Aug. 30, 2014
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SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State-Northern Arizona Postgame Notes
The Big Notes
• San Diego State improved to 9-2 since Sept. 8, 2013. Coming into the opening weekend, the 8-2 record since Sept. 8, 2013 was tied with Alabama, Baylor, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon for the 10th-best record over that span.
• The Aztecs had eight players make their first career Division I start on defense tonight. That is the most in the country regardless of unit (offense or defense). Oklahoma State and Texas State each had seven players make their first career start (also at defense).
• Donny Hageman made a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter. It was SDSU's first successful field goal since Sept. 28, 2013 vs. New Mexico State. The Aztecs were the only team in the nation without a made field goal over that span.
Rocky Long Notes
• Rocky Long improved to 26-14 at San Diego State.
• Rocky Long extended his MW lead with his 88th victory in league history.
• Rocky Long's 26 wins through the first game of his fourth season are tied for the most in school history (also Claude Gilbert, from 1973-76).
Team Notes
• San Diego State's 31-point margin of victory was its largest since beating Hawai'i by 38 on Oct. 6, 2012.
• The 31-point margin of victory in a season opener was SDSU's largest since beating Nicholls State, 47-0, on opening night in 2010 (Sept. 4).
• The seven points allowed was SDSU's fewest in a home opener since limiting Army to seven on Sept. 8, 2012. The seven points was also SDSU's fewest in a season opener since the 47-0 victory over Nicholls State on Sept. 4, 2010.
• SDSU held its opponent scoreless in the first half for the first time since Sept. 8, 2012 vs. Army (won, 42-7).
• The Aztecs' 24-point lead at the half is their largest since a 28-point advantage over Hawai'i (35-7) on Oct. 6, 2012 (won, 52-14).
• San Diego State held its opponent without a touchdown on its second-half opening drive for the 20th time in its last 21 games. The Aztecs have allowed just 19 points over the past 21 second-half opening drives.
• SDSU has at least one rushing touchdown in 12 straight games and 23 over its last eight contests.
• San Diego State had 14 points and two touchdowns in the first quarter for the first time since Nov. 2, 2013 against New Mexico.
• The Aztecs held an opponent scoreless in the first quarter for the second straight game. The last time that happened was the final game of the 2010 season (vs. Navy on Dec. 23) and the first game of 2011 (vs. Cal Poly on Sept. 3).
Season-Opener Notes
• San Diego State is now 47-40-5 in season-opening games, including a 22-23-1 mark in the Division I era (since 1969).
• The Aztecs improved to 19-6-1 in the Division I era (since 1969) when their opener is at home.
• SDSU won its home opener for the fifth time in six seasons (since 2009) and for the sixth time over the last eight seasons (since 2007).
• San Diego State won its first opener since a 49-21 win over Cal Poly in 2011.
• The Aztecs had a 100-yard rusher (Donnel Pumphrey) for the 14th time in a season opener.
Weather Notes
• Today's game temperature was 84 degrees, which is the warmest:
- game SDSU has played in since Sept. 29, 2012 at Fresno State (89 degrees)
- home game SDSU has played in since Sept. 22, 2012 vs. San Jose State (85 degrees)
- home season opener since Sept. 5, 1997 vs Navy (88 degrees)
Trends
• San Diego State started with the ball for the 27th time in the last 29 games.
• SDSU has now gone 91 games without suffering a shutout (Nov. 18, 2006, at TCU), which is the third-longest streak among current Mountain West schools (Air Force at 259 and Boise State at 210). That is the only time San Diego State has been shut out in its last 185 games.
• San Diego State allowed no points in the first quarter for the second straight game (also vs. Buffalo in last year's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl).
• The Aztecs improved to 16-7 in the Rocky Long era when scoring first.
• SDSU improved to 15-3 in the Rocky Long era when leading after the first quarter.
• San Diego State improved to 14-2 in the Rocky Long era when leading at the half.
• The Aztecs improved to 19-3 in the Rocky Long era when leading after three quarters.
