BIG GAME
* San Diego State, one of 35 undefeated teams in the nation and one of only two teams in the country that is unbeaten, won at least two road games and has a victory at a Power 5 conference school (also Oklahoma State), faces Utah State at SDCCU Stadium on Saturday night.
* This is the only home game for the Aztecs in a 41-day period from Sept. 1 through Oct. 11. During that span, the Aztecs have three road games (2-0 thus far) and a bye week (Sept. 28).
* This marks just the fourth time in the last 43 seasons that the Aztecs have played a home game as an unbeaten team having played already played at least three times (three of the four occurrences have come in the Rocky Long era).
FROM THE FILM ROOM (through games of Sept. 14)
* Sophomores Jordan Byrd and Chance Bell made for a dynamic duo in the backfield for the Aztecs yesterday. Byrd ran for 128 yards on 22 attempts, 70 of which were earned after contact (59.8 percent), while recording six avoided tackles. Bell ran for 116 yards on 17 attempts, 68 of which were after initial contact (58.6 percent), while recording six avoided tackles on those runs. The Aztec backfield combined for 13 avoided tackles in the game, tied for the most by an Mountain West team this week. Byrd played a career-high 41 offensive snaps in the victory over New Mexico State in what was the best rushing performance of his career. In the last two weeks, Byrd has logged 32 and 41 snaps, his first games of his career with more than 10 snaps in a contest. Over the last two weeks, Byrd has played in 46 percent of his team's offensive snaps.
* The offensive line put on a run blocking clinic vs New Mexico State. The San Diego State offensive line had three players record a run blocking grade of 80-plus per Pro Football Focus. Junior LT Kyle Spalding (90.3 run block grade), redshirt freshman RG William Dunkle (85.8), and senior LG Daishawn Dixon (82.9) all had impressive showings on Saturday. Spalding's run block grade of 90.3 ranked second among all FBS offensive tackles nationally. Dunkle (85.8) and Dixon (82.9) ranked first and third among all FBS guards in the country this week with their run blocking grades.
* Sophomore DE Keshawn Banks made a big impact when on the field vs New Mexico State. Banks was able to record a pair of sacks and another six hurries (per PFF) on 41 pass rushes (pressure rate: 19.5 percent). After playing in 21.8 percent of his team's defensive snaps last year, Banks has played in 75.7 percent of his team's defensive snaps in 2019.
* Senior CB Luq Barcoo was the dominant player on the field for the SDSU secondary this week. Barcoo was targeted eight times on Saturday, allowing four receptions in his coverage for a total of just 13 yards to go along with an interception and a pass deflection. Barcoo had a passer rating when targeted of just 38.7. Two of the four receptions allowed by Barcoo in this game were screen passes to WRs that gained a total of just two yards. On the season, Barcoo has allowed a NFL passer rating when targeted of just 46.4 which ranks second among MW cornerbacks with at least 10 targets in coverage this year. Senior WAR Kyree Woods is making a name for himself in a different way as one of the most avoided CBs in the conference right now. On the season, Woods has been targeted in coverage just eight times on 106 coverage snaps. Woods' 13.3 coverage snaps per target make him the most avoided CB in the MW as we head into week 4. Per PFF, Woods (79.8) and Barcoo (79.2) are the two highest graded CBs in the conference right now.
* As teased in the offseason, San Diego State has shown a drastic change in offensive personnel groupings this season. Last year, the Aztecs used formations featuring two or more backs on the field for 540 offensive plays which was second nationally. San Diego State used two or more RBs on the field last year on 68 percent of its offensive plays. This season, SDSU is using more wide receivers and tight ends on the field. After using 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, three WRs) on just 20 percent of plays last season, SDSU has used it on 38 percent of plays this year (NCAA average: 52 percent). The same is true for 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs). After using 12 personnel on just 10 percent of plays last year, the Aztecs have used it 41 percent of the time in '19, making it their most preferred offensive package.
RECAPPING THE NEW MEXICO STATE GAME (through games of Sept. 14)
* SDSU improved to 3-0 for the third time in four seasons but just the fifth time since joining a major Division I conference (the Aztecs joined the WAC prior to the 1978 season).
* SDSU had multiple 100-yard rushers for the 30th time in program history. The Aztecs are now 29-1 in school history when having multiple 100-yard rushers in the same game.