Football

SDSU Looks to Clinch MW Championship Berth at UNLV

SDSU Looks to Clinch MW Championship Berth at UNLVSDSU Looks to Clinch MW Championship Berth at UNLV

Nov. 17, 2015

SAN DIEGO -

SDSU NOTES vs. UNLV | GAMEDAY CENTRAL

Aztecs Look To Clinch West Division Title; Take Six-Game Win Streak to UNLV

  • Riding a six-game win streak and an eight-game Mountain West win streak, San Diego State (7-3, 6-0 MW) travels to UNLV (3-7, 2-4 MW) Saturday looking to clinch a berth in the MW Championship game. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network, and the Mighty 1090 AM and The Max 105.7 FM.
  • Owners of 19 football championships (the most recent coming in 2012), SDSU has clinched at least a share of the West Division title for the second straight year and can earn a spot in the MW title game with either a win or a Nevada loss (Nevada plays at Utah State at 1:30 p.m. MT Saturday).
  • San Diego State's six-game winning streak is the longest in the MW, tied for the ninth-longest active streak nationally and its longest since a seven-game streak to close out the 2012 regular season en route to the 19th conference championship in program history.
  • The Aztecs are 6-0 in conference play for just the third time in school history (also: 1962 and 1969). Now in its 93rd season of football, SDSU has never opened league play with a 7-0 record.
  • San Diego State's eight-game conference winning streak is tied for the fourth-longest active streak nationally, trailing only Ohio State (15), Navy (9) and Western Kentucky (9). Oklahoma State also owns an eight-game league win streak.
  • During its eight-game conference win streak, the Aztecs have outscored the opposition, 274-83, (34.3-10.4). SDSU is 24-5 over its last 29 MW games.
  • The Aztecs have held their last 13 conference opponents below 400 yards of total offense, which is tied with Clemson for the active FBS lead. Over the 13 games, SDSU's opponents are averaging just 263.5 yards per game.
  • San Diego State has won four straight games by at least 23 points, the longest-active streak in FBS play (Louisiana Tech is second at three wins by 23-plus points).
  • The Aztecs, Clemson and Arkansas State are the only teams in the country that have gone 6-0 in their last six games winning each game by at least 10 points.
  • San Diego State has won six consecutive games by at least 14 points for the first time since 1970.
  • SDSU has entered the nation's top 10 in many defensive categories. San Diego State is sixth nationally in total defense (287.0), ninth in scoring defense (17.1), and fifth in turnovers forced (24) and opponent third down percentage (27.5).
  • The Aztecs rushed for 293 rushing yards in their win vs. Wyoming. SDSU has won 19 straight games when rushing for at least 200 yards and is 27-2 in the Rocky Long era when reaching 200-plus yards.
  • San Diego State has six straight games with at least 200 yards rushing for the first time in its Division I history (since 1969). Prior to this streak the Aztecs had never put together five straight games with at least 200 yards rushing.
  • Junior RB Donnel Pumphrey rushed for 140 yards against Wyoming, while adding three catches for 29 yards. He has now rushed for at least 100 yards in six consecutive games (tied for third-longest active FBS streak), seven times this season and 20 times in his career (second in SDSU history). He is second on the school's all-time rushing list with 3,790 (Marshall Faulk - 4,589).
  • For the first time in the school's Division I history (since 1969), SDSU has gone eight consecutive games without throwing an interception (prior to this stretch the Aztecs had never gone five straight games without a pick). Senior QB Maxwell Smith has now gone 144 attempts without throwing an interception (second-longest active streak nationally) and has 11 touchdown passes over that span.
  • San Diego State is third nationally in turnover margin (+1.20) and fifth in turnovers forced (24). One reason is the Aztec pass defense. Junior DB Damontae Kazee is third nationally with six interceptions, while Malik Smith is one of two players nationally to have an interception in each of the last three games and Calvin Munson has returned two interceptions for TDs this season.
  • Since Oct. 1, San Diego State's dominant play has it ranked among the national leaders in nearly every statistical category, including: first in scoring defense (10.3) and opponent yards per game (214.3), second in fewest turnovers (4) and rushing yards allowed per game (78.2), third in time of possession (35:27), passing efficiency (185.1) and opponent third down percentage (24.7), fourth in opponent passing efficiency (90.3), fifth in rushing yards per game (276.8) and forced turnovers (16), and 33rd in scoring offense (34.3).