Nov. 15, 2004
SAN DIEGO -
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The Game
The San Diego State Aztecs close the 2004 football season Saturday by hosting the UNLV Rebels at Qualcomm Stadium. The contest will mark the final game for 20 San Diego State seniors. It is also the final game for legendary UNLV head coach John Robinson, formerly the head coach of the USC Trojans and the Los Angeles Rams.
Crowd Noise
San Diego State enters the final home game of the season with an average home attendance of 38,614 fans. The Aztecs have not averaged more than 30,000 fans in a season since 1995, when an average crowd of 30,769 paid to see San Diego State in Mission Valley. In 1994, SDSU averaged 31,879 and in 1993, that number was 38,477. Last season, SDSU's average attendance was 22,626.
Say Good Night To This Dark Side
The Aztec defense is likely to always be known as The Dark Side. But there is little doubt that the personality of The Dark Side defense has been defined by players in the starting lineup the last two seasons. The senior members of that crew includes safeties Marviel Underwood and Josh Dean, linebackers Kirk Morrison, Stephen Larsen and Heath Farwell, and lineman Blake Lobel. Seniors who are in their first years as Dark Side starters include defensive end Aloalii Lealofi and cornerback Hubert Caliste. Returning to The Dark Side next year will be starters nose tackle Jonathan Bailes, defensive end Kurt Kahui, linebacker Matt McCoy and defensive back Marcus Demps.
Legends Watch
The UNLV football game is part of Hall of Fame Weekend at San Diego State. The official induction ceremony will take place Friday night with the Aztec Hall of Fame Class of 2004 to be recognized Friday night at halftime of the San Diego State-UC Santa Barbara men's basketball game and again at halftime of the football game.
Hall Of Famers
The new class of Aztec legends includes baseball player Travis Lee, the Golden Spikes Award winner and former Olympian, former Aztec and Green Bay Packer Mike Douglass, who set a school record with 21 quarterback sacks in a single season and former Aztec quarterback and SDSU assistant coach Rod Dowhower. Dowhower went on to become the head coach at Vanderbilt and Stanford in the college ranks and the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL. The rest of the class includes former head coach Claude Gilbert, second at San Diego State to Don Coryell in wins and winning percentage, Carrie McLaughlin, SDSU's first three-time All-American in women's track and field, and the late Ron Reina, who was the voice of San Diego State from 1969 to 1986.
Aztecs and Rebels
The Aztecs hold a 7-6 series advantage thanks to victories the last two seasons. San Diego State has never won three straight in the series against the Rebels, although the history between the teams dates back only to 1977, and the schools met a total of just six times prior to the 1996 season. The Aztecs hold a 4-3 advantage in San Diego and a 4-2 lead when the two teams have faced each other as conference foes (SDSU leads 3-2 in Mountain West play). Tom Craft is 2-0 against UNLV. The Aztecs' 7-0 win last year marked the only shutout in the series by either team.
Last Year In Las Vegas
San Diego State's defense was the dominant unit on the field as the Aztecs escaped Las Vegas with a 7-0 victory. The Dark Side limited the Rebels to just 175 yards of total offense, including just 80 yards in the first three quarters of the game. Adam Hall's 18-yard touchdown pass to Robert Ortiz in the first quarter was the game's only score. Lynell Hamilton ran for 94 yards but saw his season end prematurely with a broken ankle. Matt Dlugoloecki played in relief of an injured Hall and was 3-for-3 through the air for 69 yards. He helped the Aztecs escape the shadow of their own goal on their final possession after the defense held the Rebels off the scoreboard on four tries inside the 10-yard line. Dlugolecki's 37-yard, third-down completion to Kyle Conerly from inside the SDSU 10 was the key play of the fourth quarter.
Last Time In San Diego
In the 2002 game against UNLV, the Aztecs turned in a dominant performance in registering a 31-21 victory at Qualcomm Stadium. Freshman running back Frederick Collins ran for 106 yards, Adam Hall passed for 319 yards and J.R. Tolver had 151 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns. San Diego State had 475 yards of total offense, including a 98-yard touchdown drive. The Aztecs also held the ball for 38:44.