SAN DIEGO – Marquez Cooper rushed for 223 yards and two touchdowns to power San Diego State to a 45-14 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium, giving Sean Lewis a victory in his inaugural game as the Aztecs’ head coach.
In addition, the SDSU defense scored a pair of touchdowns off turnovers in the second half to help erase a 6-3 deficit at intermission and thwart the Lions’ upset bid.
Cooper, who carried 27 times in his SDSU debut after transferring from Ball State, posted the highest rushing total by an Aztec since Rashad Penny gained 253 yards at Hawai’i on Oct. 28, 2017.
Cooper’s 47-yard scoring run on SDSU’s first drive of the third quarter was the first of three touchdowns in a five-minute span, igniting a 42-8 blitz to give the Scarlet and Black its highest point-total since a 48-21 triumph over Towson on Sept. 25, 2021, in Carson, California.
Just two plays later on the ensuing possession, Trey White blitzed and forced a fumble by TAMUC quarterback Eric Rodriguez before Tano Letuli fell on the loose ball in the end zone for six additional points. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Aztecs found themselves suddenly in control at 16-6.
After limiting the Lions to one first down, SDSU flashed its big-play capability once again when freshman quarterback Danny O’Neil threaded a 44-yard touchdown pass to Louis Brown IV on the third play of the subsequent drive, while Michael Harrison swept around right end moments later for a two-point conversion, increasing the Aztecs’ advantage to 24-6.
TAMUC responded with an eight-play, 65-yard scoring march, capped by Rodriguez’s touchdown pass to Drew Allison from six yards out. The Lions benefited from a roughing-the-passer penalty that negated an end zone interception by Dalesean Staley on a pass over the middle from the SDSU 12. JaiSean McMillian hauled in another pass from Rodriguez for a two-point conversion, trimming the margin to 24-14.