San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
SPECIAL VICTORY AS AZTECS TOP RAMS 29 17
SDSU gets TDS on kickoff return, punt return to spark win
Anyone driving past Dignity Health Sports Park before Saturday’s Colorado State-san Diego State football game would have been struck by the sight of hundreds and hundreds of cars packing the parking lot.
Some semblance of normalcy in a year that is anything but normal? Nope.
It was Enterprise Renta-car using the space as an overflow lot.
Looking for a compact car, midsize sedan or a fullsize SUV? No problem. Drive it off the lot.
That would have been more driving than was done inside a stadium that was as empty as the parking lot was full.
SDSU’S offense again struggled to sustain drives, a deficiency obscured by a pair of special teams touchdowns on back-to-back returns in the first half.
Jordan Byrd’s 93-yard kickoff return for a score was followed by BJ Busbee’s 90yard punt return for a TD, making the difference in a
Aztecs at BYU Sturday: 7 p..m., Lavell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
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the Aztecs’ 29-17 Mountain West victory over Colorado State.
“All three phases of the game contributed tonight,” SDSU head coach Brady Hoke said. “Obviously, we didn’t play the best in all three phases, but the return game was very good for us and I’m really excited about that.
“I thought (quarterback)
Jordon Brookshire did nice job and the second half I thought we played Aztec defense.”
Although officially eliminated from the Mountain West title chase by the day’s events, SDSU (4-3, 4-2 MW) maintained modest hopes of extending the program’s school-record, 10-year bowl streak with the win over the Rams (1-3 MW).
The special teams scores came within 90 seconds of each other in the second quarter, boosting SDSU from a 7-3 lead to a 20-3 advantage (kicker Matt Araiza missed an extra point).
Aztecs
Colorado State
Coastal Carolina stays unbeaten by topping BYU.
Just more than three minutes into the second quarter, Byrd received a kick at the 7-yard line along the right sideline, crossed all the way to the left sideline, turned the corner and used his elite speed to beat everyone to the end zone.
Moments later, Busbee fielded a punt at the 10-yard line, did a little dodge and weave up the middle, cut right and then used a Red & Black escort to the end zone.
Colorado State didn’t give in, sandwiching a pair of Marcus Mcelroy Jr. touchdown runs around a 40-yard Araiza field goal to make it 23-17 at halftime.
The offense was again absent thereafter, save for 21- and 38-yard Araiza field goals in the fourth quarter.
SDSU’S defense, which slacked off some in the second quarter, pitched a shutout in the second half.
Hoke pointed out that Colorado State was “going to run the ball right down your throat,” if you let them. Colorado State rushed for 121 yards in the game — just 13 in the last two quarters after gaining 108 yards in the first half.
“That’s not good enough for San Diego State,” Hoke said of the first-half effort.
The coach had simple instructions at halftime: “If they can’t score, they can’t win.”
Said SDSU senior safety Dwayne Johnson Jr.: “The message at halftime was we need to get back to Aztec football, which is physical. Be tough and stop the run.
Coming out after the half, we knew we had one job and that was to keep them out of the end zone.”
The most notable plays were fourth-quarter interceptions by cornerbacks Darren Hall, his third in three weeks, and Tayler Hawkins.
SDSU starter Lucas Johnson (hamstring) joined the team’s other quarterbacks during pregame warmups, but it was backup Brookshire who made his first start for the Aztecs.
The dual-threat Brookshire was chosen over former starter Carson Baker after the pair shared snaps in last week’s loss at Colorado.
“It was time for us go a little bit more to dual-threat,” Hoke said. “And also, Jordon had worked himself into this position.”
Brookshire has displayed running ability in practice — even an elusiveness — since transferring two years ago from Northern California’s Laney College.
The 6-foot-2 junior’s accuracy throwing the ball has been the question.
SDSU’S first drive was cut short on a pair of incompletions by Brookshire, but he looked solid the next time the Aztecs got the ball.
A 12-play, 81-yard drive was mixed with Brookshire runs and passes that culminated with an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jesse Matthews for a 7-0 SDSU lead with five minutes left in the first quarter.
Brookshire was 4-for-6 on the drive for 42 yards. He produced another 19 yards with runs on two runs.
As encouraging as the drive was for an offense that has sputtered, the success couldn’t be replicated.
“I would always give the opponent a little bit (of credit),” Hoke said. “But as we watch the film, when we have success, it’s all 11. When we don’t have success, it’s all 11. We’ve got to see what we’ve got to do better at every position. It will be a good film to watch.”
As far Johnson, Hoke said, “he’s healthier and he could have gone tonight, but we thought Jordon was doing a nice job. We ended up with some field goals where we’d rather have touchdowns, but all in all I thought they worked really hard together and well together offensively.”
Brookshire was 14-for-22 passing for 130 yards and one touchdown. Tight end Daniel Bellinger was his top target, catching five passes for 53 yards.
Brookshire also ran 23 times for 38 yards, his total cut nearly in half by three sacks.
SDSU, which produced only 231 yards in total offense (CSU had 237 yards), rushed 52 times for 113 yards (2.2 ypc).
Notable
San Jose State’s 35-24 victory at Hawaii officially eliminated any possibility of SDSU reaching the Mountain West title game since the MW finalists will have one loss at most.
Boise State (4-0) clinches a spot with a win next Saturday at Wyoming. San Jose State (5-0) can clinch the other spot with a win Friday against Nevada.
SDSU introduced its 19 seniors before kickoff, an annual tradition in the season’s final home game.
The difference this year, besides being at their home away from home, is the seniors could do this all over again next year.
The NCAA is allowing athletes an additional year of eligibility because of the pandemic.
Running back Greg Bell (ankle) came in during SDSU’S second offensive series, carried for 4 yards on the first play of the drive and did not get the ball again.
“That carry was about it,” Hoke said.
Right guard William Dunkle returned after missing three straight games, believed to be related to contact tracing for COVID-19.
kirk.kenney@sduniontribune.com