Ashton Jeanty is the top running back in the country. He entered Friday night’s game leading the nation with 1,376 rushing yards, more than 200 yards than any other player in the country. 

The San Diego State Aztecs (3-5, 2-1) held Jeanty to only 37 yards on 15 carries in the first half as the back battled a left arm injury he sustained in last week’s Boise State (7-1, 4-0) win against UNLV.

One must think the Aztecs had a good chance to be in the game at the half. 

Not so fast. 

There are two facets to a football offense, and the Broncos, behind QB Maddux Madsen’s 261 passing yards and four touchdown passes still held a commanding 35-10 lead at the half. 

Jeanty came out in the second half and more than doubled his first-half output on just the first drive, rushing for 57 yards a score to push the lead to an insurmountable 42-10. He finished with 149 yards (31 carries), his eighth straight game over 100 yards, passing Jay Ajayi’s school record. 

The Broncos won, 56-24, providing the Aztecs their first conference loss of the season. They outgained the Aztecs 541 to 256, converted 9 of 13 third down attempts, and won the time of possession battle, 39:32 to 20:28. 

“The mindset that we (need) to go out and compete and be at our best when our best is needed, (it) was not (there) tonight, and that’s on me as the leader and no one else,” said SDSU head coach Sean Lewis postgame.

“It’s not about the end result. We want to be process-oriented in the way we did it, and it starts with me going back and assessing how this team went about this short week so that going forward, we can be better for it in that regard with the preparation.”

Madsen’s favorite target in the first half was senior WR Latrell Caples, hauling in five receptions for 78 yards and three (18, 19, 14) of Madsen’s four scoring passes, including one with only 22 seconds remaining in the half on a 4th and 1. WR Prince Strachan (14) caught the other score from Madsen. 

Madsen (24/32, 307 yds) set a career-high for passing yards in the contest, the majority of which came in the first half. 

After four drives, the Aztecs offense was stuck in neutral, with their longest play from scrimmage coming on a Trey White 4-yard run on a fake punt. Danny O’Neil, who had not thrown an interception for the first 127 passes of his career, then threw two interceptions four plays apart to double his total for the season. 

The first was intercepted by A’Marion McCoy, who jumped a sideline route and returned it 35 yards for the score. Three plays later, O’Neil threw up a deep ball down the left sideline towards Mekhi Shaw, but the pass strayed too far into the middle of the field and was intercepted easily by Alexander Teubner at the BSU 42. 

O’Neil regrouped and helped navigate the offense down the field for scores on the next two drives, aided by two 40+ yard plays. First, O’Neil found Jordan Napier down the field for a 40-yard reception in Bronco territory. Gabriel Plascencia’s 27-yard field goal got the Aztecs finally on the board. 

After the defense forced a punt, Marquez Cooper broke through an open hole at the line of scrimmage and scampered for 42 yards. Cooper finished the drive with a score from six yards out to cut the lead to 28-10 and provide momentum for the team. 

The momentum was short-lived lived, as the Aztecs did not score again until halfway through the fourth quarter. 

O’Neil completed 14 of 30 passes for 155 yards, while Cooper rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries. Napier led the team with eight receptions and 79 yards, including a 30-yard reception for a score. Mekhi Shaw also caught a 30-yard touchdown on the Aztecs’ final drive of the game. 

The Aztecs offense was atrocious on third downs (2 of 14), but converted all six fourth down attempts. 

Jayden Virgin-Morgan led the Broncos pass rush with two sacks, and Teubner led with six tackles. 

Tano Letuli, playing his second straight game with a giant club on his right hand, led the Aztecs again with ten tackles. White and Cody Moon added a tackle for loss each. 

Center Brayden Bryant was stepped on by a Bronco as players stood up following the completion of a play in the fourth quarter and was removed from the game. Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli slid over to snap while Briley Barron took over at left guard. 

The announced attendance at Albertsons Stadium was 36,838, the ninth largest attended home game in Boise State history. 

The Aztecs return home next for a Friday night showdown with the New Mexico Lobos (3-5, 2-2) at Snapdragon Stadium. Kick-off is at 730pm. 

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.