Sept. 9, 2017
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TEMPE, Ariz. - Behind 353 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns by Rashaad Penny, San Diego State snapped a 28-game road losing streak at Pac-12 schools with a 30-20 victory over Arizona State Saturday night in Tempe, Ariz.
Penny scored a 95-yard touchdown run, a 99-yard kick return and a 33-yard catch to become the first player in FBS this season with at least one touchdown in each category. He finished the game with a career-high 216 yards on just 18 carries (12.0 avg.) and added a career-best four catches for 38 yards for SDSU.
Penny's 353 all-purpose yards on just 23 touches (15.3 avg.) were the most in a FBS game this season and the third most in Aztec single-game history.
SDSU, which last beat a Pac-12 team on the road on Sept. 13, 1975 (def. Oregon State, 25-0), jumped out to a 7-0 lead on its second drive of the game when Penny busted through the line on a third-and-6 and raced 95 yards for the score. It was the longest rush in FBS play this season and the longest by a San Diego State player sine Ronnie Hillman had a 99-yard run vs. Wyoming on Oct. 29, 2011.
After the teams traded punts, the Sun Devils (1-1) capped a 9-play, 85-yard drive when Kalen Ballage plunged in from the 1 to tie the game at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Penny then took the opening kickoff of the second quarter 99 yards for his sixth career return for a touchdown, just one off tying a NCAA record.
After a short punt that allowed the Aztecs to start on the ASU 45, SDSU grinded out an 11-play, 43-yard drive over 5:55, culminating with a 29-yard field goal by John Baron II. San Diego State appeared to score a touchdown twice on the drive, but both were called back due to penalties, one of 12 on the game (for 95 yards) for the Aztecs.
Arizona State responded with a 5-yard TD strike from Manny Wilkins to N'Keal Harry to bring the home team to within 3 at 17-14 midway through the second quarter.
The Aztecs got into Sun Devil territory, but was forced to punt, pinning ASU on the 6.
After forcing a 3 and out, Arizona State's punter shanked a boot off the side of his foot for 12 yards, allowing SDSU to take over on the 18 with just 30 seconds left in the half. San Diego State would have to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Baron, however, taking a 20-14 lead into intermission.
The scored again late in the third quarter when Christian Chapman found Penny out on the flat on a third-and-21. Penny was wide open and beat one Sun Devil defender to make it 27-14.
The Aztecs got to Wilkins late in the third and recovered a fumble at the 32, but was only able to get a Baron 32-yard field goal out of it, pushing the lead to 16 points at 30-14.
SDSU held ASU to only 27 yards of offense in the third quarter, but Arizona State converted a third-and-37 into a 53-yard touchdown pass from Wilkins to Frank Darby early in the fourth. San Diego State, however, snuffed out the 2-point conversion attempt, leaving the Aztecs up, 30-20.
SDSU would not score again, but did control the ball for nearly six minutes to close out the victory, its first in 12 tries against the Sun Devils.
San Diego State also snapped a 23-game road losing streak against Power 5 teams and snapped ASU's 17-game regular-season non-conference win streak. The win gave the Aztecs their first two-game winning streak against the Pac-12 since 1994-95 and first against Power 5 teams since 1982-83.
Juwan Washington added 56 yards on the ground for SDSU, which won its 34th straight game when rushing for 200-plus yards and only needed 73 passing yards and a touchdown from Chapman.
Trey Lomax led San Diego State with seven tackles, while Noble Hall had five stops, including 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Tickets are still available for the game against the Cardinal. The Aztec Ticket Office, located at San Diego Stadium Window E, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. On Saturday, the ticket office will open at 2:30 p.m. Individual tickets may also be purchased online at GoAztecs.com or over the phone at (619) 283-7378.
Current San Diego State students can obtain one free ticket with a valid SDSU RedID (card must be swipe valid). Tickets can be retrieved at the Viejas Arena Box Office Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or at the Conrad Prebys Student Union Information Booth. Students can also pick up their ticket on game day at San Diego Stadium Windows B, F and H.
Football season tickets are still available and can be purchased by logging onto GoAztecs.com, calling 619-283-7378, or visiting the Aztec Ticket Office at San Diego Stadium Window E.