Sept. 13, 2003
Recap?|? Final Stats
SAN DIEGO STATE POSTGAME NOTES San Diego State at UTEP * September 13, 2003 * Sun Bowl/El Paso, Texas
TEAM NOTES ON THE WIN
? With the victory, San Diego State improves to 2-1 overall and has posted its first winning record after three games since 1996 (snaps six-year streak of sub .500 record after three games. This is just the fourth time in the last 18 years that SDSU has been above .500 in a season after three games.
? The victory snaps a nine-game non-conference road losing streak dating back to a 41-13 win at Kansas on Sept. 25, 1999. Despite the losing streak, SDSU has had several close calls during the stretch including a one-point loss at Hawaii (2002), a two-point loss at Fresno State (2002) and a three-point loss at defending national champion Ohio State (2003) last week.
? San Diego State never trailed in the contest and led 51:51 of a possible 60 minutes in the game. It is not the longest advantage SDSU has enjoyed this season. Against Eastern Washington, SDSU led 52:02 of the contest.
TEAM NOTES ON THE 2-1 START
? Starting a season 2-1 has been a good omen historically for the Aztecs. Since 1970, in the 17 seasons SDSU has opened 2-1 or better, the Aztecs have posted 13 winning seasons and one .500 campaign.
? With the second win of the season coming on Sept. 13, this marks the earliest date on the calendar that the Aztecs have claimed the second victory of the season since the 1994 season. That is the only season in the history of Aztec football that SDSU has won its second game of the season prior to Sept. 13.
? As previously mentioned, San Diego State has posted a 2-1 record out of the gate after struggling in recent years early in the season. In fact the two victories in August/September this season equal the total number of wins the Aztecs had in their previous 16 August/September games when SDSU posted a 2-14 record.
? With the win, the Aztecs enter next Saturday's game against Samford with a winning record. It is the first time Sam Diego State has entered a game at Qualcomm Stadium with a winning record since Nov. 21, 1998 when SDSU entered a game with UTEP with a 6-4 record. Next Saturday will end a streak of 22 consecutive home games in which the Aztecs entered the game without a winning record. In fact, since the beginning of the 1997 season the Samford game will mark just the second time that the Aztecs have entered a home contest with a winning record.
TEAM NOTES ON RECENT SUCCESS
? The Aztecs are 2-2 in their last four games (wins at Air Force and UTEP; losses at Hawaii and Ohio State). That comes on the heels of a stretch where San Diego State won just once in its previous nine road games (1-8).
? San Diego State is 6-5 in its last 11 games, the best 11-game stretch for SDSU since the final four games of the 1998 season and the first seven contests of the 1999 campaign. In the 11 games prior to this stretch, the Aztecs went 1-10.
NOTES ON THE UTEP SERIES
? This marks the seventh straight victory in the series for the Aztecs, which now enjoy an 18-3 series advantage. The Miners last win over San Diego State was Nov. 12, 1988 when UTEP defeated Aztecs, which were coached by Denny Stoltz. This is the fourth straight win for SDSU in El Paso and the Aztecs are now 9-2 against UTEP in El Paso.
? San Diego State improves to 75-48-8 against the current configuration of the Western Athletic Conference. This did mark the first win in three attempts against the WAC since SDSU joined the Mountain West Conference prior to the 1999 season.
TEAM NOTES ON THE UTEP GAME
? San Diego State pitched a shutout marking the first time the Aztecs have held an opponent scoreless since a 34-0 win at Wyoming on Oct. 7, 2000 (33 games ago). It was the first shutout of a non-conference team for SDSU since a 19-0 win vs. Utah State on Oct. 1, 1977. The last time SDSU shutout a non-conference opponent on the road was a 25-0 victory at Oregon State on Sept. 13, 1975. This marked the first time UTEP has failed to score a point in a home game since a 30-0 loss to SMU in 1996.
? The 34-point margin of victory was the largest for San Diego State since a 34-0 shutout over Wyoming on Oct. 7, 2000. The last time SDSU won a game by more points was Oct. 11, 1996, a 56-8 win over Hawaii.
