3, Daniel 2, Burrell 1, Temple 1
Takeaways: Fletcher 3Int (1TD)
Special Teams: Gudmundsson 2/2FG 4/5XP, Mata 4P 181Yds, Chin 2KR 47Yds 4PR 64Yds, Tober 2KR 41Yds, Bean 1KR 23Yds
Passing: Keeton 10/22 98 3Int, Harrison 2/2 52 1TD
Rushing: Hill 10/53, Keeton 12/28 2TD, Lee 2/13
Receiving: Anderson 2/52 1TD, Butler 3/48, Hill 3/18, Swindall 1/14, Natson 1/13
Tackles: Vigil 10, Stewart 7
Sacks: Fackrell 1, Neilsen 1, Seefeldt 1, Vigil 1
Takeaways: Evans 1Int, Fackrell 1Int 1FR
Special Teams: Diaz 1/1FG 3/3XP, Bentrude 7P 246Yds, Lee 3KR 146Yds 1TD 2PR 21Yds, Hill 1KR 21Yds, Nealy 1KR 15Yds
Fruit Star Star of the Game
CB Willie Fletcher