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New Mexico Bowl 2008
Colorado State 40 Fresno State 35
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By Natalie Meisler The Denver Post
Johnson ended his career with 285 yards rushing on 27 carries and added 90 yards receiving, setting the NCAA record for most yards from scrimmage in FBS bowl history.
His second touchdown of the day was a 77-yard run with 1:46 to play for a 40-28 lead (video). It was the Rams' third touchdown of the fourth quarter.
"That's amazing," Johnson said. "On the last touchdown, I wasn't even touched."
The Rams achieved their bowl goal by finishing 7-6, their first winning record since 2003. It was their first bowl win since the 2001 New Orleans Bowl against North Texas.
CSU offensive tackle Dane Stratton, also playing his final game, said, "Gartrell and us just did what we were supposed to do. Gartrell had the hard part. He ran his heart out and we blocked out hearts out."
CSU receiver Rashaun Greer's only catch was a 69-yard touchdown for the Rams' first lead, 33-28, with 7 minutes left in the game.
Fresno State scored with 55 seconds to play, but their ensuing onside kick was fielded by Rams senior Kyle Bell on the one-hopper.
After threatening, but not carrying through in the second half, CSU finally reached the end zone with 9:45 left in the game on Johnson's first TD despite 190 yards at that point on 22 carries. He was denied the two-point conversion run and the Rams trailed 28-26.
Johnson's numbers were personal bests and set the school's bowl-game record for rushing yards, breaking Cecil Sapp's mark of 160 in the 2000 Liberty Bowl win over Louisville.
Johnson's 285 yards are second all-time in a CSU game to Tony Alford's 310 against Colorado in 1989. Johnson's rushing total is also a Mountain West Conference bowl record. His 77-yard run was a career best, as was his 57-yard catch in the second quarter.
Johnson's 1,476 rushing yards this season rank second on the school's record list behind Sapp's 1,601 in 2002.
The wildness of the second half Saturday started after the Rams couldn't convert fourth-and-6 from their 41. Fresno State went 59 yards, and Anthony Harding scored from the 2 for his second TD of the game and a 28-20 lead with 8:31 left in the third quarter.
The Rams threatened two drives later, but quarterback Billy Farris was picked off at the Fresno State 25 by Sharrod Davis.
"Tommie's play was by far the play of the game," CSU coach Steve Fairchild said. "He gave us a chance to get a quick score. Our defense bailed the offense out with Tommie's huge play."
Fairchild said leading up to the game he was excited to see a tough physical power running matchup of teams that didn't rely on spread offenses.
He ended up with more than he bargained for. Fresno State, with tailbacks Harding and Lonyae Miller dividing the scoring and rushing duties paced the Bulldogs to 177 yards by halftime, nearly the season average. Harding finished the game with 120 yards and Miller another 113 and both scored twice.
Fresno finished with 248 yards rushing, while the Rams had 362.
Miller's 69-yard sideline sprint to pull in front 21-13 with 4:26 left before halftime (video).
With three first half punts, both defenses made only sporadic appearances, the closest was Fresno State holding CSU to two field goals.
Then on the last drive of the first half, Rams tight end Kory Sperry caught his first pass of the game. With Bulldogs safety Lorne Bell in front of him and corner Sharron Davis defending from behind, Sperry came down with Farris' 22-yard pass in the back corner of the end zone (video). The catch was upheld on replay as CSU closed within 21-20 with two seconds left.
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| Gartrell Johnson on 58 yard burst in the second quarter. | |
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| CSU quarterback Billy Farris. | Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater. |
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| Anthony Harding had 123 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Fresno. | |
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| Kory Sperry makes sensational reception to score for CSU at the end of the first half. | |
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Attendance: 24,735
Scoring Summary
FSU- Miller 1 run (Goessling kick) CSU- Stucker 18 run (Smith kick) FSU- Harding 2 run (Goessling kick) CSU- FG Smith 29
Second Quarter CSU- FG Smith 22 FSU- Miller 69 run (Goessling kick) CSU- Sperry 22 yard pass from Farris (Smith kick)
Third Quarter FSU- Harding 2 run (Goessling kick)
Fourth Quarter CSU- Johnson 1 run (Johnson rush failed) CSU- Greer 69 yard pass from Farris (Smith kick) CSU- Johnson 77 yard run (Smith kick) FSU- Skidmore 7 yard pass from Brandstater (Goessling kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing CSU- Johnson 27-286, Morton 3-41, Stucker 1-18, Mosure 2-17 FSU- Harding 18-123, Miller 13-114, Mathews 4-13
Passing CSU- Farris17-29-257 FSU- Brandstater 13-23-186
Receiving CSU- Johnson 5-90, Pauga 4-36, Morton 3-29, Greer 1-69, Sperry 1-22 FSU- Ajirotutu 3-81, Pascoe 3-39, Moore 3-25, Evans 1-28
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ALBUQUERQUE-
Gartrell Johnson did all the heavy lifting with a record day as Colorado
State rallied past Fresno State 40-35 today at the New Mexico Bowl.
Defensive
end Tommie Hill returned the favor four plays later, setting up the Rams
on the Fresno State 32 early in the fourth quarter. Johnson scored his
first touchdown seven plays later to start the comeback. 