Series Notes
• San Diego State improved to 3-0 all-time against Northern Arizona. The Aztecs also defeated the Lumberjacks on Nov. 20, 1965 in Flagstaff (20-0) and on Nov., 19, 1966 in San Diego (16-8).
• SDSU improved to 5-0 all-time against Big Sky (at game time) schools.
Player Notes
* Donnel Pumphrey, So., RB (19 att., 111 yds., 2 TD | 1 rec., 31 yds.)
• Rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 19 attempts (5.8 avg.).
• Recorded his fourth 100-yard rushing game of his career, which is tied for 20th all-time at SDSU. Twenty-six (26) players in school history now have at least four 100-yard rushing games.
• Scored his ninth and 10th rushing touchdowns of his career.
• Scored his 11th and 12th overall touchdown of his career.
• Recorded his second game of his career with multiple rushing touchdowns and third overall with at least two scores (also one receiving).
• SDSU improved to 6-1 when he scores at least one rushing touchdown.
* Quinn Kaehler, Sr., QB (18-for-29, 205 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT)
• Finished the game with 205 yards, going 18-for-29 with one touchdowns and one interception.
• Improved to 9-3 as the team's starting quarterback.
• Has just seven interceptions over his past 352 passing attempts. In three of those interceptions, the ball hit an Aztec receiver first.
• It was his 13th straight game with at least 200 yards passing, which is the longest streak by an Aztec since at least 1996.
* Chase Price, Jr., RB (11 att., 45 yds., 1 TD | 2 rec., 22 yds.)
• Rushed for 45 yards and one touchdown on 11 attempts (4.1 avg.).
• Scored his first rushing touchdown of the season and second of his career (first since Oct. 6, 2012 vs. Hawai'i).
• Had a career-long 21-yard run in the first quarter.
* Ezell Ruffin, Sr., WR (4 rec., 53 yds.)
• Had four catches for 53 yards (13.3 avg.).
• Had a catch for the 15th straight game and multiple receptions for the 14th consecutive game, both which lead the team.
* Robert Craighead, Jr., TE (1 rec., 2 yds., 1 TD)
• Had one catch for two yards.
• Had his first career touchdown, a 2-yard pass from Quinn Kaehler in the second quarter.
* Malik Smith, So., Warrior (7 tackles, 5 solo, 1 TFL, 3 PBU)
• Led the team with seven tackles, which was three off his career high (vs. Nevada, Oct. 4, 2013).
• Had three pass breakups, which were a career high and the first three of his career. The most SDSU had by one player last season was five.
• His tackle for loss was the first of his career.
* J.J. Whittaker, Sr., CB (6 tackles, 4 solo)
• His six tackles tied a career high (vs. Nevada, Oct. 4, 2013).
• The four solo stops also matched a career high (vs. New Mexico, Nov. 2, 2013).
* Trey Lomax, RS-Fr., Warrior (6 tackles, 4 solo)
• Set a career high with six tackles, which were tied for the second-most on the team.
* Alex Barrett, So., DL (5 tackles, 3 solo, 2.5 TFL, 1 Blk.)
• Had 2.5 tackles for loss, which is a career high. He previous had 2.0 twice last season.
Other Notes
• Cody Galea started for the 23rd consecutive game, which leads all Aztecs (doesn't include specialists).
• Josh Gavert played in his 40th straight game, which is the most of any current SDSU player.
• Alex Barrett blocked his first career field goal.
• Derek Largent had a sack, giving him 8.5 for his career.
• Calvin Munson had his first career interception and returned it 64 yards.
• Donny Hageman made a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter, which was the longest by an SDSU player since Abel Perez hit a 53-yarder vs. UNLV on Nov. 27, 2010.
• The Aztecs had 11 players make their first Division I start tonight, including eight on defense - WAR Malik Smith, WAR Trey Lomax, AZ Na'im McGee, CB Damontae Kazee, LB Calvin Munson, LB Micah Seau, DT Alex Barrett and DE Jon Sanchez - and three on offense - FB Dakota Gordon, RT Pearce Slater and TE Robert Craighead.