Football

Football Heads to Hawai'i for Critical MW Showdown

Football Heads to Hawai'i for Critical MW ShowdownFootball Heads to Hawai'i for Critical MW Showdown

Oct. 5, 2015

SAN DIEGO -

SDSU NOTES at HAWAI'I | GAMEDAY CENTRAL

Aztecs Head to the Islands for Critical Mountain West Divisional Contest

  • San Diego State plays the second of three consecutive league division showdowns on Saturday when the Aztecs travel to Honolulu to face Hawai'i. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. HT (9 p.m. PT).
  • Last Saturday, San Diego State opened up 2015 Mountain West play with a 21-7 dominating victory over Fresno State. The victory was the third straight league victory (dating back to last season), a seventh home conference victory (dating back to Oct. 26, 2013) and a 13th straight home conference win against an unranked opponent.
  • San Diego State surrendered just 89 yards to the Bulldogs in that contest. That is the lowest total in a game between FBS teams this season. It was the fewest yards allowed by an Aztec squad since Sept. 19, 1970 (59 yards at North Texas).
  • For the 19th time in school history, San Diego State had a pair of players rush for 100 yards in a game. Junior Donnel Pumphrey recorded his 15th career 100-yard game, carrying 23 times for 124 yards and a touchdown. After Pumphrey left the game with a high ankle sprain, senior Chase Price entered and rushed for a career-high 151 yards on a career-best 27 carries.
  • For the game, San Diego State amassed 305 yards rushing. The Aztecs are 18-0 in the Division I era when rushing for at least 305 yards with three of those games occurring during the Rocky Long era.
  • San Diego State had lost three consecutive games in a season for the first time since opening the 2013 campaign 0-3. SDSU is looking for some deja vu. That season, the Aztecs won their next three games and seven of their next eight contests and ended the season 8-5.
  • The Aztecs are searching for the school's 20th conference championship (hence the hashtag #Win20). Rocky Long guided SDSU to its most recent crown, a 2012 shared title with Boise State and Fresno State (Mountain West had one division that season). The Aztecs did claim a share of the 2014 West Division title (does not count toward the program total of 19 championships).
  • A victory Saturday would give Rocky Long career victory No. 100 as a head coach. Currently, only 29 of the 128 FBS schools are led by a coach with at least 100 career victories.
  • San Diego State has held its last eight conference opponents to less than 400 yards of total offense. During that period, the opposition is averaging 278.5 yards per game.
  • SDSU's offensive unit is a perfect 8-for-8 in the red zone this season. The Aztecs are one of just six teams nationally, and the only team in the MW, that has posted points in every red zone opportunity in 2015. Last week, SDSU scored on plays of 33, 33 and 44 yards, resulting in no red zone opportunities.
  • San Diego State is tied with Buffalo and Texas for second in the nation in non-offensive touchdowns this season with four (Utah, 5). The Aztecs have returned two kickoffs and two interceptions for touchdowns.
  • Sophomore Rashaad Penny, who earned Mountain West Special Teams Player-of-the-Week honors earlier this season, leads the nation in kick return average at 42.1. He is one of four players in the country to have two KR for touchdowns this season. The Aztecs currently are second in kickoff return average (33.43).
  • In the last three halves (second half at Penn State and the entire Fresno State game), the SDSU defense has been dominant. In those three halves, the opposition has had 20 drives resulting in 10 points, 192 yards, 10 first downs and 2.67 yards per play. During that span, the opponents are 1-for-19 on third-down conversions. Opponents have failed on 18 consecutive third-down chances.
  • For the season, SDSU is 10th nationally in defensive third-down defense, allowing conversions 26.0 percent of the time (19-of-73).
  • Despite missing a game, senior linebacker Jake Fely leads the team in tackles (35) and is second in tackles for loss (5). The Oceanside, Calif., product has two double-digit tackle games this season.
  • Junior linebacker Calvin Munson, who earned national defensive player-of-the-week honors by two organizations for his performance on Sept. 5, is in a four-way tie for the national lead with two interception returns for touchdown this season. He also leads the team in tackles for loss (5.5) and sacks (2.5).