COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State football's Matt Araiza (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS) and Noah Avinger (Cerritos, Calif.) have been named Mountain West players of the week, the league announced Monday. Araiza was chosen as the MW Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time of his career (also Sept. 9, 2019), while Avinger was selected as the MW Freshman of the Week for the first time.
The duo helped the Aztecs defeat Towson, 48-21, Saturday night to improve to 4-0 on the season for just the second time in the last 40 years (also 2017).
Araiza did a little bit of everything on special teams to help SDSU get the win, including punting three times for 197 yards and a 65.7 average with two inside the 20-yard line, making both of his field goal attempts (48 and 36 yards) and all six PATs, kicking off eight times with six going for touchbacks and logging a solo tackle on one of his kickoffs.
In the punting game, where he had a long of 72 yards, Araiza's 65.7 punt average was the highest in an FBS game since at least 1996 (min. 3 punts). Additionally, the 65.7 punt average (min. 3 punts) was more than a yard ahead the No. 2 player on the list (Florida Atlantic's Dalton Schomp (64.3) against Old Dominion on Nov. 19, 2016) and almost four yards further than the top MW performer in a game in league history (Colorado State's Pete Kontodiakos (61.8) against Hawai'i on Oct. 27, 2012). The 65.7 average on three punts easily eclipsed his school-record average of 56.8 against New Mexico State on Sept. 4, 2021, but he didn't reach the minimum (4 punts) allowed to count for the program record. Off his punts, Towson had an average starting fielding position of its own 13.3-yard line as he ended up with a 59.0 net punt average.
After making a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter, Araiza added a 36-yarder in the fourth, which capped a 17-play, 64-yard drive for the Aztecs and took up 10:31 of playing time. With Araiza's eight touchbacks, the Tigers started on its own 24.4-yard line. The one time he did not kick off in the fourth quarter, Towson returned the kickoff 73 yards and started on SDSU's 24-yard line.
On the season, Araiza is averaging 55.1 yards per punt with 18 of his 28 punts going for at least 50 yards and 12 landing inside the 20-yard line. Araiza is also 4-for-7 in field goal attempts (57.1 pct.) with a long of 51 yards, has made all 19 of his PATs and has kicked off 25 times for 1,623 yards and a 64.9 avg. with 22 touchbacks.
Araiza leads the FBS in punt average (55.1), punt yards (1,543) and PAT percentage (1.000, tied), while ranking fourth in net punt average (45.2), a tie for fourth in punts inside the 20 (12), tied for fifth in punts (28), sixth in kickoff average (64.9), seventh in touchback percentage (88.00) and tied for eighth in kickoff touchbacks (22). Araiza also has a long punt of 77 yards (T-5th in FBS) and a long field goal of 51 yards (T-11th in FBS).
Avinger, meanwhile, came up with three tackles (two solo), including 0.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup in just his second career start as a true freshman. The interception led to a Jordan Byrd rushing touchdown to put the Aztecs up, 35-14, early in the third quarter. The interception was one of the keys to a third quarter that saw SDSU outscore Towson, 24-0, and limit the Tigers to just four total yards. In all, Towson had just 13 yards of total offense against San Diego State in the second half. The ½ tackle for loss and pass breakup were also the first of his career.
On the season, Avinger has 11 tackles (eight solo), including 0.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup.
The Aztecs return to action on Saturday, Oct. 9 against New Mexico at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., with the start time expected to be announced soon.