The San Diego State Aztecs fell to Washington State 29-26 in a devastating loss on Saturday night. SDSU’s record now stands at 3-4 on the season but remains 2-0 in the Mountain West Conference.
SDSU quarterback Danny O’Neil went 22/34 for 195 passing yards and one interception. Marquez Cooper led the team in rushing with 18 carries for 80 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
The Aztecs displayed aggressive play-calling against WSU, with a fake punt in the first quarter and a trick play passing touchdown from Jordan Napier to Nate Bennett.
SDSU started the game with the ball and completed a quick first down before having to punt the ball away on the next set of downs.
On their first possession, WSU drove down the field and scored on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Cougars QB John Mateer to Cooper Mathers, giving the Cougars a 7-0 lead.
SDSU got the ball back but quickly got into a punt situation. However, a fake punt pass to Ja’Shaun Poke allowed him to go for 21 yards. This set up a 46-yard field goal attempt that was converted, cutting the WSU lead to 7-3.
The Aztec defense forced a turnover on downs on the next Cougar possession. SDSU drove down the field on their next possession and converted a 28-yard field goal at the end of the quarter. At the end of the first, the score was 7-6 in favor of Washington State.
On that same drive, O’Neil suffered an injury after taking a sack and missed most of the drive, but the team was able to power through. Bennett spoke after the game about the team’s response after the injury to O’Neil.
“[We] just rolled with the punches,” Bennett said. “Javance [Tupou’ata-Johnson] works his butt off, he’s more than capable and he’s a great teammate.”
On their first drive of the second quarter, Washington State answered SDSU’s field goal with a scoring drive of their own that ended with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Mateer. WSU extended their lead to 14-6.
Each team traded turnover on downs on their next possessions until O’Neil returned to the game. In the final two minutes of the half, the Aztecs moved the ball down the field and scored on a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Cooper. After a missed PAT, WSU led 14-12 at the half.
In the third quarter, the Aztec defense held the Cougar offense to zero points. The Aztecs were able to take the lead in the quarter with a couple of touchdowns of their own.
On their scoring drive, The Aztecs recovered a muffed punt that led to their touchdown drive. SDSU took the lead on a wide receiver reverse play from Napier resulting in a 27-yard TD pass from Napier to Bennett, giving the Aztecs a 19-14 lead.
Head coach Sean Lewis spoke after the game about the aggressive play calling that resulted in the Napier-Bennett touchdown.
“Wanted to make sure these kids knew the belief we have in them,” Lewis said. “I think one of the ways you can do that, as a play caller, you do some things to put guys in advantageous situations.”
The Aztecs extended their lead after a one-yard touchdown by Cooper at the end of the quarter, taking them to 26-14 to end the third.
WSU quickly answered at the start of the fourth quarter. The Cougars drove down the field in four plays that ended with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Manteer to Carlos Hernandez to cut the Aztec lead to 26-21.
The Aztecs were unable to answer on their next drive and quickly punted the ball back to WSU. Heartbreakingly, Washington State drove down the field once more and took a 29-26 lead after a two-yard rushing touchdown by Manteer.
With their backs against the wall, SDSU tried to mount a drive. Unfortunately, a personal foul call by Poke forced the Aztecs to punt the ball with just over two minutes left.
The Cougars received the ball and ran out the clock. WSU secured their seventh win of the season with a 29-26 victory over San Diego State.
SDSU linebacker Tano Letuli spoke after the game about the team not being able to hold the fourth-quarter lead.
“We can’t get lax with that lead,” Letuli told reporters. “We need to play a full four quarters. Every play, every down, we can’t get lax and be complacent.”
San Diego State’s next game will be at Boise State on Friday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m.
