SCENE SETTER (through games of Saturday, Sept. 7)
* Off to its third 2-0 start in the last four seasons and the fourth of the Rocky Long era, San Diego State plays its second consecutive road game Saturday at New Mexico State in Las Cruces.
* The teams are meeting for the 12th time with the Aztecs holding a 9-1-1 series edge. The teams are currently scheduled to play in San Diego in both 2021 and 2023.
* Of the 130 FBS teams, SDSU is one of 52 undefeated teams. Of the 52 undefeated teams only 18 have won at least one road game.
* San Diego State's defense ranks among the national leaders in nearly every statistical category. Among its highest rankings are: 5th in scoring defense (7.0), 5th in first downs allowed per game (10.5), 7th in total defense (207.5), 8th in rushing defense (48.5), 9th in rushing yards allowed per carry (1.9), 10th in total touchdowns allowed (2), 10th in passing yards per attempt (4.75), 14th in passing touchdowns allowed (1), 18th in rushing touchdowns allowed (1), 23rd in tackles for loss (8.0), 25th in passing efficiency rating (109.0) and 28th in passing yards allowed per game (159.0).
* Since the start of the 2015 season, San Diego State is 17-7 (70.8 percent) in road games. That is the 9th-highest winning percentage nationally and tops among teams in the Pacific Time Zone. The 17 road wins are tied for fourth nationally (leader: Clemson, 19).
* SDSU has won 12 consecutive games played during the month of September. That is the third-longest active streak nationally, trailing only Clemson (19) and Alabama (16).
* San Diego State has won its last 10 games against teams from the state of New Mexico. The New Mexico Lobos have been the victim seven times, while the Aztecs have defeated the Aggies three times dating back to the start of the streak on Oct. 3, 2009.
* SDSU has won its last five games played in the state of New Mexico.
* On Saturday, the Aztecs defeated UCLA for the first time in 23 all-time meetings with a 23-14 victory at the Rose Bowl. Senior quarterback Ryan Agnew threw for a career-high 293 yards, redshirt freshman Matt Araiza booted three field goals and the Aztec defense limited the Bruins to 261 total yards, while forcing two turnovers.
* Senior linebacker Kyahva Tezino, on the current watch lists for the Bednarik, Nagurski and Butkus awards, earned his third career Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honor. Tezino had nine tackles (seven solo), including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss, and his first career forced fumble.
* Redshirt freshman Matt Araiza connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts, making boots from 43, 31 and 25 yards and accounted for 11 points to win the MW Special Teams Player of the Week Award. An Aztec kicker has now won the MW Special Teams POW award six times in 14 chances since the beginning of 2018.
* 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 eight seasons as head coach.
Football Looks to Move to 3-0 at New Mexico State
