GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, November 30
Location: San Diego, Snapdragon Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 PM PT
TV: FS1
Aztecs Radio Network: San Diego Sports 760

Head coach Sean Lewis and the Aztecs will take the field for the final time this Saturday.

The hype and excitement were high when he first set foot on campus, but they have steadily declined throughout the season.

“A great opportunity here to end this season the right way; send our seniors out the right way. A tremendous test, tremendous opportunity,” Lewis started off his Monday press conference by stating. “Obviously, Air Force is playing some really good ball right now. They’ve done a great job creating their identity….They find a way, and they have found a way this year, and coach has done a nice job getting these guys riding high. And we got to do a great job handling the adversity that we’re in right now and continue to build the character of our team, of ourselves, of our identity, and end this thing the right way.”

SDSU is on a five-game losing streak. Its last home win was their first conference game of the season, on October 5, when they defeated Hawai’i. The offense has continued to struggle, and the defense has wavered after a good start to the season.

The Air Force Academy has continued its tradition of ground and pound. They are 4-7 with a record of 2-4 in the Mountain West. The Falcons head into this matchup on a three-game winning streak, defeating Fresno State, Oregon State, and Nevada.

Despite the running game being the bread and butter for the academy, their defense is opportunistic. Their defense has recorded an interception in each of their last three games.

Air Force’s offense will pose many problems for Lewis and his staff. This final week of preparation will be huge to have one lasting impression before the 2024 season is a wrap.

“They’re obviously committed truly to who they are and what they do,” Lewis describing the Falcons’ offense. “So, we got to do a great job being really, really disciplined this week and making sure that all three phases of the triple option are covered and accounted for. It’s really a mindset to approach it, to attack it, to know what it’s going to be down in and down out, and really understand the value of what one yard will be in this game so that we can get them to third and long because each yard will truly matter. They have no problem going for it on fourth down, in any of those fourth and short situations, because of their confidence in getting some hard yards inside.”

The Aztecs will have to play well on defense, starting with the line, to slow down this rushing attack. On top of stopping the run, they will have to be stout in coverage because when Hayes throws the ball, he does so in a risk-free, calculated way.

No matter the outcome of the game when the clock hits zero Saturday night, the seniors who put it all out on the field each week will move on to bigger and better things. This Saturday is the last chance for them to represent SDSU on The Mesa.

Key to the game: Stopping the Air Force running game

Stopping the run has always been a crucial part of the gameplan for the Aztecs. To kill the dragon, you must chop off its head. Air Force loves to run the football, so much so that they have run the ball four times more times (621) than they have pass attempts (136).

Hayes and running back Dylan Carson are at the top of the food chain in terms of rushing attempts. Hayes has run the ball 116 times to Carson’s 114.

Despite those top two players having all the attempts, nine different Falcons have rushing touchdowns.

The running scheme revolves around the triple option, which has been successful for them this season. This style of play will be a true test for the Aztec defense.

“This is obviously a unique beast,” Lewis said, describing the triple option. “That is their true identity that they know the answers and the solutions to week in and week out, where it’s such an outlier to where you only see it one time a year. And so it’s something that you have to prepare for year-round, and know that we’ll have a good plan in place.”

This unique scheme will be a headache for defensive coordinator Eric Schmidt. The triple option means the defense will have to account for multiple running backs, as well as a talented quarterback who can take off at any moment.

Hayes’s ability to make quick decisions and minimize mistakes allows them to run the football with great success. The Falcons have been averaging 219.3 yards per game. SDSU has been vulnerable against the run all season. The Red and Black have surrendered an average of 201 yards per game to opposing offenses.

That struggle versus the run for the Aztecs will make stopping it this week their top priority. If Air Force is able to run the ball with success and limit the time the Aztec fast offense is on the field Lewis and his team could be in for a quick game.

The Falcon’s rushing game allows them to win the time of possession as they have controlled the clock an average of 34:04 to the opposing team’s 25:56

The defense will need to control the line of scrimmage, quickly identify the ball carrier, and make tackles on first contact.

Players to Watch: Quentin Hayes and Dylan Carson

Just like the key to the game will be to stop the run, the two players to watch will be the leaders of the rushing attack.

Hayes has the knowledge and ability to run the system well and that has allowed the offense to have success in the last three games.

“He makes really good decisions. There’s a decision that he has to make darn near every single play, and he makes really good decisions,” Lewis said of Hayes’s play. “Then when the ball is in his hands, he does a nice job of finding all the yards that are there and that are available; whether that’s one yard or that’s 30 yards. But he makes great decisions and because of that, he’s able to keep the offense on schedule and having success as a whole.”

When facing an opponent who makes good decisions quickly, you must also do so. The Aztecs will need to swarm to the ball as fast as possible.

Junior running back Carson has broken out in the last three games as he has rushed for 120, 97, and 105 yards and scored in each contest.

In last week’s win against Nevada, he was his best of the season as he carried the ball 14 times for 105 yards and one touchdown, with his longest run being 50 yards.

His powerful running style and ability to keep his feet moving make him hard to bring down.

While Air Force has been on a three-game winning streak, the Aztecs have given up an average of 241.3 rushing yards per game. Hayes, Carson, and the other runningbacks for the academy will be getting a lot of attention under the lights at Snapdragon Stadium.

FUN FACTS

Before the game, SDSU will honor 24 departing seniors, who most likely will be playing in their final collegiate game.
This is the first game Sean Lewis will be coaching vs an academy team.
This could be the last regular season matchup between these two teams as SDSU heads to the PAC-12 in 2026.
SDSU has won nine of the last 11 matchups with Air Force.

Johnny Olivieri

Johnny is born and raised in San Diego and a diehard fan of all his hometown teams. He is an avid collector of sports memorabilia that help paint a picture of the history of sports in San Diego. He spends a lot of his time attending sports games across San Diego county and enjoys studying the history and spreading knowledge of San Diego’s diverse sports.