Albuquerque, NM -- (Sports Network) - Gartrell Johnson was nearly unstoppable while galloping for 285 rushing yards in addition to gaining 90 yards on five receptions, as the running back's second touchdown run, a 77-yard jaunt, late in the fourth quarter sealed Colorado State's 40-35 victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs in the third annual New Mexico Bowl.

Behind the vaunted running attack, Billy Farris connected on 17-of-29 passes for 257 yards with an interception and two touchdowns, including a 69-yard TD hookup with Rashaun Greer that put the Rams (7-6) ahead for good late in the fourth quarter. It was Colorado State's first bowl win since defeating North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl in 2001.

Fresno State (7-6) also ran the ball effectively with Anthony Harding and Lonyae Miller each scoring a pair of touchdowns with 120 and 113 rushing yards, respectively.

Tom Brandstater tossed for 186 yards and a score on 13-of-23 passes but threw a game-changing interception for the Bulldogs, who appeared in their ninth bowl game in ten years but fell to 4-5 during that span.

Trailing 28-20 early in the fourth quarter, CSU's Tommie Hill picked off Brandstater at the FSU 47 and returned the ball 15 yards to set up a short field.

As was the case all day, the Rams gave the ball to Johnson, who ran for eight yards on 3rd-and-7 and on 3rd-and-goal from the one penetrated the goal line with 9:45 remaining.

Johnson was stuffed on the two-point conversion to keep the Rams down 28-26, but the Bulldogs went three-and-out and Greer hauled in an under-thrown Farris pass on 3rd-and-6 and sprinted 69 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

The Bulldogs were forced to punt on their next touch with under three minutes to play, and on the second play after the change of possession, Johnson ran off the right tackle for a 77-yard clinching score.

Brandstater hit Ryan Skidmore for a seven-yard touchdown with 55 ticks remaining, but Fresno State could not come up with the onsides kick to fall short in its comeback effort.

Each team scored on their first two touches behind terrific running attacks. Miller's one-yard plunge was aided by a pair of Harding 21-yard spurts, and Johnson's 57-yard run set up backup quarterback Grant Stucker's 18-yard keeper around the left end to tie the game just 5 1/2 minutes into the game.

Harding capped a quick seven-play, 73-yard drive with a two-yard TD run on Fresno's next possession, and the Bulldogs' defense held strong in the red zone and forced CSU to settle for a 29-yard kick from Jason Smith with under three minutes remaining in the first.

After another stalled Rams possession, Smith was called on for a 22-yard field to make it a 14-13 game with 5:50 remaining in the half, but Miller rebuilt the eight-point lead on the fourth play of the ensuing possession by rumbling 69 yards to paydirt.

The Rams countered just before the half, however, as Farris found Kory Sperry for a 22-yard touchdown just two seconds before intermission, capping the 12- play, 87-yard march.

Colorado State failed to convert on 4th-and-6 from the FSU 41-yard line on its opening touch of the second half, and the Bulldogs took advantage of the short field with Harding's two-yard TD run.

Game Notes:

Colorado State is 5-7 all-time in bowl games, while Fresno State is 12-10... CSU leads the all-time series, 7-5...The Rams outgained the Bulldogs, 619-434...Seyi Ajirotutu led the Bulldogs receiving corps with 81 yards on three catches...Johnson set a career high and a New Mexico Bowl record with 369 total yards, surpassing New Mexico's Paul Baker (209).