Oct. 5, 2003
SAN DIEGO -
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Wasatch Watch
The San Diego State Aztecs, now 3-3 on the season and 0-1 in the Mountain West Conference, head to the mountains this week to face the Utah Utes in a twilight battle on the Wasatch front. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. in Salt Lake City (4 p.m. in San Diego). The Utes enter the game at 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the league. Utah opened conference play with a win over preseason favorite Colorado State in Fort Collins. The Utes have knocked off California, Colorado State and No. 22 Oregon in their last three games.
Media Watch
Saturday's game will be telecast in Salt Lake City by KJZZ-TV with Steve Brown providing play-by-play and Mike Norseth serving as analyst. Chris Harris reports from the sideline. The game will be carried locally on Channel 4 San Diego.
Radio, Too
The Utah-San Diego State game will be available to a nationwide radio audience as well with Creative Sports Radio producing the broadcast for its affiliates.
Aztecs And Utes
The San Diego State-Utah series couldn't be more competitive. The Aztecs lead it by a slim 11-10-1 count thanks to last season's 36-17 victory in San Diego. That Aztec victory snapped a three-game Utah winning streak in the series. The two teams first met in 1978. Neither school has ever won more than three straight against the other with each program accomplishing that feat one time. The last six games have been split at three wins each. Over the last 10 games, the series is tied at 5-5.
One Point Matters
Not only is the series record dead even between Utah and San Diego State, so is the scoring. Through the 22 games played to date, the average score between the two teams: San Diego State 26.5, Utah 25.5. San Diego State did pick up a 66-14 win over Utah in 1990, marking the most points the Aztecs have ever scored against a Mountain West foe.
Last Year At The Q
San Diego State picked up its first victory against the Utes since joining the Mountain West with a 36-17 win. SDSU trailed early by 3-0 and 10-3 deficits, but would rally with four interceptions and a fumble recovery to take control after intermission. J.R. Tolver caught 16 passes for 185 yards. At the time, it was one of the best games of his career. However, he topped both numbers later in the season. Adam Hall was 26-of-39 through the air with an interception and two touchdowns. SDSU outgained the Utes, 410-308.
Away Games
San Diego State has been one of the best road teams in the league since the Mountain West was formed in time for the 1999 season. The Aztecs are 8-6 in Mountain West road games, including at least one victory in every stadium except Utah's Rice-Eccles. In the league, SDSU's eight road wins trail only Colorado State's 10 and Brigham Young's nine. Utah picked up its eighth road win in MWC play to start this season (at Colorado State). In two visits to Utah since the formation of the Mountain West, SDSU has lost by scores of 38-16 and 17-3.
In Salt Lake...
San Diego State is 4-6 all-time in Salt Lake City. San Diego State has lost its last three games at Utah, dating back to a 24-21 victory in 1991. The Aztecs were 17-3 losers in Salt Lake in their last visit (2001).
Conference Starts
San Diego State is looking to avoid its first 0-2 conference start since 1999 when it travels to Salt Lake City this weekend. The home loss to Brigham Young marked SDSU's first setback in a league opener since Air Force picked up a 23-22 win over San Diego State on Oct. 2, 1999. SDSU opened that season 0-2 but was 3-2 in its final five league games.
Trend Followers
There is an early Mountain West trend that San Diego State would like to see hold for one more week. Entering Thursday night's Brigham Young-Colorado State game, home teams in 2003 league games are 1-4 with the lone victory a tight win by Air Force over Wyoming. Colorado State, BYU, New Mexico and San Diego State have already lost home games. Utah, Wyoming and UNLV have yet to host a conference game.
Scouting The Utes
The 4-1 Utes enter the San Diego State game on a roll with three straight victories over California, Colorado State and No. 22 Oregon. All three games were tight, as was Utah's lone loss of the season, 28-26 at Texas A&M. Utah running back Brandon Warfield leads the Mountain West and ranks eighth nationally with 120 rushing yards per game. Ute quarterback Alex Smith, a La Mesa native, is 13th nationally in passing efficiency with a rating of 149.12. The Utes average 28.4 points per game and generate 376.6 yards of offense per contest.
BYU Rewind
The uniforms weren't throwback but everything else was in SDSU's wild 44-36 loss to Brigham Young Saturday night. SDSU got two defensive touchdowns (one each by defensive linemen Brook Miller and Alohlii Lealofi), 352 passing yards from a healthy Adam Hall and 253 receiving yards from sophomore Jeff Webb. However, SDSU gave up seven points on a fumble return, gave BYU field position inside the 20 to set up another Cougar score and allowed a 95-yard touchdown run. SDSU rallied from a 41-24 deficit to pull to within 41-36, but could get no closer. The big-play night did not include a single drive by either team that lasted more than four minutes.
