Football

SDSU vs. No. 24 Cincinnati Football Postgame Notes

SDSU vs. No. 24 Cincinnati Football Postgame NotesSDSU vs. No. 24 Cincinnati Football Postgame Notes

Sept. 29, 2007

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SDSU Postgame Notes
No. 24 Cincinnati vs. San Diego State - Sept. 29, 2007 -
Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, CA

AGAINST CINCINNATI
-SDSU falls to 0-1 all-time against Cincinnati and is 1-1 versus teams currently in the Big East Conference.

-SDSU's 23 points are the most allowed by Cincinnati this season ... The Aztecs' 10 points are the most allowed by the Bearcats in the first half of a game this season ... SDSU scored just the second first-half TD allowed by the Bearcats in 2007.

STREAKS
-Wide out Brett Swain has at least one reception in 18 straight games ... Defensive end Nick Osborn recorded a tackle in his 30th straight game.

TAKEAWAYS
-Playing against the nation's top team in turnover margin, the Aztecs were plus-one in that category. SDSU went nearly nine quarters without a turnover before Atiyyah Henderson's fumble in the third quarter and Kelsey Sokoloski's interception in the fourth quarter.

-SDSU comitted just its second fumble of the year in the third quarter, losing one for the first time this season. The Aztecs' are tied for second nationally in fumbles lost (1), trailing only San Jose State, which has zero.

-San Diego State has recorded an interception in all four games this season and has a streak of five straight contests dating back to last season. Sophomore cornerback Aaron Moore and redshirt freshman safety Martrell Fantroy each notched their first career picks vs. Cincinnati, while junior cornerback Vonnie Holmes added his fourth. Fantroy and Moore are the fourth and fifth different Aztecs with an INT so far in 2007. SDSU has six interceptions in its last two contests after having two in its first two outings.

HOLMES HAS IT
-Aztec junior-transfer Vonnie Holmes has an interception in each of the team's four games this season, the first of his SDSU career. Holmes is the first Aztec to have an interception in four consecutive games since Eric Lewis in 1995. Holmes' four picks in a season are the most by an Aztec since Marcus Demps had four in 2005.

Holmes returned his interception tonight for a 35-yard touchdown, the first TD of his career. It is the Aztecs' first interception return for a touchdown since Ray Bass returned one 49 yards in last year's game with UNLV.

MORE MOUGEY
-Aztec wide receiver Darren Mougey tallied a career-best in receptions with eight, easily beating his previous high of five vs. Portland State and Arizona State. His reception total tonight is the most by an SDSU player this season and most overall since Brett Swain had eight versus New Mexico last season.

PALMER'S 40TH
-San Diego State place-kicker Garrett Palmer made his 40th career field goal in the first quarter, hitting from 33 yards out. Palmer had made four out of five this season, before missing in the second quarter. He is now 5-for-7 on field-goal attempts in 2007, with the only other miss coming from 53 yards out against Washington State.

-Palmer converted his 65th and 66th consecutive extra-point attempts, but missed his 67th, breaking a streak that dated back to 2005.

RUSSELL WRESTLES THEM
-Junior linebacker Russell Allen had a career-high 15 tackles, his fourth career game with 10 or more stops. Allen beat his previous high of 14 against Air Force in 2006. Allen's 15 stops are the most by an Aztec this season and the first time an SDSU player has reached the double-figure mark in 2007. Allen's 15 tackles are the most since Joe Martin also had 15 versus Wyoming.

O'CONNELL MOVES UP
- SDSU quarterback Kevin O'Connell completed 20 of his 27 pass attempts for 253 yards, a touchdown and had no interceptions. O'Connell moved from sixth to fifth in career passing yards with 5,775, moving past Brian Sipe, who had 5,707 from 1969-71. Over the last two contests, O'Connell has completed 39 of his 58 pass attempts (67.2 percent) for 696 yards, six touchdowns and no INTs.

SWAIN'S A DEEP THREAT
-SDSU wideout Brett Swain caught a 40-yard pass in the second quarter, the longest reception allowed by Cincinnati this season. In 2007, Swain has six receptions for 20 or more yards, including three for 40 or more yards.

OTHER NOTES
-SDSU senior running back Lynell Hamilton scored a touchdown on his first reception of the 2007 season. It was his second career TD reception, first since 2003, and first TD of any kind since last year's season-opener. It is Hamilton's 16th career touchdown (14 rushing, 2 receiving).

-SDSU RS freshman quarterback Kelsey Sokoloski recorded his first career TD pass, while true freshman Alston Umuolo had his first career TD reception ... The Aztecs' had nine different receivers catch at least one pass in a game for the second time this season.