Aztecs open Pac-12 play with thrilling 31-29 comeback win

The San Diego State Aztecs (2-3) came back from a 14-point halftime deficit against the Texas State Bobcats (2-3) and held on to a 31-29 win. 

Josiah Lucas, starting in place of injured Lucky Sutton and Javion Kinnard, became the first Aztec true freshman with a 100-yard rushing game since Donnel Pumphrey in 2013. He rushed for 111 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for nine yards. 

Jayden Denegal (15/23, 109 yds) was not very productive in the passing game, but did turn the ball over. 

The second-half comeback, however, was fueled by SDSU’s defense and special teams. 

Jaylon Hawkins returned the opening kickoff of the second half 96 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit in half and ignite the Aztecs. 

EDGE Kai Wallin dropped back in coverage and intercepted a pass from Brad Jackson and returned it to the TXST 10. Three plays later, Lucas ran it in from two yards out to tie the game at 17. 

After the defense forced a 3-and-out, P Tom Flintoff dropped the snap and fell on the ball at their own 7. Lucas only needed one rush to get it in the end zone to give the Aztecs their first lead. The two touchdown drives only yielded 17 yards but counted for 14 points.  

Cameron Cooper’s interception and return for a 32-yard touchdown with less than three minutes remaining in the game capped off the performance. Cooper’s pick came after Denegal tripped on his own feet in the end zone and fell down for a safety, which cut the lead to 24-22 and gave the Bobcats the ball back only needing a field goal to win. Cooper also blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt in the first half. 

Josh Hunter made one of the biggest plays of the second half as well, tackling Arvis Battle, Jr. at the one yard down on a fourth down play right before the Denegal safety. 

Jackson (27/43, 372 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT, 80 rush yds) threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Beau Sparks (10 rec, 153 yds)  to close out the scoring in the game. The Bobcats had one final chance to win the game but a hail mary pass from Jackson into the end zone fell out of bounds incomplete. 

The Bobcats offense came out rolling in the first quarter, collecting 154 yards on 21 plays in their first two drives, and scoring ten points. Jacob Bonilla knocked in a 37-yard field goal to open the scoring (he later knocked in a 45-yarder in the second half). Ty Stamey’s 21-yard touchdown reception capped off their second drive. 

Davian Jackson took a shovel pass behind the line of scrimmage and raced into the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter to extend the lead to 17-3 at the half. 

A 47-yard field goal by Cooper DiLeva was the only scoring for the Aztecs in the first half. Against the worst passing defense and second-worst total defense among 138 teams in FBS, the Aztecs could only muster 139 total yards and 62 pass yards in the first half and continued their streak of not scoring a touchdown in the first half in four games (6 points total).  

They looked to set up another three points at the end of the first half but a false start by Dennis Jones when Denegal was attempting to spike the ball to stop the clock prevented the Aztecs from having time for the attempt. 

The Aztecs came into the game with only 14 tackles for loss through four games. Tonight, they recorded nine. EDGE Djibril Rahman (7 tackles) led the team with 3.5, while true freshman Alijah Lash recorded two sacks. Gavriel Lightfoot led the team with 12 tackles. 

The Bobcats outgained the Aztecs 565 to 239 and ran almost double the amount of plays (102 to 52). 

In addition to Sutton and Kinnard, the Aztecs offense was also without starting C Isaac Lucas, RG Mikey Watkins, and TE Jackson Ford. Watkins suffered an injury against James Madison two weeks ago, but Lucas and Ford had not sustained an injury that had been made public. The team has experienced a mumps outbreak and the school has not confirmed whether Lucas and Ford’s absence is related to it. 

LB Tano Letuli left the game in the second quarter with an injury and did not return.

Quick Notes

• Kahale Waring (TE from 2015-2018) was the Honorary Warrior for tonight’s game
• LT Joe Borjon led the team out of the tunnel holding the Warrior Shield
• The 2016 Mountain West Championship team was honored on the field after the opening drive of the game
• The announced attendance was 28,474

The Aztecs play their first away Pac-12 game against the Oregon State Beavers (3-2) next Saturday. The Beavers beat Colorado State 56-26 on Saturday. Kickoff is at 3pm on USA. 

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.