FORT COLLINS, Colo. – San Diego State made a fourth-quarter push to try and overcome a 19-point deficit, but ultimately fell short in a 22-19 loss at Colorado State on Saturday night.
Justin Marshall scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter to stretch the Ram (4-6, 2-4 MW) lead to 22-3 before the Aztecs (3-7, 1-5 MW) scored the final 16 points of the game for its third straight loss by one score.
SDSU started its comeback with a 38-yard field goal by Gabriel Plascencia, his second of the night, with 3:06 left in the third quarter.
After forcing a three-and-out, San Diego State went 46 yards on nine plays before Jalen Mayden ran up the middle untouched for an 8-yard touchdown. The Aztecs failed on the ensuing 2-point conversion, cutting CSU's lead to 10 points at 22-12.
Colorado State drove deep into SDSU territory, but Vann Schield fumbled the ball and Zyrus Fiaseu recovered it for San Diego State at its own 20-yard line. It was Fiaseu's third fumble recovery of the year, tied for the sixth most in Aztec single-season history.
SDSU then went 80 yards on 14 plays over 6:30 before Jaylon Armstead rushed it in from a yard out on fourth-and-goal to make it a three-point game with 2:04 left. On the drive, San Diego State converted two third downs.
Avery Morrow, however, converted a 7-yard run on third-and-4 to run out the clock.
The Rams went up, 15-0, in the first half on a safety, two field goals by Jordan Noyes and a 1-yard run by Dallin Holker.
Mayden completed 19 of 25 passes for 128 yards and added a rushing touchdown for the Aztecs, who dropped to 3-4 on the season in one-score games.
The loss guaranteed SDSU's first losing season since 2009 (the first year of Brady Hoke's first stint as head coach). Prior to the 2010 season, San Diego State had six consecutive losing campaigns (2004-09) and 11 straight without a winning season (1999-09).
The Aztecs' streak of 13 consecutive seasons with at least a .500 record was tied for the sixth-longest streak nationally (entering 2023) and is the longest streak among Pacific Time Zone teams. In 12 of those 13 seasons, SDSU posted a winning record.
Cam Davis rushed for a career-high 67 yards for San Diego State, and added career bests of three catches and 18 yards, while Kenan Christon led the Aztecs with 91 all-purpose yards.
Josh Hunter set a career high with 15 tackles to lead the defense, the most by a SDSU player since Kyahva Tezino had 15 at Fresno State on Nov. 17, 2018 and matched the most since Tezino recorded 17 in the 2017 Armed Forces Bowl.
Cedarius Barfield added his fourth interception of the season and had a career-high eight tackles as San Diego State lost to the Rams for just the second time in the last nine meetings.
Fourth Quarter Comeback Falls Short at Colorado State
