CHAMPION #1 CSM SETBACK IN 4OT BY VISITING #26 SIERRA, 29-25

              The road to a third straight state and national JC/CC football title for College of San Mateo took a slight detour Saturday afternoon in a 4-overtime titanic battle with non-league foe Sierra College.

              The visiting Wolverines won the showdown, 29-25, intercepting the potential tying pass by CSM quarterback Austin Rovig near the goal line, which Abraham Hunter returned 97 yards for the final two points to end it. (Beginning in the third OT, teams only have conversion plays.) Both teams are now 1-1 to start the season.

              Following a controversial referee video/tablet review and reversal of a play that appeared to set up the potential winning score, state and nationally No. 1 ranked CSM settled for a 17-17 tie at the end of regulation play.

              Then it got more interesting. San Mateo started the overtime on the Sierra 25. Austin Rovig was picked off on the first play by Lamir Robinson.

              That set up the state No. 26 Wolverines for the potential winning score on their first OT possession. Sierra, on third and 12 at the CSM 13, attempted the winning field goal (from 30 yards). It was blocked, however, by Marshawn Dunning and recovered by David Dika, resulting in a scoreless extra period.

              Sierra took the ball first in the second overtime and scored on an 18-yard pass from Ricky Cole to Sentori Martino – but Cole was sacked on the mandated 2-point conversion (pass) attempt.

              Down by just six points at 23-17, the Bulldogs advanced to the Wolverine five -- where Rovig connected on a 5-yard TD pass to Long, tying the score. CSM needed only one  point to win – but 2-point conversion attempts are mandated in the second OT. Rovig's potential winning conversion pass attempt fell incomplete

              Subsequent overtime periods are merely conversion plays, from the 3-yard line. Rovig connected with Hamilton and Cole passed to Martino to make it 25-all after three OT's.

              Sierra opened the fourth extra period with a similar Cole-Martino completion for a 27-25 lead. Rovig's attempt for a further deadlock went array. He was picked off at the line  by Hunter to, effectively, end the game. Hunter decided to run 97 yards for the two extra defensive points and the final 29-25 score.

              Sierra had comeback to take a 17-14 lead as the third quarter ended on a 41-yard TD pass from Dempsy James to Anthony Gallagher.

The Bulldogs put together the potential winning drive with 3:19 left in the final period, starting with a 36-yard pass from Austin Rovig to Kai Hamilton, reaching the Sierra 26. Rushes by Dominick Gonzalez and Hamilton got the Bulldogs to a crucial third and goal situation at the five, where the game reached a turning point.

              Rovig connected with Riley Long, who hauled in a 5-yard pass near the left sideline, getting both feet inbounds -- then, eventually, falling to the ground several steps outside  the sideline, where the ball did bobble. The initial ruling was a completed pass, setting up the Bulldogs with a first-and-goal inside the two.

              Sierra coach Ben Noonan called timeout and asked officials for a video/tablet review, under new 2026 community college football rules (in line with the NCAA/collegiate  model). Officials overturned the catch, saying the ball was fumbled out of bounds. CSM coach Tim Tuilloch, subsequently, also asked for a tablet review. The ruling was confirmed, so the Bulldogs settled for a fourth down tying field goal of 24 yards by Logan Calder that sent the game into overtime. 

              "The ground caused the fumble," said Tulloch, after reviewing the professional video stream by baosn.tv postgame. "It should have been a catch."

              San Mateo got off to a good start, scoring quickly on a 44-yard pass from Rovig to Sean Chopoff. The CSM defense then came up with impressive stops – a pass interception in the end zone by Phoenix Rose and then another red zone stand that forced Sierra to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Ryan Eisert in the second quarter.

              CSM extended its lead to 14-3 on a 7-yard TD run by Nano Latu, completing a 75-yard drive in just five plays. Sierra, however, also drove 75 yards, over the last five minutes of the half, closing to 14-10 on a 3-yard pass from Cole to Mikey Cunningham, just before the intermission.

              That set-up the late game dramatics.

              "We didn't play well in any phases," said Tulloch. "They just outplayed us. We'll find out how we respond to this."

              Next on its tough September non-league campaign, San Mateo will face state No. 6 Butte (2-0) on Saturday in Oroville; then return to home to host No. 3 Modesto  (2-0) and No. 8 Diablo Valley (2-0).

Rovig, in his second start for the Bulldogs, completed 10 of 20 passes for 148 yards, but had a couple of costly interceptions. Latu led CSM rushers with 41 yards on six carries and Gonzales had 29 yards on a dozen trips. Arnold caught three passes for 40 yards.

On defense, Danny Niu had eight tackles (five solo).

CSM totaled 246 yards of offense but gave up 354 to Sierra.

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--Fred Baer, CSM Athletic Communications