Bulldogs win Hawaii Bowl
McMaryion has career day as Fresno State earns first 10-win season in five years.
FRESNO STATE 33 HOUSTON 27
HONOLULU — Marcus McMaryion threw for a career-best 342 yards and Jimmy Camacho made four field goals to help Fresno State beat Houston 33-27 on Sunday in the Hawaii Bowl.
McMaryion completed 33 of 48 passes to tie the Hawaii Bowl record for completions set by Hawaii’s Colt Brennan against Arizona State in 2006 and also matched by Fresno State’s Derek Carr against Southern Methodist in 2012.
The Bulldogs (10-4) had their first 10-win season in five years and completed the biggest turnaround in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season. They went 1-11 last year, and became just the second team in FBS history to go from double-digit losses one season to doubledigit wins in the next.
The Cougars (7-5) were seeking their fifth consecutive season of eight or more wins.
Camacho was kept busy in his final game for Fresno State. He attempted six field goals, with makes of 27, 38, 26 and 33 yards, but missed a 56-yarder in the second quarter — which would have been a career long — and had a 24-yard try blocked and returned for a Houston touchdown in the third quarter. Camacho broke the Hawaii Bowl record for field goals made.
Fresno State finished with 480 yards of total offense to Houston’s 341.
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver, the first underclassman to win the Outland Trophy, had his first career carry — a one-yard touchdown run — to cap Houston’s first scoring drive in the first quarter.
KeeSean Johnson caught eight passes for 95 yards for Fresno State and went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Steven Dunbar, one of two senior receivers for the Cougars, had seven receptions for 168 yards.
McMaryion and Dunbar were selected as the game’s most valuable players.