The Bottom Line(s)
Through four seasons, SDSU is 12-17 in the Mountain West. SDSU has at least one win over every league school and at least one loss to every league school excluding Wyoming. The strangest numbers of the week: SDSU is 8-6 in conference road games and 4-11 in conference home games. Before last season's Qualcomm victories over UNLV and Utah, SDSU had not registered a home league win over anyone but Wyoming.
Webb Gems
San Diego State sophomore receiver Jeff Webb had a breakout game against Brigham Young. He caught 10 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. The receiving game is the second best in the NCAA this season and the eighth best ever by an Aztec. Webb had touchdown receptions of 70, 24 and 55 yards and also hauled in another 42-yard grab. He entered the game with 367 career receiving yards and no touchdowns.
The Hall Of Montezuma
Adam Hall made his return (and in a way his debut) to the 2003 season Saturday night in a memorable performance. He passed for 352 yards (18-of-34) and three touchdowns and led SDSU to its most prolific offensive night of the season against a Division IA opponent. The game marked the sixth 300-yard passing effort of Hall's career. That number is more impressive when considering Hall has played just 11 full games in his career. He now has 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions since the 2002 season opener.
The Hall-Ways
Heading into the Brigham Young game, San Diego State had recorded just four touchdown passes and averaged just 172 passing yards per contest. Adam Hall's numbers are more impressive when considering that BYU entered the game allowing just 139 passing yards per game, despite a schedule that included Georgia Tech, Southern California and Stanford. The Cougar defense was ranked 13th nationally, allowing just 276 yards per game. SDSU generated 392 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per snap.
The Dark Lord
San Diego State linebacker Kirk Morrison, a watch list member for the Nagurski, Lombardi and Butkus Awards, continues to live up to the hype. Morrison had a career-best 15 tackles against Brigham Young. He is the only player in the Mountain West Conference to rank among the top two in tackles (second at 9.7 per game), quarterback sacks (second at 3.5 for the season) and tackles for loss (first at 11.5). Morrison was a first-team all-league selection last season, one of just four sophomore linebackers nationwide to earn that accolade.
The Dark Side
San Diego State's black-shirted defenders, "The Dark Side" continues to lead the Mountain West in total defense and also remains the highest rated defensive unit in the country (13th) outside of a Bowl Championship league. SDSU is allowing 276.50 yards per game one season after allowing just over 400 yards of offense per contest.
The Numbers
San Diego State is 13th nationally in total defense, eighth in pass defense and 11th nationally in pass-efficiency defense. SDSU ranks 28th in scoring defense.
Mountain West Masters
San Diego State has never finished a season with the top-ranked defense in its league. The 2003 "Dark Side" version will certainly make a run at it. The Aztecs currently lead the Mountain West Conference in total defense, scoring defense, pass defense, pass efficency defense and quarterback sacks.
Breaking Down BYU
San Diego State gave up 418 yards of offense against Brigham Young, easily the most allowed by the Aztecs this season. However, of BYU's 418 yards of offense, 164 yards came on three plays. On the other 69 plays from scrimmage, BYU generated 254 yards for an average of 3.7 yards per snap. The Cougars rushed for 238 yards, including 95 on one play. On the other 44 rushing attempts, BYU averaged 3.2 yards.
The Numbers
One season after SDSU had the nation's most improved passing offense and the nation's fourth most improved total offense, the Aztec defense is getting into the act. In 2002, SDSU ended the season 95th in total defense. The Aztecs enter the Utah contest 13th in the country in total defense and among the nation's leaders in four defensive categories. The inset (right) compares the 2002 defense with the 2003 version of "The Dark Side".
Earning It
San Diego State has given up 11 touchdowns this season but only eight have been allowed by the defense. In addition, the Aztecs have allowed 108 points through six games. Of those 108 points, 47 have come following Aztec turnovers and 44 points have come on drives that covered 20 yards or less.
Sacks Appeal
San Diego State conintues to lead the Mountain West with 17 sacks on the season. A year ago, SDSU finished third in the Mountain West with 28 quarterback sacks.
Three And Counting
The San Diego State defense scored its second and third touchdowns of the season Saturday night against Brigham Young. Defensive lineman Brook Miller returned a fumble 44 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and defensive lineman Alohlii Lealofi returned a fumble 24 yards for a score in the fourth quarter. Earlier in the season, Jacob Elimimian returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown. Overall, the Aztec defense has scored points five times in the last 14 games (including a safety at New Mexico last season). The BYU game marked the first time SDSU's defense scored twice in a game since Oct. 28, 2000, when the Aztecs recorded a safety and Ricky Sharpe returned an interception for a touchdown on a 57-yard yard interception return in a loss to Colorado State (34-22).
First Time Since...
When San Diego State scored two defensive touchdowns against Brigham Young, it marked a first for the Aztecs since Oct. 11, 1996, when SDSU got two defensive touchdowns in a 56-8 romp over Hawai'i. In that game, SDSU safety Jason Moore had a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown and Diallo Garrison recovered a fumble in the end zone for another touchdown.