San Diego State Storms Back to Beat Texas State
Take away San Diego State's kickoff return touchdown and its pick-six and the Aztecs score 17 points, and Texas State wins 29-17. Instead the game ended 31-29 for San Diego State, and the offense that gained 565 yards went home 2-3.
Texas State looked like it would run away with it. A Jacob Bonilla field goal, a 21-yard Brad Jackson pass to Ty Stamey and a 6-yard one to Davian Jackson made it 17-3 in the second quarter. San Diego State then scored 21 straight points in the third quarter, opening the half with a 96-yard kickoff return by Jaylon Hawkins, and Josiah Lucas ran in from 2 and 7 yards to turn a 14-point deficit into a 24-17 lead. That was the only lead change of the night, and the only tie, at 17-17.
Bonilla's 45-yard field goal made it 24-20, and a safety made it 24-22 with 3:02 left. Then Cameron Cooper returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown, 31-22. Jackson threw a 40-yard touchdown to Beau Sparks with 1:54 to go, but the Aztecs held on at 31-29.
The yardage is the strange part. Texas State had 565 total yards to 239 for San Diego State, and 372 passing yards to 109. Texas State threw two interceptions, San Diego State none. San Diego State's offense could not do much, and it did not need to.
Flip a couple of plays and the story is the opposite. Texas State ran 58 times to San Diego State's 29 and threw for 372 yards, and it was still the Aztecs who got to take the win home. Two of San Diego State's four touchdowns came from the return units and not the offense.
Both teams are now 2-3. For fantasy, Jackson (40.9), Sparks (31.3) and Lucas (28.0) all had season highs.