FRESNO, Calif. -- Stephone Paige scored three touchdowns and Vince Wesson added another with 11 seconds left to give Fresno State a dramatic 29-28 comeback victory over Bowling Green in the second annual California Bowl Saturday.
Fresno State, plagued by eight turnovers, trailed 28-7 with just 12 minutes left in the game.
But Page scored on a reverse from 4 yards out to make the score 28-14.
With 7:40 left, FSU quarterback Jeff Tedford fumbled on the Bowling Green 24 and things looked even bleaker for the Dogs. But the Bulldogs' defense toughened and when FSU got the ball back, Tedford scored with a pass to Paige from the Bowling Green 27 to make the score 28-20.
The Bulldogs went for two points on the conversion attempt and succeeded with Tedford passing to Ed Carter.
On the next exchange, the Bulldogs again held Bowling Green and took possession with 1:53 left. They then drove 44 yards in seven plays, with Tedford passing to Wesson for the tying TD from 3 yards out.
The Fresno comeback overshadowed a brilliant performance by Bowling Green quarterback Brian McClure and tailback Chip Otten. Bowling Green scored first in the second quarter, when Otten punched in from the 4-yard line after an eight-play, 48-yard drive.
Their second score came with three minutes left in the first half, when McClure faked a run up the middle from the 1 and then passed to John Meek alone in the end zone.
Bowling Green came right back in the third when McClure, under intense pressure, hit end Shawn Potts in the back of the end zone from the 2 to climax a 17-yard four-play drive.
