Army scores winning 2-point conversion with 18 ticks left in Armed Forces Bowl
Don’t play for overtime in bowl games.
Army followed that mantra Saturday in the Armed Forces Bowl. After Darnell Woolfolk scored a one-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left to pull within 35-34 against San Diego State, the Black Knights weren’t kicking the tying extra point.
The decision paid off. Kell Walker waltzed into the end zone on a sweep for the game-winning points in a 42-35 win.
If you’re wondering how the two-point conversion was the winning play given that final score, Army scored a touchdown on the final play of the game as San Diego State tried a hook and lots of laterals in an attempt to score a game-winning touchdown.
To say the Black Knights controlled the ball would be an understatement. Army had the ball for over 46 of the game’s 60 minutes. So how the heck was it close? Well, thank San Diego State running backs Rashaad Penny and Juwan Washington.
Penny had 14 carries for a whopping 221 yards and four touchdowns. His first carry of the game went for an 81-yard touchdown and he scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Aztecs with 5:47 remaining in the game.
Washington’s kick return touchdown at the end of the second quarter tied the game at 21-21 just after Army appeared to take a seven-point lead before halftime.
Penny’s performance was the fifth-straight time he’s rushed for over 200 yards. He’s just the fourth player in FBS history to have five-straight 200-yard games.
The Black Knights had the ball to start the third quarter and promptly went on a 20-play, 47-yard drive that took 11:19. Though it ended on a turnover on downs, the possession meant San Diego State’s offense went 16:14 of game time — sandwiched around halftime — without taking the field.
Army quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw had 32 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns while Woolfolk also had two scores. Army ran 91 plays in that 46 minutes of possession. San Diego State ran 31 plays.
The victory means Army finishes the season at 10-3 and has the school’s first 10-win season since 1996. San Diego State also finishes the season at 10-3 after two-straight 11-win seasons.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
