Sept. 26, 2015
Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery 
| USATSI
| 21 |  |
|  | 37 |
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| STATISTICAL LEADERS | ||||
| Passing | C-Att | Yds | TD | Int |
| Smith, SDSU | 10-29 | 141 | 1 | 0 |
| Hackenberg, PSU | 21-35 | 296 | 3 | 0 |
| Rushing | Car | Yds | TD | Long |
| Pumphrey, SDSU | 18 | 56 | 1 | 18 |
| Barkley, PSU | 8 | 62 | 0 | 34 |
| Receiving | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
| Holder, SDSU | 4 | 78 | 1 | 31 |
| Godwin, PSU | 5 | 78 | 1 | 32 |
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| MULTIMEDIA |
 Postgame Presser - Long, Smith & Fely Highlights SDSU Gallery #1 | USATSI Gallery #2 |
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| RELATED LINKS |
 Gameday Central | Notes | Depth Chart Season Stats | Mountain West | NCAA Media Guide | Home |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- San Diego State was unable to overcome three crucial turnovers in a 37-21 loss at Penn State Saturday night at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. The three turnovers - all fumbles - led to 21 of the Nittany Lions' (3-1) 37 points.
The Aztecs (1-3) took the lead at 14-13 with 10:23 left in the second quarter when Maxwell Smith's 19-yard pass found Mikah Holder in the left corner of the end zone. PSU got into SDSU territory on its' ensuing possession, but Kyle Kelley blocked Joey Julius' 55-yard field goal attempt. San Diego State stopped Penn State again, but Chris Guila's punt bounced off the leg of Aztec punt returner Lloyd Mills, which gave the Nittany Lions the ball on the SDSU 27-yard line. Four plays later, Christian Hackenberg connected on a 19-yard touchdown strike to Mark Allen with 1:03 remaining in the first half.
On SDSU's very next play, Donnel Pumphrey fumbled and Anthony Zettel pounced on it, giving the Nittany Lions the ball on San Diego State's 23-yard line. PSU took advantage again as Hackenberg found Chris Godwin for an 11-yard touchdown, giving Penn State 14 points in just 46 seconds and extending the lead to 27-14 at halftime intermission.
At the half, the Nittany Lions had piled up 297 total yards, including 234 in the air, and 15 first downs, while dominating the time of possession, by more than 13 minutes (21:44-8:16).
The Aztecs rallied a bit in the second half, both on offense and defense, beginning with a bit of luck when D. Thompkins muffed a punt and Luke Bussey jumped on it for his first career fumble recovery. Pumphrey punctuated a 6-play, 26-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing score, bringing SDSU to within one score at 27-21.
Late in the third quarter, San Diego State mounted another charge, getting all the way to the 25-yard line, thanks mainly to a 31-yard pass from Smith to Holder. On 3rd and 11 from the PSU 25, however, Smith was sacked by Carl Nassib and Austin Johnson picked up the loose ball and returned it 71 yards to put Penn State up by 13 again at 34-21 early in the fourth quarter.
The Nittany Lion defense forced the Aztecs to a 3 and out and the PSU offense used a trick play - a 32-yard pass by running back Nick Scott - to get into field goal range, where Julius converted a 26-yarder for the final points of the game.
Penn State got on the scoreboard with 4:20 left in the first quarter when Hackenberg tossed a screen pass to Saquon Barkley, who broke numerous SDSU tacklers and dove into the end zone from 22 yards out.
Rashaad Penny tied it up for San Diego State when he took the kickoff 100 yards for his second touchdown return of the year, tying Colin Lockett (2012) for the most kick returns for a score in Aztec single-season history.
Julius made field goals of 40 yards in the first quarter and 24 yards in the second to round out the scoring.
SDSU turned the tables in the second half, outgaining the Nittany Lions, 161-103, earning six more first downs (10-4) and holding the ball 17:10 of the 30 second-half minutes.
Penny amassed a game-high 192 all-purpose yards on just three touches (64.0 yards per play), highlighted by the 100-yard kick return for a touchdown and a 55-yard rush. Pumphrey added 56 yards on the ground with a touchdown on 18 attempts (3.1 avg.) and four catches for 51 yards (12.8 avg.). Holder set career highs in receptions (4) and receiving yards (78) with his second touchdown in as many weeks, while Smith threw for 141 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.
Jake Fely had a game-high 10 tackles - his sixth career double-digit tackle game and second straight - with two for a loss, while Kameron Kelly (career high) and Damontae Kazee added eight stops apiece. San Diego State had 10 tackles for loss as a team, the program's most since also recording 10 at Washington in the 2012 opener.
Hackenberg threw for 296 yards and three scores (all in the first half) to pace PSU.
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| First Downs | 13 | 19 | ||||
| Total Yards | 242 | 400 | ||||
| Passing Yards | 141 | 328 | ||||
| Rushing Yards | 101 | 72 | ||||
| Number of Plays | 63 | 70 | ||||
| Penalties-Yards | 4-32 | 5-37 | ||||
| 3rd Down Conversions | 5 of 17 | 4 of 15 | ||||
| 4th Down Conversions | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | ||||
| Kick Return Yards | 137 | 98 | ||||
| Punt Return Yards | -5 | 17 | ||||
| Punts-Yards | 8-39.1 | 7-42.0 | ||||
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Time of Possession | 25:26 | 34:34 | ||||