Oct. 11, 2003
POSTGAME NOTES -San Diego State at Utah
Saturday, October 11, 2003
(Rice-Eccles Stadium/Salt Lake City, Utah)
Final Score: Utah 27, SDSU 6
With the loss, the Aztecs fell to 11-11-1 all-time against the Utes and remain winless at Rice-Eccles Stadium since Mountain West Conference play began in 1999 ... SDSU is 0-2 to begin conference action for the first time since 1999.
With J.C. Mejia's 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, San Diego State has been the first team to score in each of its last nine games, dating back to the 49-21 loss to Colorado State on November 15, 2002. The field goal was the fourth time this season that the Aztecs have scored on their opening drive of the game, while it was the longest drive in 2003 for SDSU in terms of number of plays (14).
For the seventh straight game, the Aztec defense held its opponent off the scoreboard on its opening possession of the game. In 2003, SDSU has allowed a combined two first downs and 5 total yards on its opponents' opening drives (0 FD, 9 yards vs. EWU; 0 FD, 0 yards at Ohio State; 1 FD, 6 yards at UTEP; 1 FD, 12 yards vs. Samford; 0 FD, -2 yards at UCLA; 0 FD, -5 yards vs. BYU; 0 FD, -15 yards at Utah).
SDSU held its opponent to no first-half points for the second time in 2003. The Aztecs also shutdown UTEP on Sept. 13, eventually winning 34-0 ... SDSU has held its opponents to under 100 yards of total offense in the first half three times this season, including 84 tonight against the Utes (also 66 vs. Eastern Washington, 76 vs. Ohio State) ... The Utah offense crossed into SDSU territory just twice in the entire first half, advancing as far as the Aztec 46-yard line.
SDSU placekicker J.C. Mejia is now 11-for-14 on field-goal opportunities this season. Mejia's only misses of the season have come from 44 yards or more (44-yard miss vs. Utah, 51-yard miss vs. UTEP, 54-yard blocked vs. BYU), making him 10-for-10 on field goal attempts under 44 yards. Mejia has made at least one field goal in all seven games this season and has converted four field goals of 40 yards or more in 2003.
Despite the loss, the Aztec offense scored on 2-of-3 red-zone opportunities with a pair of field goals from J.C. Mejia and one turnover in the fourth quarter. SDSU has now scored on 86 percent (19 of 22) of its red-zone opportunities in 2003 (11 TDs, 8 FGs, 3 TOs).
Other Aztec notes: Jeremy Justice 40-yard reception in the first quarter was a career long and the team's third longest pass play of the season (fifth longest play overall) ... Senior Anthony Foli made his first career start on offensive at guard versus Utah. Foli, who made the position change this year, started 10 times in 2000 and 2001 as a defensive lineman ... With 203 yards passing, quarterback Adam Hall is just 14 yards short of tying Matt Kofler (1980-81) for 10th on the career passing yards chart. Hall has 4,462 yards, while Kofler has 4,476 yards ... Matt McCoy posted a career high for tackles for the second straight game with 15, after having 10 against BYU last week ... three Aztecs finished with double-figures in tackles in all - McCoy (15), Kirk Morrison (12) and Marviel Underwood (11).