NEWS AND NOTES (through games of Sept. 1)
* San Diego State opens a three-game homestand, its longest since ending the 2014 campaign with three straight home contests and the longest regular-season homestand since 2012, with a Saturday night contest against Sacramento State.
* The home opener also serves as the KGB SkyShow. The largest fireworks show in southern California will start at the conclusion of the Aztecs-Hornets game. This is one of the most attended games annually and fans are encouraged to secure their tickets in advance of game day.
* This marks the first meeting between Sacramento State and San Diego State on the football field. Rocky Long owns a 1-0 record against the Hornets, recording a 58-0 victory while coaching New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., on Sept. 22, 2007.
* San Diego State has won its first home game of the campaign in each of the last four seasons.
* San Diego State is 15-3 in its last 18 home games dating back to Oct. 3, 2015. During that stretch, the Aztecs have outscored its opposition, 581-328 (average: 32.3-18.2), and has a remarkable 4,390-2,117 advantage in rushing yards (average: 243.9-117.6). Also, SDSU owns a +16 edge in turnover margin over that span.
* Last week, San Diego State's four-game winning streak in season-opening games came to an end with a 31-10 setback at No. 13/13 Stanford. The Aztec defense held Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Love to 29 yards on 18 carries, his lowest output in a game with at least seven carries in his career.
* SDSU junior running back Juwan Washington produced the sixth highest rushing total for an SDSU running back in a season-opening game in the Division I era. He carried 24 times for a career-high 158 yards and one touchdown. It is the third 100-yard rushing game for the Maxwell Award candidate.
* Coupled with the loss in the 2017 bowl game, the Aztecs have dropped consecutive games. SDSU has gone 40 games without suffering a three-game losing streak.
* San Diego State is one of seven schools nationally to win at least 10 games each of the last three seasons. The other schools are Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin. (entire list with records can be found on page four on the left column).
* Thirteen different Aztec players received preseason accolades, with eight players (senior PK John Baron II, senior QB Christian Chapman, senior LB Ronley Lakalaka, junior TE Kahale Warring, junior RB/KR/PR Juwan Washington, sophomore WAR Tariq Thompson, sophomore RG Keith Ismael and sophomore LT Tyler Roemer) on watch lists for national honors or named first-team all-conference.
* Head coach Rocky Long, the all-time winningest coach in Mountain West history, has guided San Diego State to a bowl game in each of his first seven seasons as head coach. He is one of eight active coaches to lead their current team to a bowl game in each of the first seven seasons.
Football Set to Host Sacramento State in Home Opener
