Sept. 28, 2014 SAN DIEGO -
RECAPPING THE UNLV GAME
Rushing Notes: San Diego State rushed for 257 yards last night against UNLV, its highest total since posting 400 yards at Wyoming to clinch the 2012 Mountain West championship (Nov. 24) ... The Aztecs rushed for four touchdowns, their most since rushing for five against Buffalo in the 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 21) ... SDSU now has 15 rushing touchdowns over its last five games (since Dec. 21, 2013). The three rushing touchdowns per game over that span rank in a tie for sixth in the nation, while the 15 scores are tied for 14th ... San Diego State outrushed UNLV by 148 yards (257-109), its largest margin since outgaining New Mexico State by 172 (212-40) on Sept. 28, 2013. The Aztecs improved to 64-4 in the Division I era when outrushing their opponent by at least 134 yards ... SDSU has won 10 straight games when rushing for 200 or more yards, 12 of the past 13 and is now 18-2 in the Rocky Long era when rushing for at least 200 yards ... San Diego State has 38 rushing touchdowns since Sept. 28, 2013, which ranks in a tie for 13th in the country over that span, and 30 touchdowns since Oct. 26, 2013 (also tied for 13th) ... The Aztecs have produced a 100-yard rusher in 11 of their last 14 games and has a total of 12, 100-yard efforts during that span ... SDSU has 127 rushing touchdowns since the beginning of the 2010 season (56 games), which ranks in a tie for 21st in the country over that span. San Diego State had just 134 (113th nationally) rushing scores over its previous 11 years (1999-2009) in the Mountain West ... Passing Notes: The Aztecs completed 50 percent or more of their passes for the 16th straight game, which is their longest streak since an 18-game stretch from Oct. 12, 2002 through Nov. 18, 2003 ... SDSU did not throw an interception last night and has now won seven straight games when it did not throw a pick ... Over the last 44 games, San Diego State has 68 passing touchdowns and just 38 interceptions ... The Aztecs have just 30 interceptions over the past 31 games ... Scoring/Margin of Victory Notes: SDSU's 17-point margin of victory was its largest in a Mountain West game since a 19-point win over Air Force on Nov. 10, 2012 (W, 28-9). San Diego State's largest margin of victory was seven points in 2013 (three times), despite going 6-2 in league play ... The Aztecs have now scored 30 or more points in 21 of the last 34 games ... SDSU is averaging 433.43 yards per game since Sept. 28, 2013 (14 games), which ranks 47th in the country over that time frame ... San Diego State has now gone 94 games without suffering a shutout (Nov. 18, 2006, at TCU), which is the third-longest streak among current Mountain West schools (Air Force at 262 and Boise State at 215). That is the only time the Aztecs have been shut out in its last 188 games ... What a difference a year makes. Through four games in 2013, SDSU was 1-3 with a scoring margin of -50 (SDSU 82, Opponents 132). This season, San Diego State is 2-2 with a scoring margin of +23 (SDSU 106, Opponents 83). That is an improvement of 73 points in scoring margin ... Defensive Rushing Notes: SDSU allowed just 109 rushing yards last night on 38 carries (2.87 avg.). It was the second straight game, the third time in five games and the seventh time since the beginning of the 2013 season that San Diego State held its opponent to less than 3.0 yards per rush ... On the season, opponents are averaging 3.22 yards per carry (461 yards, 143 attempts), which ranks 32nd in the country. The Aztecs are also ranked 35th in rushing yards allowed per game (115.25) ... SDSU has allowed 1,734 yards rushing on 534 carries (3.25 avg.) over its last 15 games (since Sept. 21, 2013). Over that stretch, San Diego State ranks ninth in rushing yards allowed per game (115.60) and 10th in rushing yards per carry (3.25) ... Ten of the Aztecs' last 25 opponents have failed to reach 100 rushing yards ... SDSU has allowed a total of 3,989 rushing yards over its last 32 games (124.66) ... Defensive Passing Notes: San Diego State has at least one interception in five consecutive games, the program's longest streak since a six-game stretch to close out the 2011 campaign ... Defensive Scoring Notes: The Aztecs have allowed just 83 points through four games this season (20.75 avg.), which ranks 38th nationally. That is the second-fewest points allowed through the first four games by SDSU over the last 11 seasons (allowed 55 points in first four games in 2010). That is particularly impressive given San Diego State's competition to date and the fact that it has had eight players make their first start of their career.
