Oct. 23, 2010
Recap | Stats | Stats (PDF) | Quotes | Photo Gallery | Highlights | Brady Hoke Postgame | DeMarco Sampson Postgame | Ryan Lindley Postgame | Miles Burris Postgame | Postgame Fight Song
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -
San Diego State-New Mexico Postgame Notes in PDF Format
Next Game: at Wyoming | Sat., Oct. 30 | 11:00 a.m. PT | TV: The Mtn. and Channel 4 San Diego | Radio: AM 600 KOGO
TOP NOTES
- San Diego State improves to 5-2 on the season, matching the school's best start in the last 33 seasons (since 1977), and marks the Aztecs' best start to a campaign in the last 14 seasons (since SDSU opened 5-2 in 1996).
- Despite having five regular-season games remaining, San Diego State's five victories this season surpass its win total from the last four seasons and match or surpass the win total from the past six seasons.
- This is the first time an Aztec team has been three-games above .500 at any point during the season since SDSU owned a 7-4 record after the 1998 regular season. The Aztecs finished the campaign at 7-5, following a 20-13 loss to North Carolina in the Las Vegas Bowl (SDSU's last bowl appearance).
- San Diego State snaps a four-game losing streak to New Mexico in Albuquerque during which the Aztecs were outscored 145-38. This is San Diego State's first win at New Mexico since a 17-16 decision on Nov. 4, 2000.
- Current San Diego State defensive coordinator and former New Mexico head coach Rocky Long has now been on the winning sideline of this rivalry the last 10 times these teams have played.
- San Diego State have defeated New Mexico in consecutive meetings for the first time in MWC history and the first time since the 1995 and 1996 encounters.
- San Diego State improves to 2-1 in conference play, marking the Aztecs' best record after three MWC games since the 2005 squad also opened with a 2-1 league mark.
- San Diego State is 2-2 in road games this season, which equals the total number of road wins in the 15 road games prior to this season (2-13). The two road wins this season equals or surpasses the road wins from each of the previous nine seasons.
- San Diego State is 9-10 in 19 games under Brady Hoke. The nine wins is equal to the total number of victories the Aztecs had in the 33 games prior to his arrival when SDSU went 9-24.
- San Diego State has defeated Air Force and New Mexico in the same season for the first time since 1996.
- On Ronnie Hillman's first quarter TD, SDSU has now scored a touchdown in 45 straight games ... The Aztecs have scored a touchdown on their opening drive of a game three times in the last five outings (also vs. Utah State, Missouri).
- With its first touchdown of the game, San Diego State owned a lead over New Mexico in Albuquerque for the first time since 2000 ... The TD was the first time SDSU has scored in the first quarter vs. the Lobos also since 2002 (SDSU had been outscored by UNM 84-0 in the first quarter since 2002).
- With the touchdown tonight to DeMarco Sampson, SDSU has scored points in two consecutive games as time has expired in the first half (FG vs. AFA; TD at UNM) ... SDSU has scored a touchdown in the final two minutes of the first half in four different outings (also vs. Nicholls, at NMSU, at Missouri) ... Tonight's TD at the end of the first half was SDSU's seventh touchdown drive of less than a minute in 2010.
- The Aztecs' point total tonight vs. UNM is its highest since tallying 36 in a win on Oct. 17, 1998 ... The UNM offense was 0-for-11 on 3rd-down conversions tonight, before converting its first at the 7:42 mark of the fourth quarter. The Lobos finished 1-for-12 in that category.
PLAYER NOTES
- Ronnie Hillman, Freshman RB: Has scored a touchdown in six of seven games this season ... Moved into third in most rushing yards by an Aztec freshman in a single season, passing Darrin Wagner, who had 787 yards in 1989 ... Has 849 yards rushing this season, including 11 touchdowns ... His 849 yards are the most by an Aztec in a season since Lynell Hamilton had 1,087 yards also has a freshman in 2003.
- DeMarco Sampson, WR: Has caught a pass in 21 consecutive outings ... Recorded two TDs in a single game for the second time this season and it is the fifth time in his career he has had a multi-TD outing ... Posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving outings for the first time in his career, after having 106 yards last week vs. No. 23 Air Force ... Fourth career 100-yard receiving game ... Aztec wideouts have combined for five, 100-yard receiving games in seven outings in 2010.
- Vincent Brown, Senior WR: Posted a season-high in catches tonight with seven (prev. 6 vs. BYU).
- Brian Stahovich, Junior P: Has 14 kicks for more than 50 yards this season, including three today, and has 39 career, 50+-yard kicks in his career ... This is the fifth time this season he has had a net punt of at least 50 or more yards (MWC leader).
- Abel Perez, Junior PK: Posted a season-best three field goals ... Has at least two field goals in a game for the fifth time this season ... Has 12 field goals on the year, already exceeding the team's season total of 10 in 2009 ... Had four touchbacks tonight, giving him 16 on the season.
- Brandon Sullivan: Became the 32nd Aztec to record 1,000 career rushing yards, reaching the milestone in the third quarter of his 36th career outing ... Had a season-best in both carries and rushing yardage tonight (prev. 2 carries, 14 yards vs. Nicholls).
- Ryan Lindley, Junior QB: Surpassed the 7,500-mark in career passing yards tonight, becoming the fourth Aztec to accomplish the feat (also Todd Santos, Billy Blanton, Dan McGwire and Kevin O'Connell)
OTHER NOTES
- Junior Brandon Davis had a career-long 39-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
- Senior Jose Perez has six PBUs in the last two outings.
- Sophomore Josh Wade recorded his first career INT in the third quarter ... SDSU has intercepted a pass in five consecutive outings for the first time since doing so in 11 straight contests from Dec. 2, 2006 until Nov. 17, 2007.