Bowls
Pumphrey breaks FBS record; San Diego St. wins Las Vegas
Donnel Pumphrey broke the Football Bowl Subdivision career rushing record Saturday in his college finale, running for 115 yards and a touchdown in San Diego State's 34-10 victory over Houston in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Pumphrey passed former Wisconsin star Ron Dayne's mark of 6,397 yards on a 15-yard run early in the fourth quarter, with teammates swarming him on the sideline, and wrapping up his sensational career in his Nevada hometown with 6,405 yards.
Pumphrey's senior total of 2,133 rushing yards ranks in the top 10 for an FBS player.
Ron Smith returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown, Curtis Anderson caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Christian Chapman, Juwan Washington ran for a touchdown, and John Baron kicked two field goals for the Aztecs (11-3). They overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit against the Cougars (9-4) for their second consecutive bowl win.
Appalachian State (10-3) won the game in Montgomery, Ala., on a late field goal for the second straight year, this one coming with 5:14 left.
Lamar Jordan rushed for 81 yards and threw a 34-yard pass to Dameon Gamblin that set up McQuarley's 1-yard run for a 23-13 lead in the fourth quarter.
Jarveon Williams ran for 125 yards for UTSA (6-7), which lost in its first bowl appearance in the program's six-year history.
Arkansas State also scored on a blocked punt and produced two turnovers that were turned into touchdowns.
Joseph McWilliams surged in and swatted Brandon McLaren's 35-yard try with 2:14 remaining to preserve the lead for Grambling State (11-1).
Down 10-3, North Carolina Central had a chance to pull even after Quentin Atkinson caught a 39-yard touchdown pass. But Atkinson took off his helmet while reveling with the crowd, drawing a personal foul.