Friday night saw the San Diego State Aztecs (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West) improve upon many things from this past season as they opened this year’s Mountain West Conference play with an emphatic 45-24 win over the Colorado State Rams (1-4, 0-1 MW) at Snapdragon Stadium.
The Aztecs of old did not score more than 28 points in any of their games in 2024. When the lights dimmed over Bashor Field, the scoreboard boasted the Scarlet and Black’s 45-point downpour for the first time in over a year.
While a great deal of well-deserved recognition went to SDSU’s skill players, the overlooked heroes of Friday night’s victory were the offensive line. They did not allow the Rams to record a single sack on Friday, and, including the Aztecs’ most recent win, their offensive line has only allowed five sacks in five games.
“When you keep your quarterback upright and you are able to run the ball efficiently, you are able to be multi-dimensional,” said SDSU head coach Sean Lewis. “Coach [Mike] Schmidt and the offensive line have done a tremendous job of developing [and] coming together.”
The synergy of the Aztecs’ offensive line inspired their fleet-footed counterparts to follow its lead.
Quarterback Jayden Denegal put forth his best performance as an Aztec in Friday night’s victory, throwing for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Of his 256 yards through the air, 223 of them came in the first half.
Denegal’s downfield precision was on full display Friday night, hitting Donovan Brown for a 45-yard score in the first quarter and connecting with Jordan Napier for a 42-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
“My offensive line did amazing today,” Denegal explained. “Big shoutout to the running backs and tight ends, those guys gave me time to get the ball downfield. [Also], receivers made plays on balls when the ball was in the air; I thought the offense did a great job today.”
Denegal credited those around him for his stellar showing, but Lewis did not hold back on his quarterback’s exponential progression.
“A lot gets made about [Denegal’s] execution early on, but it is [about] me learning about him, as well,” said Lewis. “It is about putting guys in [a] position that [Denegal] feels most comfortable with. [He] got to hear what the intent of calls are and what we are trying to get done, and get a deeper appreciation for that.”
Contrary to the opening half, SDSU built upon its 28-10 halftime lead with a stout ground game. Running backs Lucky Sutton and Byron Cardwell Jr. reached pay dirt in the second half, putting the game well out of the opposing Rams’ reach.
In addition to a plethora of rushing touchdowns, the Aztecs also had two rushers eclipse 100 yards for the game. Cardwell Jr.’s 129 rushing yards and Sutton’s 113 rushing yards only further emphasize the sheer dominance exhibited by SDSU in their conference opener.
With Friday night’s win, the Aztecs have now won 18 straight games when rushing for 200+ yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, the lack of turnovers was almost the only subpar statistic that could be identified. The Aztecs’ defense recorded eight tackles for loss and four sacks as they haunted Colorado State’s offensive unit for the great majority of the contest.
If SDSU’s defense has a solid showing this season, it has been on the back of the front seven. This game showed no deviation from the aforementioned trend. Linebacker Owen Chambliss led his team in total tackles with seven, and edge rushers Trey White and Niles King each sacked the quarterback twice.
“We put an emphasis on early, everything early,” said White. “[We are] kind of disappointed in the amount of points we let up; there is still a lot to clean up. A lot of good things out there, too; the sky is the limit for this team.”
The Rams’ 24 points were the first time an away team has cracked the scoreboard at Snapdragon Stadium this season. Two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, a field goal and a two-point conversion were not enough to keep up with SDSU as the Aztecs almost doubled Colorado State’s final score.
After accounting for every one of his team’s points last week at Northern Illinois, SDSU kicker Gabriel Plascencia was not called upon as much on Friday night. However, Plascencia’s 53-yard field goal in the third quarter was his 19th consecutive field goal made, making him the all-time leader in Aztec history in that respective category. He also leads all active FBS kickers in consecutive field goals made.
With its 45-24 win, SDSU has now surpassed its win total from last season. The Aztecs also currently ride a three-game win streak, the longest win streak coach Lewis has strung together during his time on the Mesa.
SDSU aims to tally its fourth-straight victory as the Aztecs roll into Reno, Nevada, on Oct. 11 to face off against the Nevada Wolf Pack at 7:30 p.m.
