Dec. 3, 2011
Recap | Stats | Notes | Quotes | SDSU Gallery | AP Gallery | Highlights
R. Long, Escobar, Parker News Conference
Hillman, Burris, Lindley News Conference
SDSU-Fresno State Postgame Notes in PDF Format
Final Score: San Diego State 35, Fresno State 28
TOP NOTES
* The 21-point deficit overcome tonight (at 21-0) is tied for San Diego State's largest deficit overcome in school history... The other two games were on Nov. 3, 2007 against Wyoming (Aztecs were down, 21-0) and Oct. 12, 1974 versus Fresno State (Aztecs were down, 21-0)... SDSU has now overcome a 21-point deficit three times in 498 games at the Division I level.
* SDSU overcame a 14-point deficit for the second consecutive game for the first time since Oct. 19-26, 1985.
* At 8-4, San Diego State has matched its 12-game record from last season and have matched its best record since the 1995 squad was 8-4 after 12 contests. The 8-4 record this season matches the best 11-game record in the last 16 years (the 1996 team only played 11 games, but finished 8-3).
* The Aztecs are now 17-8 over their last 25 games after going 6-19 over their previous 25 contests. The 17 wins over the past two seasons are the program's most since 1976-77 (20-2).
THE SERIES
* SDSU improves to 27-20-4 all-time against Fresno State, including a 14-11-2 mark at home (8-2 at Qualcomm Stadium).
* San Diego State has won five of the last six games in the series, including the last four contests at home.
LONG PRODUCING MEMORABLE FIRST YEAR
* Rocky Long improves to 8-4 in his first year as head coach at San Diego State. Those are the most victories in an Aztec head coaching debut season since Denny Stolz finished 8-4 in his first year in 1986.
* With eight first-year wins, Rocky Long has one more coaching victory in his inaugural season as the previous two SDSU coaches combined (Brady Hoke went 4-8 in 2009 and Chuck Long was 3-9 in 2006).
* This is the third time in Rocky Long's head coaching career that his team has won at least eight games (also 2007 and 2003). His squads have won six or more games in eight of his last nine seasons as a head coach.
PLAYER NOTES
Ronnie Hillman, So., RB
* Sophomore running back Ronnie Hillman broke 1,500 rushing yards for the season. It's the seventh time in program history that a player has broken 1,500 rushing yards in a season. Hillman is the second Aztec to have multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons, joining Marshall Faulk, who did it three times from 1991-93... Hillman moved into second place on SDSU's single-season rushing list, passing all three of Faulk's season totals... Hillman scored four rushing touchdowns, giving him 36 for his career. That passed George Jones (1995) into second on the school's all-time chart... Hillman now has 38 career touchdowns (two receiving), which ranks second in school history... Hillman now has 11 career games with multiple rushing touchdowns and four with three or more... Matched his season and career high with the four rushing scores (also at NMSU in 2010; vs. WSU in 2011) ... Had his 15th career 100-yard rushing game (in 25 career games) and ninth of the season... The 15 career 100-yard rushing games passed him by Jones (1995-96) for the second most in SDSU history... The nine 100-yard rushing games this season are tied with Jones (1995) for the most in a season in school history... Broke 150 yards for the 12th time of his career, which only trails Faulk's 16 on the school all-time list ... Broke the Mountain West Conference record for rushing yards in a season with 1,656 yards, surpassing Luke Staley of BYU, who had 1,582 yards in 2001.
Larry Parker, Sr., DB
* Recorded his seventh interception of the season to preserve the victory in the fourth quarter ... Parker's seven picks are tied for third in Aztec single-season history ... His seven interceptions are the most since 1969, when Tom Deckert had eight and Galen Pavelko had seven.
Ryan Lindley, Sr., QB
* With his first attempt of the night, senior quarterback Ryan Lindley passed 12,000 passing yards for his career. He is the first Aztec and first player from the Mountain West to eclipse 12,000 passing yards.
Miles Burris, Sr., LB
* Senior Miles Burris had two sacks on the night, his third career game with two or more sacks... His 18th career sack, which moved him into seventh place all-time at SDSU... He logged at least a half tackle for a loss for the 18th time in the last 19 outings. Burris moved into third on the school's all-time list in tackles for a loss, passing Aztec hall-of-famer La'Roi Glover (1992-95).
Brian Stahovich, Sr., P
* Averaged 49.2 yards per punt... Booted three balls over 50 yards, giving him 57 career 50-yard punts.
Gavin Escobar, So. TE
* Sophomore tight end Gavin Escobar had six catches for 125 yards. It was his second career 100-yard receiving game (also vs. Boise State on Nov. 19, 2011)... Over the last three games, he has 18 receptions for 306 yards and two touchdowns.
Colin Lockett, So., WR
* Sophomore wide receiver Colin Lockett had six catches for 102 yards... It is his third career 100-yard receiving game and second at home this season ... He has at least three catches in all 12 games this season.
OTHER NOTES
* San Diego State began the game with the ball for the 10th time this season of 12 games.
* Sophomore fullback Chad Young scored his second rushing touchdown of the season and his career. He has three overall touchdowns (one receiving).
TEAM NOTES
* The Aztec defense has allowed opposing offenses to score no more than one touchdown in the second half of all 12 contests in 2011 ... Air Force, TCU and Boise State scored only 10 points, the most SDSU allowed in the second half of a game this season (1 TD, 1 FG each) ... Of the 293 points allowed this year by the defense, only 72 have been scored after the break (also 7 vs. Cal Poly, 6 at Army, 7 vs. Washington State, 7 at Michigan, 10 vs. TCU, 10 at Air Force, 0 vs. Wyoming, 0 vs. New Mexico, 8 at CSU, 10 vs. Boise State, 0 vs. UNLV, 7 vs. Fresno State).
* With one interception tonight, SDSU now has 14 this season, the most by the Aztecs since it had 16 in 2006.
* SDSU has gone nine consecutive third quarters without allowing a touchdown. Over that span, San Diego State has allowed a total of nine points in that quarter.
* The Aztecs improved to 7-0 this season and 16-1 over the past two seasons when leading after the third quarter.
* SDSU converted a third and 19, its longest third down conversion of the season. The previous longest was 15 yards vs. Washington State.
* SDSU had two receivers surpass the century mark in the same contest for the second consecutive home game, as both Lockett and Escobar also turned the trick against Boise State.
* SDSU rushed for 200 yards as a team for the seventh time this season ... The SDSU defense held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing in a game for the third time (also vs. WSU and UNM at home) ... Fresno State's 48 yards rushing are the fewest allowed by the Aztecs this season and overall since Colorado State had 27 in 2010.
* SDSU did not have a turnover in a game for the third time this season ... The Aztecs also did not have a giveaway in the opening two contests vs. Cal Poly and Army.