Wildcats drop one

See more photos from the Weber State vs. Colorado State gameFORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The thoughts were already going through Mike Snoy's mind.Kicking the game-winning field goal and then being carried off the field after Weber State celebrated an upset victory over Colorado State.But Snoy never got the chance to make the dream happen as the victory literally slipped through the Wildcats' hands and Colorado State escaped with a 24-23 win on Saturday."I was going to drill it," Snoy said. "But it happens. That's football."The play before Snoy would have attempted the potential game-winning field goal for the Wildcats (0-2), WSU quarterback Cameron Higgins fumbled the snap and CSU defensive lineman Guy Miller jumped on the ball. The play, which began on CSU's 11-yard line, called for Higgins move the ball to the center himself and then down the ball. WSU had one remaining time out and would have let the clock wind down before using it to set up the kick.Instead, CSU (2-0) ran out the clock."I'm disgusted because this opportunity doesn't come around all the time," said WSU coach Ron McBride. "That's a game we should have won. It's our game, period. If anybody's got a different opinion, they're wrong."CSU took the 24-23 advantage on a 2-yard scoring pass from Grant Stucker to Eric Peitz. That gave the 'Cats the ball with 8:24 remaining in the game.On their final drive the Wildcats converted two third downs and one fourth down when Higgins dove to keep the drive alive. WSU also benefitted from a penalty on CSU which also kept the drive alive when WSU's Trevyn Smith, who rushed for a game-high 73 yards, was stopped behind the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-one.But none of that mattered as the Wildcat offense walked off the field following the turnover.'So fast'"It happened all so fast," said Higgins, who finished with 258 yards and two touchdowns. "I just remember the ball in the air and they had it. I let my team down. They fought real hard. They did everything right. I just let them down."Trailing 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, Smith got the Wildcats on the scoreboard with a nine-yard run that ended with him diving over the goal line, and CSU defensive back Nick Oppenneer. However, John Williams, who missed a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, couldn't connect on the extra point.Higgins also found tight end Cody Nakamura for a pair of touchdowns in the final five minutes of the second quarter to give WSU a 20-17 lead. Nakamura had 10 catches for 75 yards.Snoy, who took over the field-goal and extra-point attempts, hit a 47-yard field goal into the wind to give WSU a 23-17 lead after WSU safety Jordan Brown intercepted Stucker on the Rams' first drive in the third quarter.Stucker finished with 203 yards and a touchdown, and was also on the receiving end of CSU's first score on a pass from receiver Dion Morton on the Rams' opening drive.The Rams' final touchdown almost didn't happen. Leonard Mason fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line and offensive lineman Tim Walter fell on the ball in the end zone.Higgins finished with two interceptions, with the second coming at a very costly time. With WSU clinging to its 23-17 lead, CSU's James Skelton stepped in front of Smith and intercepted a screen pass, returning it 18 yards to CSU's 44-yard line. Two plays later Stucker hit Rashaun Greer on a 57-yard pass to WSU's 1-yard line, which set up the game-winning score. Peitz's touchdown was initially called incomplete, but after a review in the video booth, the officials ruled it a touchdown.WSU dominated the stat sheet by finishing with more total yards and first downs than the Rams. But it was those critical turnovers that took away any chance for WSU to win."Stupid," McBride said. "You can't take a quarterback exchange when you're trying to get right in the middle. You throw a pick on the screen. We got two chances to put this game away. We can't kick an extra point and a chip-shot field goal."Next weekFollowing the disappointing loss, the Wildcats pointed out that they need to quickly recover and prepare for next week's home game against Idaho State when they begin Big Sky Conference play. But that is definitely easier said than done."It's going to be a long bus ride home, that's for sure," Nakamura said. "We played our butts off, and we'll just have to bounce back." Colorado State 24, Weber State 23At Fort Collins, Colo.Weber State 0 20 3 0 -- 23Colorado State 10 7 0 7 -- 24First quarterCSU--Stucker 40 pass from Morton (DeLine kick), 10:46.CSU--DeLine 28 field goal, 2:21.Second quarterWeber State--Smith 9 run (kick failed), 12:10.CSU--Walter 0 run (DeLine kick), 8:16.Weber State--Nakamura 10 pass from C. Higgins (Snoy kick), 4:50.Weber State--Nakamura 14 pass from C. Higgins (Snoy kick), :27.Third quarterWeber State--Snoy 47 field goal, 10:03.Fourth quarterCSU--Peitz 2 pass from Stucker (DeLine kick), 8:31.A--23,417.WSU CSUFirst downs 25 12Rushes-yards 36-58 23-63Passing 258 243Comp-Att-Int 29-47-2 11-24-1Return Yards 4 45Punts-Avg. 3-49.7 4-40.3Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-0Penalties-yards 3-11 7-81Time of possession 38:04 21:56Individual statisticsRushing--Weber State, Smith 28-73, Bolen 4-12, C. Higgins 4-(minus 27). Colorado State, Mason 16-66, Greenwood 3-12, Pauga 1-4, Team 2-(minus 5), Stucker 1-(minus 14).Passing--Weber State, C. Higgins 29-47-2-258. Colorado State, Stucker 10-23-1-203, Morton 1-1-0-40.Receiving--Weber State, Nakamura 10-75, Toone 7-85, Collins 3-39, Phillips 3-28, Smith 3-17, Walker 1-8, Kaimikaua 1-4, Eldridge 1-2. Colorado State, Greer 6-162, Stucker 1-40, Borcky 1-19, Greenwood 1-18, Mason 1-2, Peitz 1-2.