? The defense has not a allowed a point in 73:22 (60 minutes vs. UTEP and last 13:22 of Ohio State game. The defense has not allowed a touchdown in the last 121:20 dating back to the Eastern Washington game. (Ohio State did return an interception for a touchdown during that stretch).
? Tonight marked the first time this season that San Diego State has not scored on its first offensive possession of the game. The Aztecs drove 38 yards for a field goal to open the Eastern Washington game and then went 23 yards for a touchdown last week at Ohio State. Despite not scoring, the Aztecs did move the ball 30 yards on the game-opening drive versus UTEP.
? For the third consecutive game, the Aztecs defense opened the game without allowing any points. UTEP did manage a first down but netted just five yards of offense on the Miners first series.
? Tonight marked the fifth straight game that San Diego has scored the first points of the game, that includes the first three games of this season and the Air Force and Hawaii games of last season. SDSU is 3-2 during that five-game stretch.
? UTEP had two drives start in San Diego State territory with the Aztec defense forcing turnovers on both possessions and subsequently yielding no points. In three games this season, SDSU opponents have started six possessions in Aztec territory but have failed to score a TD and have just gotten nine points in those six possessions.
? The interception return for a touchdown by Elimimian marked the fifth time in the last 11 games that SDSU has gotten points by either its defense or special teams.
? San Diego State's 14-point second-quarter outburst marked the first time this season that the Aztecs have scored two touchdowns in the same quarter. SDSU failed to do in the first nine quarters of the season, despite scoring in eight of those quarters.
? This marked the first time this season in which an Aztec opponent has gained 100 yards of total offense through the first two quarters of play. San Diego State limited Eastern Washington to 66 yards and Ohio State to 76 yards through 30 minutes of action. Tonight, UTEP went into intermission with 150 yards of total offense, 54 of which came on the final drive of the half.
? In addition to not allowing a point in opening possessions of the game, The Aztec defense is pitching a shutout in opening possessions of the second half of games this season. In all three games this year, SDSU has held the opponent without points on their opening drives of both the first and second half.
? The 75-yard third-quarter touchdown scoring drive was the longest drive of the season for points. The Aztecs moved the ball 76 yards against the Buckeyes in a drive that resulted in an interception.
? San Diego State scored in all four quarters tonight meaning the Aztecs have scored points in 11 of 12 quarters this season and 17 of the last 18 quarters dating back to last season.
? The Aztecs, which entered the game -5 in turnover margin this season, posted a +4 turnover margin for the contest.
INDIVIDUAL GAME NOTES
? In just his second career start, Matt Dlugolecki opened the game by completing his first six passes of the game for 59 yards.
? J.C. Mejia had his streak of perfection snapped when he missed a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter. Earlier he had connected on a 26-yard first-quarter strike and later he added a 41-yard boot. He is now 6-for-7 on the season in field goals, including strikes from 46 and 47 yards.
? Jacob Elimimian recorded two interceptions and now has an interception in two consecutive games and his 85-yard return for a touchdown against the Miners ties for the ninth longest in Aztec history and the longest since a 95-yard return by Ricky Parker vs. Oklahoma in 1995.
? DeAngelo Nedd made his first collegiate rush a memorable one by rushing 28 yards untouched behind the left side of the offensive line for a touchdown. His second career carry resulted in a three-yard touchdown.
? Lynel Hamilton recorded his second career 100-yard rushing day in just his third collegiate game, carrying 22 times for 107 yards. The freshman
THREE-GAME NOTES
? The Aztecs hay allowed just 25 points through the first three games of the season. That is the lowest point output in the first three contests of a season since the 1975 squad allowed 22 points in the opening three games. The 25 points are the fifth-lowest total since the 1970 season. Fewest Points Allowed First Three Games (Since 1970)
Year PA 3-Gm Record Final Record1970 3 3-0 9-21972 8 3-0 10-11971 17 2-1 6-51975 22 3-0 8-32003 25 2-11973 30 2-1 9-1-11977 31 3-0 10-11976 32 3-0 10-11981 45 3-0 6-51984 54 1-2 4-7-11974 54 2-1 8-2-11978 59 1-2 4-72001 68 1-2 3-81991 68 2-1 8-4-1