Aztecs Fall to Colorado State 56-49 in Fort Collins

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- In a game that featured a combined 105 points and 1,114 yards, San Diego State came out on the short end of a 56-49 loss at Colorado State on Saturday night.

Making his first career start with 15 pass attempts for his career, redshirt freshman Stone Saunders threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns, completing 23 of 33 passes with a pair of interceptions. The 369 yards were the most by an Aztec quarterback making his starting debut on the road in SDSU’s Division I history (since 1969), the third most in any debut in San Diego State’s DI history and most since Kevin McKechnie had 371 on Sept. 5, 1997, vs. Navy.

The Kentucky transfer became the first Aztec to pass for 300 yards since Jalen Mayden threw for 309 vs. Middle Tennessee in the 2022 Hawai’i Bowl and first in a road game since Quinn Kaehler had a 341-yard effort at North Carolina on Sept. 6, 2014.

Additionally, the 369 yards were the most by a SDSU player Ryan Lindley threw for 413 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in the 2011 New Orleans Bowl and the most in a San Diego State road game since Lindley passed for 459 at Colorado State on Oct. 24, 2009.

The bulk of the passing yards went to fellow redshirt freshman Jaylon Hawkins, who caught six passes for a career-high 164 yards and a touchdown. The 164 yards were the most by an Aztec since Jesse Matthews had 175 against UTSA in the 2021 Frisco Bowl. He scored a touchdown for the fifth straight game.

SDSU also nearly had a pair of 100-yard rushers as Lucky Sutton ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts (4.5 avg.), while former Ram Javion Kinnard rushed for 94 yards and two scores on 10 carries (9.4 avg.).

The 105 combined points were the most in a game in San Diego State’s DI history.

On the other side, Hauss Hejny accounted for five touchdowns - three passing and two rushing - as CSU (3-4, 1-2 Pac-12) snapped a four-game losing streak. The Aztecs dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the Pac-12.

Hejny completed 24 of 31 passes for 333 yards and added 85 yards rushing on 11 carries.

Two of Hejny's touchdown passes went to Tommy Maher, who had 108 yards on six receptions, as Colorado State was slightly outgained by SDSU, 565-549.

San Diego State converted eight of 13 third-down opportunities and its only fourth-down try, while the Rams were 9-for-12 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down. There were only six penalties in the game (four for the Aztecs) and three punts (two for SDSU).

The Rams led, 56-42, and had a chance for more points when an interception gave them possession at the San Diego State 3-yard line. But Gavriel Lighfoot forced a Hejny to fumble and jumped on the loose ball. The Aztecs drove 99 yards on 16 plays, before Sutton’s second touchdown of the game brought the visitors to within seven at 56-49 with 1:57 left.

CSU, however, recovered the onside kick and converted on a third-and-3 to clinch the victory.

It was a back-and-forth affair, especially in the first half that featured nearly 600 yards of offense with Colorado State gaining 297 yards and SDSU 286.

The teams were tied at 14-14 at the end of the first quarter. San Diego State took a 17-14 lead with a 36-yard field goal by Cooper DiLeva early in the second. The teams traded leads when Maher caught a 54-yard pass from Hejny and Kinnard answered for the Aztecs with a 32-yard touchdown run. Durrell Robinson, however, scored on a 10-yard run for the Rams and TreShawn Moore picked off Saunders and returned it 38 yards to give CSU a 35-24 lead at the half.

SDSU trailed by as many as 15 in the second half and closed it to 49-42 on a 24-yard pass from Saunders to Jordan Napier and subsequent 2-point conversion from Saunders to Bert Emanuel Jr. with 12:29 left, but Colorado State went 75 yards and nine plays before Hejny’s 30-yard score made it 56-42 with 8:43 remaining.

San Diego State used up 6:23 on its 99-yard scoring drive late in the fourth and was unable to recover the onside and stop the Rams from getting a first down.

Josh Hunter had 13 tackles to lead the Aztecs, while Sione Hala chipped in with 12. Mike Lindsay had his third interception of the season.