TURNOVER BATTLE A KEY FOR AZTEC SUCCESS
The Aztecs did not have a turnover Saturday, marking the first time that has occurred since a win vs. New Mexico on Nov. 2, 2013 ... SDSU has won six straight games when it has gone without a turnover and 11 straight when committing one or less turnovers ... San Diego State has also won 15 of its last 16 games and 21 of its last 23 when committing one or less turnovers ... The Aztecs has forced 33 turnovers over their last 20 games ... Since the beginning of 2012 (30 games), SDSU has forced 51 turnovers ... San Diego State was +2 in the turnover margin category last night, its best showing since posting a +2 vs. Air Force on Nov. 10, 2012. In their Division I era, the Aztecs are 99-17-1 when owning at least a +2 advantage ... SDSU has won nine straight games when recording at least a +2 turnover advantage and a 10-game streak when playing at home ... San Diego State is one of just nine teams in the nation this year not to have lost a fumble ... The Aztecs is even in turnover margin this year after ranking 111th in the nation last year at -11.
SPECIAL TEAMS IMPROVEMENTS
The area in which San Diego State showed the most improvement this season may be in the special teams. Below is a look comparing the 2013 special-team rankings with those from this season. NR - indicates national ranking
Category -- 2013 Number (NR) -- 2014 Number (NR)
PAT Percentage -- 67.7 (121) -- 100.0 (1)
Punt Return -- 11.16 (32) -- 15.57 (7)
Kickoff Return Defense -- 22.35 (86) -- 19.81 (57)
FG Percentage -- 50.0 (118) -- 83.3 (23)
Kickoff Return -- 21.04 (71) -- 14.33 (123)
Net Punting -- 36.33 (82) -- 34.61 (103)
According to ESPN's Team Efficiencies, San Diego State has the 14th ranked special teams in the nation and tops in the Mountain West ... The Aztecs ended the 2013 campaign by missing its final nine field goal attempts, but in 2014, behind junior Donny Hageman, SDSU is 5-for-6 on FGA in 2014 (San Diego State's opponents are 2-for-5). Hageman has three successful kicks from 40 or more yards, which is tied for seventh nationally ... The Aztecs have scored four non-offensive touchdowns in their last seven game (three punt returns and one interception return). Since Nov. 23, 2013, only 87 teams in the nation have scored a non-offensive touchdown and SDSU has done it four times. That ranks 12th nationally during that span. Only Temple (8), Oklahoma (7), North Carolina (6), North Texas (6), UCLA (6), Utah State (6), Vanderbilt (6), Washington (6), Middle Tennessee (5), Utah (5) and Wake Forest (5) have more.
ONE OF THE BEST OVER THE PAST YEAR
San Diego State improved to 10-4 (.714) since Sept. 28, 2013 with the 34-17 win over UNLV ... That is tied with Clemson, Colorado State, LSU, Oklahoma State and USC for the 24th-best mark over that time frame ... The only non-Power 5/independent teams with a better record than the Aztecs since Sept. 28, 2013 are Marshall (12-2), Northern Illinois (12-3), East Carolina (11-3) and UCF (10-3) ... SDSU's 10 wins since Sept. 28, 2013 are tied for the 21st most over that span.
ONE FINAL NOTE
San Diego State is 30-1 in the Division I era when rushing for 200 or more yards and having a +2 or better turnover margin.