SDSU Tops Cal in a Late-Night Thriller 45-40
The San Diego State Aztecs finally delivered a special performance, after years and some might say decades after underachieving.
The team won a nationally televised game against a power 5 opponent. Last night at the Q The Aztecs defeated The California Golden Bears 45-40 in a rather entertaining football game.
All week long there was a special kind of buzz all over town regarding this game, many fans were wondering if Saturday night was the date the Aztecs turned the corner. Oh boy did they ever. The game started just after 7:30 under a beautiful San Diego sky, you could feel the excitement around the stadium, the fans were ready and most importantly the team was ready to prove once and for all that things have changed under Rocky Long.
Early in the first quarter the team was rushing things a little bit, and that’s understandable, after all this might have been the biggest game in most of the players careers to date. But with 6 minutes to play in the first Christian Chapman found a wide open Rashaad Penny in the end zone for the games first of many scores.
Cal Responded almost immediately with a quick TD of their own. The Aztecs defense struggled for most of the first half, and Bears QB Davis Webb had a pretty impressive game by going 41-72 for 522 yards and five touchdowns. After Cal evened the game at seven, Penny brought the house down with an electrifying kick-off return for a touchdown. Cal though kept coming back and tied things up again. Early on the game (mostly the first quarter) was like a heavyweight title fight with each team throwing blows.
But then came the second quarter and that’s when Donnel Pumphrey took over, he scored on 33-yard carry to give the Aztecs the lead once again. SDSU’s defense needed a big play after allowing the game to be tied again, but a big pick off from LB Ronley LakaLaka helped calm the Aztec defense.
This night belonged to Pumphrey in the second half he put the team on his back, scoring his second touchdown of the with a dazzling 57-yard run.
Later in the game he would become San Diego State’s all time leading rusher, eclipsing the great Marshall Faulk. Pumphrey finished the game with an astonishing 281 yards on 29 carries, he also scored the game clinching touchdown late in the fourth quarter. This kid is a future star and is truly a joy to watch him play.
Cal scored a late TD to make things interesting, but their comeback attempt was stopped by SDSU. The night truly belonged to the Aztecs.
GAME BALLS
Donnel Pumphrey- 29 carries for 281 yards and three touchdowns, four receptions for 29 yards.
Damontae Kazee- Game clinching interception in fourth quarter
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