The SDSU Aztecs run out to the field led by QB Jayden Denegal with the Warrior Shield. Credit: Brandon Pollard/EVT
The San Diego State Aztecs (4-1) began Mountain West Conference play on Friday night by beating the Colorado State Rams (1-4), 45-24.
“A great program win. Really, really pleased with the work that was put in on a short week,” said head coach Sean Lewis postgame. “The offensive staff did a tremendous job of refining the plan to match the skillset of what we are learning, what we are becoming, and to build a plan that made sense.”
QB Jayden Denegal (13/16, 256 yds, 2 TD) played his best game as an Aztec, connecting with receivers for 45 and 42-yard touchdown passes and adding a 61-yard pass that set up another score in the first half.
Lewis credited Denegal’s growth to the staff getting to know him and his skillset better and crafting the gameplan around what works best for him and the offense.
WR Jordan Napier with a 61-yd reception against Colorado State. Credit: Brandon Pollard/EVT
Jordan Napier (7 rec, 153 yds, 1 TD) caught the 42-yd touchdown and the 61-yd pass that spearheaded the offense in the first half.
Lucky Sutton (21 car, 113 yds, 2 TDs) rushed for a career high before giving way to Byron Cardwell, Jr. in the second half, who added a career-high 129 yards (on 15 carries) and a touchdown. It was the first time an Aztec duo rushed for over 100 yards since 2019.
Christian Washington (8 car, 28 yds) added a score on the ground as well. Overall, the Aztecs rushed for 281 yards.
“We’re spoiled in that room and in this area,” said Lewis about his three talented backs from San Diego. “If you are a San Diego kid, stay home. Stay on the Mesa.”
Gabriel Plascencia broke the school record with his 19th consecutive made field goal from a career-high 53 yards out.
The Rams’ defense came in allowing 356 yards per game (65th in FBS). By halftime, the Aztecs had 313 and finished with a season-high 540. It was the first time the Aztecs had over 300 yards in the first half of a game since November 14, 1992, against Hawai’i (362).
Denegal noted some free plays due to the defense jumping offsides which give him an opportunity to take a shot downfield, but also the Rams’ propensity to play man coverage opened up deep plays.
The Aztecs put the game away with a 12-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter that took up 6:11 of the clock. Sutton’s 1-yd score extended the lead to 38-10.
The Aztecs opened the scoring on a beautiful deep ball by Denegal to Donovan Brown from 45 yards out. Denegal dropped back and threw a perfect pass into the end zone that Brown, despite being well covered by Dagen Myers, caught in stride as he reached the end zone.
“On that play, the boundary safety flew to the post, and (Brown) had one-on-one and had a step on him and I just put it in the air and he made me right,” said Denegal about the first touchdown pass.
Christian Washington’s 2-yd TD run (his second of the season) at the start of the second quarter extended the lead to 14-0.
The Rams got back into the game in a hurry, only needing three plays and 1:03 to go 70 yards. The first points given up by the Aztecs’ defense at home this season came on a 49-yard pass by Jackson Brousseau (13/25, 155yds, 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD) to Armani Winfield on a flea flicker that fooled Bryce Phillips.
RB Christian Washington carries the ball against Colorado State. Credit: Brandon Pollard/EVT
Learning from their short yardage failures a week ago, Denegal took a snap under center on the team’s first 4th and 1 attempt and sneaked it for two yards and a conversion from the Rams’ 48. Two plays later, Denegal threw another perfect deep ball, this time to Jordan Napier, for a 42-yard TD to reclaim a 14-point lead.
“We knew that they are a high pressure team,” said Lewis about the Rams’ defense. “If I’m not mistaken, coming into this week, they had the highest pressure rate of any defense in the country and they are a man pressure team, so we knew if that trend continues that we felt good about how if we could protect some things, we could push balls down range that we thought would be good, calculated shots. We were able to connect on them.”
The Rams drove all the way inside the Aztecs ‘ ten-yard line, but were forced to settle for three points on an Isaiah Hankins 30-yard field goal when the drive stalled.
The Aztecs’ offense was not done yet for the half. Napier’s 61-yd reception on the second play of the drive got the Aztecs to the Rams’ 14, and Sutton took it the rest on the following play for a 28-10 halftime lead.
“They had our backs today,” Trey White said postgame about the offense. “We will have points in the season where the offense will have to pick (the defense) up and we will have to pick the offense up and that’s what a great team does. … I’m really proud of what they did tonight.”
After only converting 6 of 18 3rd and 4th down plays last week against Northern Illinois, the Aztecs converted 8 of 12 against the Rams.
Owen Chambliss once again led the SDSU defense with 7 tackles and added 1.5 TFLs and a PBU. Niles King picked up his first two sacks as an Aztec. White added two sacks as well.
Jalen Dupree led the Rams with 103 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Quick Notes
WR Jemond Hazely (2012-2015) was the Honorary Warrior for pregame festivities
QB Jayden Denegal held the Warrior Shield and led the team out onto the field
The announced attendance was 29,019
Entering the game, the Aztecs had scored on every red zone trip this season, and the Rams’ defense had allowed a score on every red zone trip allowed this season; both of those statistics still hold true after the Aztecs scored on all four trips
Despite entering with one of the highest penalties per game average (8.23), the Rams only committed one penalty for 5 yards
EDGE Ryan Henderson started in place of Brady Nassar
P Bryan Hansen came into the game with a 49.8 average (6th in FBS), but only averaged 40.8 on five punts in the game
LB Owen Long led the Rams with 16 tackles; he entered the game leading the nation with 13 per game
RT Joe Borjon injured his right arm in the third quarter and was replaced by Saipale Fuimaono
For the third time in five SDSU games this game, neither team committed a turnover
The Aztecs head back on the road next week, playing in Reno against the Nevada Wolf Pack (1-3) on Saturday night. The kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
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.
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