Aztecs keep the Old Oil Can in San Diego with 26-23 win

The San Diego State Aztecs (3-4, 2-1) blew a 13-point first-half lead but rebounded to beat the Fresno State Bulldogs (4-3, 1-2), 26-23, at Snapdragon Stadium. 

Cooper DiLeva’s fourth field goal of the night (on five attempts) won the game for the Aztecs. The 53-yarder was the longest of his career. 

Jayden Denegal started the game, completing 7 of 10 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. He sustained a right lower-leg injury and was replaced by Stone Saunders, who had just returned from a broken collarbone. Saunders completed 6 of 11 passes for 61 yards. 

Lucky Sutton also returned from injury, rushing for 110 yards on 18 carries. His 67-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter, the longest of his career, helped ignite a stagnant SDSU offense since Denegal went down. Javion Kinnard added 77 rushing yards. Jaylon Hawkins led the Aztecs with six receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown.

Coming off three consecutive poor performances that saw them plummet to the bottom of the FBS standings, the defense stifled the Bulldogs offense for the first four drives. They held them to 33 total yards, three punts, and recovered a fumble. Sione Hala punched the ball out after a reception by Brock Lium, and Jelani Whitmore recovered it at the Fresno State 32. 

DiLeva nailed home the first of his three first-half field goals (32, 30, 40) to get the Aztecs on the scoreboard. 

The biggest offensive play of the first half came when Denegal connected with Hawkins for a 52-yard touchdown late in the first quarter. Hawkins was wide open down the right sideline and was able to race past the safety into the end zone for the score. 

Manaki Watanabe’s 51-yard field goal put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard in the second quarter. 

Playing his best half of football of the season, Denegal injured his right ankle after getting rolled up by a Bulldog defender. On Saunders’ first play, Kime Fangupo came in motion and was struck by the snap, and the ball was recovered by Dylan Hampsten at the SDSU 38. 

Five plays later, Bryson Donelson scored from four yards out to cut the Aztecs’ lead to 13-10. 

Kinnard’s 24-yard punt return led to DiLeva’s third field goal at the end of the half. DiLeva missed from 43 yards out in the third quarter, his first miss of the season in eight tries. 

The Bulldogs capitalized on the miss, marching down the field and taking their first lead of the game on a Julius Gillick 7-yard run.

Sutton’s long run came when the offense was backed up inside their own ten-yard line. Jordan Napier took a handoff on a jet sweep on 3rd and Goal and found the left pylon to reclaim the lead with 12 minutes remaining in the game.

Lewis elected to kick the extra point to extend the lead to six instead of attempting a two-point conversion to make it seven. Postgame, Lewis said their plan is to go for the extra point in that situation until there is less than ten minutes remaining in the game. 

The Bulldogs marched down the field for an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took up almost seven minutes. Ezekiel Avit’s 29-yard catch in triple coverage helped the Bulldogs get inside the five. Gillick’s second touchdown run of the game appeared to give the Bulldogs the lead again, but Watanabe’s extra point hit the uprights and missed, keeping the score tied. 

Saunders found Napier on a crucial third-down conversion that sprung for 26 yards after a missed tackle. After three running plays that only yielded two yards, DiLeva knocked in the game-winning kick. 

Jayden Mandal (13/25, 141 yards) was sacked six times by the Aztecs. EDGE Kai Wallin led the way with three. Tano Letuli led the Aztecs with 11 tackles and added a sack as well. 

The Aztecs’ defense only allowed 276 yards of offense. 

Quick Notes

• The announced attendance was 21,847
• Don Horn (QB 1965-1966) was the Homecoming Honor Warrior
• Big Boi from OutKast and Sleepy Brown performed at the River Park Block Party before the game
• Tashi Dorje averaged 48 yards per punt on three attempts

The Aztecs head to Fort Collins, CO next weekend to take on the Colorado State Rams (2-4, 0-2). Saturday’s kickoff is at 330pm on the CW. 

Andre Haghverdian

Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. UC San Diego and San Diego State alumni living in America’s Finest City. Diverse team following across multiple sports leagues, but Aztecs come first in college athletics.