HONOLULU -- Greg Bell and Jack Browning each had first-half touchdown runs and the San Diego State defense made them stand up in a 17-10 victory over Hawai'i in Mountain West play on Saturday in Honolulu.
The Aztecs improved to 8-1 on the season with the win and 4-1 in league play and, coupled with a Fresno State loss at Boise State, once again control their own destiny in the West Division of the Mountain West.
Bell scored on a 5-yard run to give SDSU a 7-0 lead with 6:27 left in the first quarter. Hawaii (4-6, 1-4) pulled even after Darius Muasau sacked Aztec quarterback Lucas Johnson, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Isaiah Tufaga at the SDSU 19-yard line. Chevan Cordeiro then hit Calvin Turner Jr. for the TD on first down to tie the game at 7.
San Diego State answered with a methodical 15-play, 82-yard drive that took up 7:33 of clock time. Facing a field goal attempt on fourth-and-2 on the UH 13-yard line, holder Jack Browning instead took the snap, and used lead blockers Daniel Bellinger and Zachary Thomas to race into the end zone to make it 14-7 Aztecs. SDSU converted two third downs on the drive, including a 17-yard scamper by Johnson on third-and-14 on the UH 38. It was San Diego State's longest third-down conversion of the season.
The Aztecs got the ball back on the ensuing drive when Trenton Thompson intercepted Cordeiro on the UH 43. Matt Araiza, however, missed a 53-yard field goal in the final scoring chance in the first half.
Each team only managed only a field goal in the second half.
Araiza gave SDSU a 17-7 lead with 7:41 remaining with a 39-yard field goal, capping a 14-play, 57-yard drive over 8:26.
Hawai'i responded with its best drive of the game, marching 70 yards on 15 plays, helped by three conversions on third down. The Rainbow Warriors got to the SDSU 4, but the Aztec defense held by tackling Turner for a 1-yard loss and forcing two incompletions, keeping the home team to just three points on a 22-yard field goal by Matt Shipley.
Hawai'i had one last chance, starting on its own 32 with 1:11 remaining. UH got all the way to the SDSU 23 before Cordeiro found Dedrick Parson for a 5-yard pass on third-and-10. Hawai'i tried to get off a final play, but the clock hit 0:00, preserving the gutty Aztec win.
Johnson completed 12 of 16 passes for 99 yards and ran for 29 yards on nine carries for San Diego State. Bell carried 24 times for 77 yards.
Hawaii native Andrew Aleki led the Aztec defense for the first time of his career with eight tackles, while Tayler Hawkins chipped in with seven solo stops and his first career forced fumble.
SDSU has won eight of the last 10 meetings between the two schools and beat a Hawai'i team which had won 10 of its last 13 home games.
San Diego State never trailed in the game and led for 43:49 of the 60 minutes.