Aztecs overcome adversity, 14-point deficit to win Pac-12 opener

By Josh Frojelin

San Diego State University’s football team – despite a mumps outbreak, significant injuries and an early 14-point deficit – won its first-ever Pac-12 game by defeating Texas State University, 31-29, Saturday in front of 28,474 at Snapdragon Stadium.

“I cried out there,” SDSU head coach Sean Lewis said postgame. “So, it’s pretty important. I mean, it’s hard to win. It’s hard to win in a normal year. There are some challenges that we’re going through right now that make it even harder. The guys have done a lot of hard work, and we constantly keep asking them to make the investments, to keep showing up, to respond, and they’ve done a great job of that.”

The Aztecs (1-0 in Pac-12, 2-3 overall) were missing significant players. Top-two running backs Lucky Sutton and Javion Kinnard both left with injury last week and were not available. Third-string true-freshman Josiah Lucas started.

Besides other injuries, SDSU is dealing with a mumps outbreak. The university’s Student Health Services website updated the total number to 14 confirmed cases and one probable. The service said the outbreak remains within a single athletic team  and one associated case.

SDSU had 32 players on its midweek availability report, with 17 listed as doubtful or out. The Aztecs started two backup offensive linemen. No one was going to blame the Aztecs for losing to TSU, which entered the game 2-2 with quarterback Brad Jackson top-10 in passing touchdowns nationally.

And the Bobcats (0-1 in Pac-12, 2-3 overall) started hot. They jumped to an early 17-3 lead, with Jackson moving the chains through the air and with his legs. The Aztecs continued to struggle passing and couldn’t lean heavily on their injury-riddled running game. SDSU looked demoralized entering halftime, rightfully so.

“I was sitting there like, ‘Do I need to say something?’ but then you start hearing the leaders step up,” Lewis shared. “You hear those voices, and then the response. That’s what a good team is. The players lead it. The players drive it. The players did a good job of correcting it.”

“Special teams got it going for us, getting that juice for us, and we just went from there,” linebacker Cameron Cooper said. “We kept going. The juice was definitely back.”

Jaylon Hawkins returned the second-half kick off 96 yards for a touchdown. The Aztecs’ defense forced a three-and-out and senior edge rusher Kai Wallin snagged an interception on the next TSU possession. Lucas ran in from two yards for his first-career touchdown to tie the game 17-17.

The defense forced another three-and-out and a bad snap on the ensuing punt set up Lucas in the red zone for his second touchdown, this time from seven yards.

Lucas (21 carries, 111 yards) said he knew he’d start, but was unsure just how often he’d be used.

“I knew I had to come in and step up big time,” he said. Lucas is the Aztecs’ first true freshman to record over 100-yards and two touchdowns in a game since FBS all-time leading rusher Donnel Pumphrey. He averaged over five yards per-carry and earned a Pac-12 Freshman of the Week nomination.

TSU got back into the game late. The Bobcats notched a field goal and a safety early in the fourth quarter. The Aztecs’ offense was again sputtering. The Bobcats had the ball with seven minutes left, only down two.

But Cooper, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, jumped to deflect a Jackson pass, caught it and out-ran the Bobcats to complete the 32-yard pick six. That put the game out of reach at 31-22 despite a late TSU touchdown. The Aztecs, after three straight losses, are 1-0 in conference play.

“We need to be cleaner,” Lewis said postgame. “Absolutely we do. But again, you’re playing without your first-string center. You’re playing without your first- string guard. You’re playing with your third and fourth running back. You’ve got a three-time captain who goes down in the first half, and you have (Cameron Cooper) who steps up. There’s no asterisks on it. The Aztecs are 1-0 in Pac-12 play, and there’s a lot of life in that locker room right now. We’ll continue to find these wins.”

SDSU will next play at Oregon State University on Saturday. The team will still be battling health and injury concerns and will provide updates throughout the week. The Beavers are 3-2, with quarterback Braden Atkinson leading the country in passing yards and freshman receiver Jesse Legree is second in receiving yards.

Oregon State (1-0 in Pac-12, 3-2 overall) blasted Colorado State, 56-26, last Saturday in one of the biggest eye-openers around the conference.

“It’s going to be another great challenge that we’re going to have, but those are tomorrow’s problems,” Lewis joked.

Spear points
• Hawkins  earned Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season. Additionally, Cooper, who blocked a 35-yard first-half field goal attempt besides his game-wining interception return, was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

•SDSU opened the second half by out-scoring Texas State 28-5.

•Braced by two touchdowns set up by special teams play and one pick six, the Aztecs didn’t need a lot of offense to prevail. QB Jayden Denegal passed for 109 yards — 47 yards to Nathan Acevedo (Lincoln) on four catches. Jordan Napier (Fontana) had two catches for 21 yards and two rushes for 17 yards.

•Gavriel Lightfoot keyed the SDSU defense with 12 tackles.

•Jackson was the Bobcats’ big play man in the loss. He passed for 372 yards with three touchdowns and two picks while also rushing 22 times for 80 yards. Beau Sparks had 10 catches for 153 yards and one TD.

—Phillip Brents