GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, October 26
Location: Snapdragon Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 PM
TV: CBS Sports Network
Aztecs Radio Network: San Diego Sports 760

SDSU head coach Sean Lewis and his Aztecs are coming off back-to-back conference wins and are making a literal homecoming at Snapdragon Stadium this Saturday.

After their second bye week this year, the team had extra time to prepare for its contest against Washington State.

The Red and Black are 3-3 overall. A win would lift them above .500 on the season. Homecoming always brings alumni back to The Mesa, and the energy at Snapdragon Stadium should be electric.

“Great to be back on game week,” Lewis exclaimed at Monday’s press conference. “Have had a couple of days of advanced prep for a really good Washington State team that is coming here for homecoming in beautiful Snapdragon Stadium, so looking forward to our supporters and fan base coming out packing that stadium.”

Running back Marquez Cooper and quarterback Danny O’Neil have been setting the tone for the offense. O’Neil won Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors two weeks in a row for his performances against Hawaii and Wyoming.

On defense, the Alpha is Trey White. He leads the nation with an average of 1.83 sacks per game.

Washington State is this Saturday’s opponent. The Cougars enter that game at 6-1 and on a two-game winning streak. Last week, WSU faced the Rainbow Warriors for the first time in 15 years, earning a convincing 42-10 win. They put up 444 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers on defense.

After their latest win, the Cougars are inching closer to the AP top 25 rankings. WSU had the 26th most points this week.

These two schools have only faced off twice, with the series tied 1-1. The first matchup was in 2007 when the Aztecs fell to the Cougars in Seattle 45-17. SDSU got even in 2011. Washington State traveled to San Diego and got sent home with a loss 42-24. The Aztecs’ fireworks on the field that day matched the KGB Sky Show that followed the contest that night.

The Cougars’ defense is physical and great at forcing turnovers. They have 16 total, 10 interceptions, and six fumble recoveries. Defensive backs Ethan O’Connor (redshirt freshman) and Tyson Durant (redshirt senior) are two ball-hawking athletes who have contributed to half of the defense’s interceptions. Connor has three, and Durant has two.

Linebackers Kyle Thorton (redshirt senior) and Al-Uqdah Taariq are the rocks on the defense. Both have an interception, and Taariq has recovered a fumble. Those four staples of WSU’s defense have combined for almost half of the turnovers.

Offensively, Washington State has success in the running and passing game. They currently rank 20th in FBS with 459.4 yards per game. Quarterback John Mateer is what makes the offense tick.

Wayshawn Parker has received most of the carries out of the backfield. He has 83 attempts, 413 yards, and two touchdowns this year. Four different running backs have scored at least two touchdowns for the Cougars.

SDSU will have its hands full under the lights on both sides of the ball this Saturday. The extra week to prepare came at the right time for an opponent like the Cougars.

“Guys handled the bye the right way,” Lewis explained. “We had really good work, we’re at a better place health-wise than we were coming out of that Wyoming game, we maximized the time to get refreshed and recharged and come down the stretch here as we go at the second half of the season.”

Key to the game: Heavy defensive presence

SDSU’s key to winning this game will be playing as a highly efficient unit on defense. To stop an offense as successful as the Cougars, they will need to perform well in all phases. From stopping the run to disrupting pass plays and forcing turnovers, the defense will be tested.

“Great communication,” Lewis explained of working as a unit. “Making sure that with all the pre-snap movement, we’re doing a great job communicating with what we’re seeing and that we’re on the same page so that we don’t have a communication in our regard become a bust and make them earn every blade of grass that they’re going to get.”

The effort to stop the pass attack will start up front in the trenches. Trey White and the EDGEs, as well as the interior defensive line, will have to keep Mateer in the pocket and apply pressure to disrupt his timing. Even containing him within the pocket won’t be enough, as he is talented enough as a pocket passer to do damage. Applying pressure, and plenty of it, will be vital.

Outward from the D-line, the linebackers are still injury-ridden, with Tano Letuli and Owen Chambliss both with broken hands, but according to Lewis will be playing with clubs. DJ Herman and the other linebackers will have to step up and play their best. Filling gaps quickly to stop the run game and picking up receivers who run through the middle of the field will be crucial against this high-powered offense.

Cornerbacks Bryce Philips and Chris Johnson will have their hands full with the Cougars wideouts. Both have proven their ability in pass defense and creating turnovers. Johnson and Phillips have one interception each this year. Johnson also has three forced fumbles, which ranks third in the country.

The safeties have also performed well this year. JD Coffey III and Eric Butler have shown why they belong on The Mesa. Both have an interception and touchdown return this season.

The Cougars’ run game is led by their quarterback. It will be important for SDSU to stop WSU’s ground attack early to prevent it from opening up the passing game. Mateer and Parker are the top two rushers. If the EDGEs can do a good job containing Mateer in the pocket, his rushing numbers should stay controlled.

Parker has yet to rush for over 100 yards. Ninety-six yards against Portland State in the season opener was his most this season. He has one rushing and one receiving touchdown. The Red and Black have struggled against the run when teams have multiple skilled running backs, but this matchup favors SDSU.

If the defense can play to its potential and the level SDSU’s defense has been known for years, it has the chance to halt this Cougar offense.

Player to watch: John Mateer

Mateer is a skilled quarterback who can do damage with his arm and his legs. He has completed 60% of his 215 pass attempts for 1,896 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also is the team’s leading rusher with 533 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. All eyes will be on Mateer when the Cougar offense is at work.

“His dual-threat ability, he’s able to hurt you in a lot of fo ways,” Lewis stated on Mateer’s game. “He’s a very accurate thrower, and they have offensive skill guys that can take the ball the distance and change the scoreboard in a hurry, but anytime you have a quarterback of this magnitude that can hurt you and is utilized within the scheme, the right way in both the run and pass, that creates a lot of stress for your defensive unit.”

As the heart of Washington State’s offense, the Aztecs must stop his rhythm each time the ball is snapped. He does a good job making throws, but he has thrown six interceptions this year, which is something to keep an eye on. The Aztecs’ defense has six interceptions on the year.

The receiving core is led by seniors Kyle Williams and Kris Hutson. Williams leads the way with 32 receptions for 562 yards and five touchdowns, Hutson is close behind with five more receptions (37) for 506 yards and two touchdowns. Both are explosive receivers, and each has a 59-yard reception this season.

This will be the most talented and well-rounded quarterback SDSU has faced all season. Mateer’s production and the players around him on offense are impressive, and like all skilled signal callers, he elevates his teammates.

If SDSU can hold Mateer at bay and force turnovers, they will become only the second team, after Boise State, to defeat the Cougars this season.

Quick Facts

• This is just the second home game for SDSU in a span of 49 days.
• San Diego State has won both its conference games by a score of 27-24. It is the first time in the school’s DI history that they have had back-to-back wins by the same score.
• Eric Butler’s 43-yard interception return for a touchdown was the Aztec’s third defensive touchdown this season, which is tied for fifth most in the country.
• SDSU lost last year’s homecoming. They fell to Utah State 32-24 in double overtime.
• This is the last non-conference game of the season before five straight to end the year.
• SDSU will travel to Boise next week to play the only team to beat Washington State this year.

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.