- Coming off a close 21-16 loss to New Mexico on Friday night, San Diego State hits the road to take on UNLV Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network and San Diego Sports 760.
- The Aztecs (3-6, 2-2 MW) rallied from a 14-3 first-quarter deficit on Friday to take a 16-14 lead with the third field goal of the night for Gabe Plascencia late in the third quarter.
- It was SDSU’s largest deficit overcome since trailing by 14 points to San Jose State on Nov. 12, 2022, and eventually winning, 43-27.
- UNM, however, answered with a 9-play, 65-yard drive, culminating with an 8-yard touchdown pass with 13:07 left to play.
- San Diego State punted on its next two possessions and New Mexico ran out the clock to finish with the win.
- It was the first time the Aztecs lost to the Lobos since 2008, snapping a nine-game winning streak in the series.
- UNM scored on runs of 51 yards and 68 yards, part of a 188-yard first quarter. New Mexico, which came into the gave averaging just under 35 points per game, totaled just 287 yards the rest of the way with the lone fourth-quarter touchdown.
- SDSU fell to 2-3 on the season in one-score games (all happening over its last six). The five one-scores games have been decided by a total of 15 points. Total score of those five games: San Diego State - 117; Opponents - 120.
- The Aztecs fell to 38-5 over their last 43 games when leading after the end of the third quarter.
- SDSU had 26 first downs, its most since logging 31 vs. No. 24 UTSA in the 2021 Frisco Bowl, and had five more first downs than the Lobos, its highest advantage against an FBS opponent since having nine more than New Mexico on Nov. 18, 2022 in Albuquerque.
- San Diego State ran its most plays (88) since running 99 against Eastern Illinois on Aug. 28, 2013 and had more time of possession than its opponent for the first time this season.
- Additionally, the Aztecs had their most third down conversions (11) since having 11 at San Jose State on Nov. 4, 2017, while recording their highest third down percentage (55.0) since having a 55.8 mark at No. 14 Brigham Young on Dec. 12, 2020.
- RB Marquez Cooper ran for 123 yards with his first career receiving touchdown. It was his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season and 21st of his career.
- Cooper is the active leader in FBS play in rushing yards (4,821) and all-purpose yards (5,508), and is third in rushing touchdowns (42) and rushing yards per game (94.5, min. 25 GP), and tied for third in total touchdowns (43).
- Cooper has three career 1,000-yard seasons, including 1,080 and 1,326 while at Kent State in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and 1,043 last year at Ball State. With 35 more yards, Cooper would be the first player in NCAA FBS history with 1,000-yard rushing seasons with three different teams.
- Cooper needs just 35 yards to become the first Aztec with a 1,000-yard season since Greg Bell in 2021 (Bell had 1,091 yards in 14 games) and the 19th different Aztec with a 1,000-yard season (27 times overall).
- SDSU is the only team in the country with only one player scoring a rushing touchdown.
- QB Danny O’Neil, the first true freshman to start a season-opener in SDSU’s Division I history (since 1969), has completed 149 of 245 passes (60.8 pct.) for 1,590 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions, while posting a 124.2 pass efficiency rating.
- EDGE Trey White is off to a historic start to the season, on pace to challenge the FBS’s record for the most sacks per game in a season (NCAA defensive stats go back to 2000). White is averaging 1.28 sacks per game, just behind the NCAA FBS record for most sacks per game in a season behind Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs (1.71 in 2002), Louisville’s Elvis Dumervil (1.67 in 2005) and Syracuse’s Dwight Freeney (1.46 in 2001).
- White ranks second in the country in total tackles for loss (16.5) and tackles for loss per game (1.83), third in total sacks (11.5), sacks per game (1.28) and total tackles for loss yards (94), and eighth in total sack yards (61). He leads the Mountain West as well in all of those categories.
- White is already tied for sixth in SDSU single-season history with 11.5 sacks along with current Kansas City Chief Cameron Thomas (11.5 in 2021), only trailing Mike Douglass (21.0 in 1976), Brett Faryniarz (13.0 in 1987), Andy Coviello (12.5 in 1991) and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (12.0 in 1997 and 1999).
- Last month, White was added to the Bednarik Award Watch List for the most outstanding defensive player and was named to five midseason All-America teams.
- As a team, the Aztecs are sixth in the country with 3.22 sacks per game. White is averaging more sacks per game (1.28) than 11 other TEAMS.
- San Diego State started the season with a 1-3 record, its first 1-3 start since the 2015 campaign. That year, the Aztecs won their final 10 games of the year, including a 27-24 victory over Air Force in the Mountain West Championship game and a 42-7 win over Cincinnati in the Hawai’i Bowl.
- That was the first of back-to-back MW championships for the Aztecs, who have three in league history (2012, 2015 and 2016).
- Saturday’s game marks the 33rd meeting between San Diego State and UNLV with the Aztecs owning a 22-10 lead in the series.
- SDSU has won four straight, eight of the last nine (8-1), 11 of the last 13 (11-2) and 17 of the last 21 (17-4) encounters with the Rebels.
- San Diego State’s four consecutive wins is tied for the longest win streak in the series (also 2014-17).
- This will mark the 27th time in the last 29 seasons UNLV and Aztecs have faced off.
- The Rebels come into the game with a 7-2 record, including a 3-1 mark in Mountain West play.
- Following Saturday’s clash at UNLV, SDSU plays at Utah State on Nov. 23.
San Diego State Heads to UNLV for Saturday Night Showdown
San Diego State takes on UNLV Saturday night in Las Vegas.
