Aztecs Outlast NIU In Defensive Clash, 6-3

DEKALB, Ill. -- Gabe Plascencia kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired to give San Diego State a 6-3 road win over Northern Illinois on Saturday.

Plascencia’s winning kick came after the Aztecs (3-1) almost blocked a Huskie (1-3) punt, which resulted in SDSU starting on its own 44-yard line with 1:44 remaining. Five Lucky Sutton rushes, a facemask penalty, an offsides after NIU couldn’t get a sub on the field and a kneel down by quarterback Jayden Dengal set up Plascencia on the Northern Illinois 6. After the Huskies called a timeout to try and ice Plascencia, he sailed it through the uprights for his 18th consecutive made field goal, tying Chris O’Brien’s school record set from 1984-85.

It was the first time San Diego State won a regulation game with no time left since Sept. 10, 1994 vs. California when Peter Holt connected on a 32-yard field goal in a 22-20 win. Those are the only two walkoff victories for the Aztecs since at least the 1982 season.

SDSU improved to 3-1 with the win, matching the win total for Sean Lewis in his first season at the helm in 2024 (3-9). San Diego State is off to its best start since starting 7-0 in 2021 en route to a 12-2 season and No. 25 ranking in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Both teams scored on long drives to opening the game, the Huskies going 62 yards and 12 plays over 7:50, ending with a 31-yard field goal by Andrew Glass.

The Aztecs responded with a 13-play, 63-drive of their own over 7:15 before Plascencia converted a 30-yarder on the first play of the second quarter.

Neither team got inside the 40 of the other side until the fourth quarter when SDSU reached the NIU 34. Facing a fourth-and-1, however, Jayden Denegal was picked off by Jasper Beeler on the Northern Illinois 32.

The Huskies took advantage of a San Diego State personal foul while punting and got into Aztec territory for the first and last time since their opening drive, but quarterback Josh Holst was stuffed on fourth-and-2 on the SDSU 44 by Trey White and Krishna Clay.

Each team traded punts before San Diego State’s game-winning drive.

The Aztecs outgained NIU, 266-169, and limited the home team to 10 first downs and a 4-for-15 effort on third down.

SDSU didn’t allow a touchdown for a second straight game for the first time since 2016 (Oct. 14 at Fresno State and Oct. 21 vs. San Jose State).  The three points allowed over the last two games are the fewest allowed in a two-game stretch by San Diego State since 1975 (0 points at Fresno State on Oct. 11 and three points vs. New Mexico State on Oct. 18).

The three points by Northern Illinois, meanwhile, are its fewest in a game since also scoring three vs. South Florida in the 2010 International Bowl (Jan. 2, 2010) and fewest in a home game since being shut out vs. Navy on Nov. 15, 2008.

Sutton ran for 88 yards and 17 carries. Denegal was 13-for-20 for 110 yards and his first two interceptions of his career as the Aztecs snapped a five-game streak without a turnover (a SDSU DI-era record), but ended a 14-game losing streak when committing more turnovers (2) than their opponent (1).

Jordan Napier had six catches for 52 yards and 22 yards on the ground, while Donovan Brown added five receptions for 42 yards.

Owen Chambliss had a team-high 11 tackles with a 10-yard sack, while Chris Johnson had seven tackles and an interception for a second straight game.

Coupled with a 42-0 shutout over Stony Brook in the opener on Aug. 28, a 36-13 loss at Washington State on Sept. 6 and a 34-0 shutout over California on Sept. 20, SDSU has allowed just 39 points, its fewest through four games in 50 years.

San Diego State improved to 7-0 all-time against Northern Illinois. The seven victories without a loss are the most by the Aztecs against current NCAA Division I teams (second is a 3-0 mark against FCS programs Idaho State, Montana State, Northern Arizona and Weber State). SDSU is also now 17-2-1 against current teams from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).