San Diego State Defeats Washington State 26-20 in Rainy Pac-12 Matchup
“I’m really pleased with all three phases, the way that we went about it,” San Diego State coach Sean Lewis said after his team secured a hard-fought victory.
San Diego State defeated Washington State 26-20 on Saturday night in a steady rain at Snapdragon Stadium, keeping its bowl eligibility hopes alive. Javion Kinnard rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns for the Aztecs, while wide receiver Bert Emanuel Jr. threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Ford to help seal the win. The victory moves San Diego State to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in Pac-12 Conference play, while Washington State dropped to 1-8 and 0-5 in conference play with its sixth consecutive loss.
Balanced Aztecs Attack Overcomes Cougars
The Aztecs executed in all three phases of the game, producing five scoring drives and forcing crucial stops in front of an announced Halloween crowd of 19,184, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Lucky Sutton led the ground game for San Diego State with 115 yards rushing on 18 carries. After a scoreless opening possession that ended when Kirby Vorhees was stopped on fourth-and-1 by SDSU defender Josiah Cox, the two teams traded four consecutive touchdown drives.
San Diego State running back Lucky Sutton left game against Toledo two minutes into the second half after reinjuring his left ankle while blocking. Backup RB Javion Kinnard was injured in the first half. Senior RB Christian Washington left the team at the start of the week,… pic.twitter.com/eFXNsdv6BS
Cooper DiLeva gave San Diego State the lead for good at 17-14 with a 36-yard field goal with 3:16 left in the first half. DiLeva added a 45-yard field goal early in the third quarter to extend the lead. The Aztecs capitalized on clever playcalling in the fourth quarter when Sutton took a direct snap, handed off to quarterback Stone Saunders, who pitched to Emanuel. Emanuel then tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jackson Ford on fourth-and-goal, pushing the lead to 26-14 with 9:47 remaining.
Cougars Fight Back in the Second Half
Washington State quarterback Owen Eshelman kept the Cougars competitive by completing 30 of 42 passes for 299 yards with one interception, while also rushing for 34 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Daniel Blood hauled in eight receptions for 105 yards for Washington State, and Vorhees contributed a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
After falling behind by 12 points in the final quarter, Eshelman engineered a scoring drive capped by his own 2-yard touchdown run with 6:55 left in the game. However, Cougars kicker Jack Stevens missed the extra point off the left upright, leaving the score at 26-20. Washington State’s defense gave the offense one final chance, but the SDSU defense stopped Eshelman short near midfield in the closing minutes to secure the outcome.
Upcoming Schedule for Both Teams
San Diego State needs two wins in its final three games to secure a bowl berth for the second straight year. The Aztecs head into a bye week before hosting Utah State on Nov. 14. Washington State returns home to host Colorado State on Nov. 14.
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