Lindley and co. hang 35 points on the nation’s top defense, but can’t finish

By Agustin Gonzalez, Assistant Sports Editor

No one outside of Montezuma Mesa gave the San Diego State football team a chance to upset No. 3 TCU on Saturday.

But in a roller coaster game in Fort Worth, Texas, SDSU almost did, losing by less than a touchdown to the undefeated Horned Frogs (11-0, 7-0 Mountain West).

The Aztecs overcame a 20-point first half deficit and Vincent Brown caught four passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough in a 40-35 loss to TCU.

Still, SDSU put a scare into an opponent that has national title hopes.

“Everybody was surprised,” Horned Frog safety Tejay Johnson told reporters after the game. “We came out slow; they got up on us quickly … Their skill players are really good, and we are fortunate to get out of this with a win.”

From the opening whistle, it was all Aztecs (7-3, 4-2 MWC). Senior running back Brandon Sullivan’s one-yard touchdown run and a fumble recovery in TCU’s end zone by junior defensive lineman Jerome Long gave SDSU a 14-point lead against a stunned Horned Frogs team to start the first quarter.

But that’s when TCU’s nation-leading defense and big-time quarterback showed up. Andy Dalton threw four touchdown passes and the Aztecs were held scoreless for the rest of the half as the Horned Frogs carried to a 34-14 lead into halftime.

“We have to play four quarters in the game,” head coach Brady Hoke said. “As a team and coaches, we took the second quarter off. You cannot win big football games like that. We could not have started off any better, but like in life, in football you have to finish.”

Down by 20, SDSU had a spirited second half comeback to make things interesting. Sullivan’s second rushing touchdown cut the TCU lead to 37-21 with a minute remaining in the third, and, following a Horned Frog field goal, Lindley fired a 33-yard touchdown to Brown to make it a two possession game partway through the fourth.

The Aztec defense, which was led by junior linebacker Miles Burris’ nine tackles and one sack, forced a three-and-out on the next drive to give the ball back to the offense on the TCU 35-yard line, and junior quarterback Ryan Lindley only needed one play to capitalize. He connected with Brown for the senior receiver’s second long touchdown reception of the day, and cut the TCU lead to 40-35 with less than five minutes remaining, quieting all 45,694 fans in attendance.

But after some tough running by Waymon James and Matthew Tucker, the Horned Frogs grinded out the clock and handed a resilient SDSU team the tough loss.

“Our players have played hard all year, they have done it before,” Hoke said. “I like the way the team acts together and the way they treat each other. They show a lot of fight and I like that part of it, but I do not like the inconsistencies of the second half.”

The Aztecs have a chance to bounce back at home next week when Utah visits on Saturday.