Aztecs Use Five Interceptions to Beat USD, 37-3

Sept. 05, 2015

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San Diego (0-1)00303
San Diego State (1-0)14671037
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STATISTICAL LEADERS
PassingC-AttYdsTDInt
Lawrence, USD9-147101
Maxwell Smith, SDSU9-2110001
RushingCarYdsTDLong
Willson, USD93008
Pumphrey, SDSU2065114
ReceivingRecYdsTDLong
Dwelley, USD550013
Penny, SDSU239032
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SAN DIEGO -- Aztecs Use Five Interceptions to Beat San Diego, 37-3

SAN DIEGO -- Calvin Munson returned two interceptions for touchdowns and Damontae Kazee picked off another three passes to lead San Diego State to a 37-3 victory over San Diego in the season opener Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium.

Munson picked off Trey Wheeler on the Toreros' (0-1) second play of the game and returned it 19 yards for the score. He later intercepted Anthony Lawrence and took it back 67 yards for another score with 3:35 left in the game.

The two interceptions returned for a touchdown set an Aztec (1-0) single-game record and gave him three for his career (all over the past four contests. He added a fumble recovery in the second quarter and led the team with 11 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss and a sack.

Kazee, meanwhile, picked off Chris Willson in the first quarter, Wheeler in the second and Wheeler again in the third. The three interceptions were the most by a SDSU player since 1951 and tied for the second most in a game in school history.

San Diego State's six forced turnovers was its most since 2003, while the five interceptions was the program's most since 2001.

In all, USD managed just 193 total yards against the Aztecs - 109 passing and 84 rushing - despite winning the time of possession battle by almost 10 minutes (34:39-25:21). San Diego was just 4-of-16 on third down conversions and its six turnovers led to 27 points by SDSU.

Later in the first quarter after Munson's 19-yard interception return for a touchdown, the Toreros challenged for the first time after picking off San Diego State quarterback Maxwell Smith at the Aztec 49-yard line. USD got to the 37 before Willson tried a deep pass toward the left side where Kazee outjumped a San Diego wide receiver at the 9-yard line and tried to run it back before getting tackled at the 2. There, the Aztecs marched 98 yards on 12 plays over 5:05, ending with a 5-yard touchdown run by Donnel Pumphrey.

SDSU made it 17-0 midway through the second quarter when Donny Hageman made the first of three field goals, this time from 33 yards out.

The Toreros got the ball back on their own 35 after, but on their first play Jake Fely forced a fumble and Munson pounced on the loose ball. San Diego State, however, was unable to get in the end zone, settling for a 36-yard field goal by Hageman for the final score of the half.

The Aztecs wasted no time getting back in the end zone as Rashaad Penny took a kickoff back 97 yards untouched for his first career touchdown.

USD finally got on the scoreboard midway in the third quarter, using a 15-play, 77-yard drive and taking advantage of a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on SDSU and a roughly the kicker penalty to have Jake Flatau convert on a chip shot 23-yard field goal.

San Diego State used a 12-play, 57-yard drive over 5:21 early in the fourth quarter, ending with Hageman's third field goal of the game, this time from 37 yards, to give the home team a commanding 30-3 lead.

San Diego got into the Aztecs' side of the field on its ensuing drive, but Munson picked off Lawrence at the 33 and returned it 67 yards into the end zone for the final score of the game.

Pumphrey rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown, while Chase Price carried nine times for 63 yards (7.0 avg.). Smith was 9-for-21 for 100 yards with an interception in his SDSU debut, while Penny (39 yards), Eric Judge (29 yards), Mikah Holder (24 yards) and Pumphrey (14 yards) had two catches apiece.

Following Munson on the tackle chart was Fely, who had nine stops and the forced fumble in his first start since Sept. 28, 2013 at New Mexico State.

QUICK STATS
STATS COMPARISON

USD

SDSU

First Downs1315
Total Yards193305
Passing Yards109139
Rushing Yards84166
Number of Plays6559
Penalties-Yards4-307-53
3rd Down Conversions4 of 166 of 14
4th Down Conversions0 of 00 of 0
Kick Return Yards11597
Punt Return Yards0-1
Punts-Yards7 - 35.75 - 44.4
Turnovers61
Time of Possession34:3925:21