San Diego State Puts an End to Wyoming’s Winning Streak

SAN DIEGO —  His undefeated opponent holding its breath, his teammates holding one another, he had hoisted San Diego State on his small frame and carried them nearly an entire football field in the final minute.

In the end, it was no surprise that quarterback Billy Blanton’s shoulders were too big for his shirt.

Blanton juked one defender, ran through another, and scored on an 11-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds remaining Thursday to defeat Wyoming, 28-24, and end the nation’s longest winning streak at 12.

By the time Blanton rose to his feet in the end zone, one white shoulder pad had been pulled clear out of his black jersey.

He left it out as he skipped off the field, a little guy dressed as a giant.

“His size may hinder him, but not his heart,” Aztec running back George Jones said.

“B squared!” shouted another Aztec in the joyous locker room “B squared!”

The calculation was correct. Blanton, a barely 6-foot former Mater Dei star, ran for 41 yards and passed for 31 during the comeback drive. It began with 1:39 remaining after the Cowboys appeared to keep their dream season alive with a go-ahead touchdown run.

After Blanton’s score, Wyoming drove to the Aztec 26-yard line before a final end zone pass was knocked away by linebacker Craigus Thompson.

Just another wacky Western Athletic Conference game? Just another junior-college style contest that ESPN bought to attract midweek curiosity seekers?

It may have looked like it, but it certainly didn’t feel like it, not to two teams that believe they are small only in reputation.

The game ended and the Aztecs ran wildly on to the San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium field in front of 28,679 fans, running to nowhere, embracing and dancing and nearly getting speared by their sizable warrior mascot.

The game ended and several Cowboys dropped to their knees, blowing rapid breaths of chilly smoke into the wet mud.

“You hate to surrender,” said Cowboy Coach Joe Tiller.

That’s how they talk, those guys with the dirt brown pants and shirts with no names and a 9-0 record before Thursday.

“It came time for a gut check, and we didn’t have it,” said defensive tackle Brent Leu.

And to think of the possibilities blown by the 16th-ranked Cowboys, who were one of only five major unbeatens.

They have been ranked as high as the top five in only one of their 103 seasons.

They have not won a bowl game since 1966.

They have not finished the season unbeaten since 1956. And, typical of nationwide respect, they were ranked only 16th and did not play a bowl game.

It was all going to change this season.

They were going to win Thursday, defeat Colorado State next week, win the WAC championship against Brigham Young, and play against Colorado in the Cotton Bowl.

And once there, what a story it would have been.

The team is comprised of surfers from small towns in Northern California, scrappers from small colleges in Oklahoma, inner-city kids from Minneapolis, and one incredibly brave chap from Beverly Hills High.

Their mascot is a guy wearing a six-foot mask and carrying a gun, which he pretends to shoot into the crowd, and we aren’t making this up, pardner.

Now? If this senior-laden team with the nation’s second-ranked offense does not defeat Colorado State, then you will not hear from them again in several years.

“People are going to question us either way,” said Leu with a sigh. “It’s been that way all year.”

San Diego State knows the feeling.

The Aztecs improved to 6-2 Thursday, but must win their remaining three games to have any chance at a bowl bid.

“People watching were probably saying, ‘Oh, just another WAC team,’ ” said Jones, who gained 114 difficult yards. “We showed them something different.”

After a two-yard dive by Marques Brigham and a two-point conversion gave the Cowboys a 24-21 lead with 1:39 left, Blanton took over.

The senior quarterback finished with 366 passing yards for two touchdowns, but the big-time numbers were in the final drive.

A seven-yard scramble. A 20-yard pass to former Inglewood High star Leandrew Childs. Then the big play, a 23-yard scramble behind a pancake block from the 5-foot-9 Childs.

Finally, the touchdown, on a surprising call, considering the draw came right after the scramble.

“I walked to the line of scrimmage and saw the hole and my eyes got real big,” Blanton said.

Anyone watching probably knows the feeling.