Brett Swain is a lot faster than I am. He’s probably a lot faster than you are too. Outside of the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I) and the NFL, Swain’s likely one of the quickest guys you’ll ever meet.
But in the FBS, he’s just another guy on the field. Good, but not great.
So Portland State University, Football Championship Subdivision (formerly division I-AA) member, senior wide receiver Swain and his teammates want to take this moment to welcome you to San Diego with open arms.
Anytime PSU calls the San Diego State football team for a rematch, you can bet SDSU (1-2) will immediately be rolling out the red carpet, licking its chops and remembering the 52-17 butt-kicking it gave the Vikings (1-3) on Saturday night.
On almost every offensive play, the Aztecs were a step ahead of PSU. SDSU receivers had space, offensive linemen created holes and senior quarterback Kevin O’Connell, who completed 19 of 31 passes for 433 yards and five touchdowns, had enough time in the pocket to start counting the 53,110 fans who showed up to watch the game and subsequent KGB Sky Show.
After tallying 10 catches and 102 yards in the first two games of the season, Swain had fun under the (not so sunny) sun with 224 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just six receptions.
Following two disappointing losses by an average of 24.5 points to open 2007, the Aztecs treated the Vikings like Arizona State and Washington State treated them.
Pass after pass, point after point and one laughably wide open receiver after another, you might say SDSU got, and enjoyed, a taste of its own medicine.
Assuming you could probably count on your hands and feet the number of Aztec fans who watched the first two games – because of the near impossibility of actually finding Versus, CSTV or The Mtn. on television – SDSU supporters might think the disheartening 0-2 season start was a fluke.
But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.
Sure, FCS-member Appalachian State “shocked the world” against mighty Michigan in the first week of the season. But wait, UM is a .500 team with wins over pathetic Notre Dame and overrated Penn State. The Wolverines aren’t exactly the title contenders everyone made them out to be at the beginning of the year.
The FBS is still big brother to the FCS. The Aztecs are supposed to dominate these games.
I’m not saying Swain’s 30-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter came easy. Nor were his 53- and 75-yard touchdown catches in the second period unimpressive. And the SDSU defense deserves loads of credit for forcing four fumbles, three interceptions and three sacks.
But older siblings don’t brag about beating up their little brothers and sisters. They just do it and move on.
-David Biderman is a journalism junior.
-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.
