SAN DIEGO – In a game that had the ups and downs of a trip over the grapevine, the San Diego State Aztecs retained the Old Oil Can thanks to a final minute field goal in a 26-23 win over the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium.
Freshman quarterback Stone Saunders, in his first appearance since breaking his clavicle in the season opener, led a 10-play, 40-yard drive in 3:38 that finished with kicker Cooper DiLeva making a career-long 53-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining.
The Aztecs (3-4, 2-1 Pac-12) got a sack from edge Kai Wallin, his third of the game and one of SDSU’s season-high six, to put the Bulldogs (4-3, 1-2) behind the sticks and ultimately force a failed fourth down attempt to earn SDSU’s 33rd win over their rivals all-time.
The drive came after one of the game’s many momentum swings, as Fresno State tied the game on an 11-play, 75-yard possession that took nearly seven minutes. But kicker Manaki Watanabe — who entered the day 33-of-36 on field goal attempts and 55-of-56 on PATs in his career spanning DI and DII — pushed the extra point off the right upright, clanging wide and swinging the momentum once more.
Despite losing captain starting quarterback Jayden Denegal in the first half with a right leg injury, the Aztecs welcomed back running back Lucky Sutton. The senior captain ripped off a 67-yard run, the longest play of SDSU’s season, as part of 110 yards on 18 carries, while fellow RB Javion Kinnard carried 14 times for 77 yards. Saunders finished 6-of-11 for 61 yards, with two completions coming on third down.
Having led for the entire first half, the Aztecs opened the second half by getting back-to-back big plays. On their second play, Saunders took advantage of an offside by throwing deep to wide receiver Jaylon Hawkins and drawing a pass interference penalty. Then Kinard ripped off a 27-yard run on a zone rush.
After picking up another first down, SDSU was held to a field goal for the fourth time after getting inside the Bulldogs 25-yard-line. Despite DiLeva making all three of his first half attempts, he pushed a 43-yard try shaded to the left hash wide to the right, giving Fresno State life.
A 25-yard connection by Bulldogs quarterback Jayden Mandal to top wide receiver Josiah Freeman, their first big passing completion of the game. After a fourth-and-one conversion near the red zone, wide receiver Ezekiel Avit took a reverse 19 yards to set up goal-to-go, then a play later running back Julius Gillick got the edge for a seven-yard rushing score and Fresno State’s first lead of the game.
After the teams traded punts with the Aztecs backed up to their own eight-yard-line, Sutton broke off the career-long 67-yard rush to put wind back in SDSU’s sails. Two plays later Saunders completed a 24-yard catch-and-run to wide receiver Bert Emanuel Jr. to the Fresno State two-yard-line.
A third down false start moved the ball back, then with Emanuel in a wildcat package, the former quarterback connected with wide receiver Jordan Napier on a dump off seven yards to the near pylon for a touchdown to retake the lead.
But the Bulldogs were unbowed, working their way down the field on a drive that was highlighted by a 29-yard grab in triple coverage by Avit to the SDSU two-yard-line. Gillick followed by taking a stretch run the rest of the way for a two-yard score for his second of the game that was verified by video review after initially being called down short.
The start couldn’t have been better, as the Aztecs dominated the first quarter with a 135-33 yardage edge en route to scoring the first 13 points of the game.
A three-and-out on Fresno State’s first down, punctuated by senior captain linebacker Tano Letuli charging in on a blitz and leveling Mandal.
A first down on the Scarlet and Black’s opening drive, picked up on the ground by Sutton. Despite punting, the Aztecs got it right back as tight end Brock Lium had the ball stripped after a three-yard catch by linebacker Sione Hala and recovered by safety Jelani Whitmore.
The ensuing drive ended with a 32-yard field goal by DiLeva. A second down sack by Wallin on a twist, looping around nose tackle Malachi Finau, helped to force another three-and-out on the following Fresno State drive.
Then bang — after picking up a pair of first downs, Denegal found Hawkins free on a fly route up the far sideline for a 52-yard touchdown. The defense notched their third three-and-out of the opening stanza, getting the ball back for the Scarlet and Black that finished the quarter with a 22-yard Denegal to Napier connection.
It was the first of three 10-plus yard plays on the drive, with Emanuel carrying for a 12-yard gain and Denegal finding Hawkins for a 12-yard grab on a third-and-two to get inside the red zone. But for the second time of the night the Aztecs had to settle for a field goal, as DiLeva booted a 30-yard field goal.
Fresno State finally found their footing on the following drive, picking up three first downs and getting as far as the SDSU 33-yard line. A Finau hurry forced a second down incompletion, then on the following play cornerback Caleb Ricks emerged from behind Freeman to knock the ball away.
But the game turned on the following drive, as Denegal was hurried by defensive lineman Deijon Laffitte and threw an incompletion. As he was taken to the ground, the SDSU signal-caller’s right leg twisted awkwardly and he immediately was helped to the locker room. Denegal finished 7-for-10 for 112 yards with a touchdown.
The timing was off on the first play with Saunders under center as the snap hit tight end Kime Fangupo as he motioned across the formation. 39-yards and five plays later, running back Bryson Donelson turned the corner for a four-yard touchdown run.
The Aztecs picked a first down on Saunders’ second drive, then got a massive special teams play when punter Tashi Dorje blasted a 60-yard punt that bounced at the dead at the Bulldog four-yard-line.
After forcing a three-and-out, Kinnard returned the ensuing punt 24 yards. It set up a pair of short rushes by Sutton and a dump off to Hawkins, with DiLeva capping the opening half with his third field goal, this one from 40 yards out and a 16-10 lead at the break.
The Aztecs out-gained the Bulldogs 384-276 in overall yards, with a 204-135 yard edge on the ground and 180-141 through the air.
The Scarlet and Black are 2-0 against Fresno State under Lewis.
San Diego State hits the road for Fort Collins next week to face spiraling Colorado State. The Rams were blistered at Texas State earlier in the day 66-27, and since allowing 41 points against BYU on Sept. 19, had allowed 59 and 56 in the following games. CSU entered the weekend allowing the most yards against (530.3), and after tonight their 44.83 points allowed will also be most in FBS.
Action kicks off at 3:30 p.m. PT on Oct. 17, with television coverage on The CW and radio coverage by 760AM KGB.