WAC: San Jose State edges Utah State

David Richmond caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Adam Tafralis with 53 seconds left in the game and San Jose State beat Utah State 23-20 in a Western Athletic Conference opener Saturday in Logan, Utah, extending the Aggies’ losing streak to 10 straight.

Tafralis was 35 of 48 for a career-high 426 yards and three touchdowns for the Spartans (1-3, 1-0), who gained 524 yards in the game.

Derrvin Speight rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown and Kevin Robinson returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown for the Aggies, who still had time to tie it or retake the lead, but botched the kickoff return.

The Spartans were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after the touchdown and the kickoff was pushed back to the 15-yard line. The kick was high and bounced near midfield, where the Spartans jumped on it before any of the Aggies.

San Jose State ran out the clock from there.

Auburn 55, New Mexico State 20: A week after being booed and benched, Brandon Cox passed for 135 yards and a TD as the Tigers (2-2) broke open a close game in the second half to defeat the Aggies (2-2) in Auburn, Ala.

Cox’s passing complemented the running of Ben Tate and Mario Fannin. Tate rushed 21 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, while Fannin ran the ball 15 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including a 67-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Chase Holbrook passed for 254 yards and two TDs for NMSU.