ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- This is a familiar feeling for the San Diego State Aztecs, who a month ago lost their chance to clinch the Mountain West Conference during their overtime bout against the Lobos in New Mexico.
Fast forward to Saturday at University Stadium, the Aztecs fell short in the New Mexico Bowl, losing to the North Texas Mean Green 49-47. Despite the positive turnaround from their 3-9 season in 2024, San Diego State came up one win shy of double-digit victories for the first time since 2021, finishing 12-2 overall with a 7-1 conference record.
They also fell short of recording the largest single-season win improvement in program history under second-year head coach Sean Lewis.
"A tip of the cap to North Texas, they were able to find a few more plays, but tremendous fight by our guys," Lewis said. "Really proud of the way our guys stepped up. We talk all the time about a next man-up mentality and fighting to the very end and staying until the job is done, and really, really pleased in all three phases."
For Lewis and his staff, a lot has transpired since walking off the field in disappointing fashion on Thanksgiving weekend.
To begin, the Aztecs lost respected defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, who accepted the job to become Nebraska's next DC. They also did not have starting quarterback Jayden Denegal under center as he recovers from shoulder surgery, an injury that troubled him all season. Backup and fellow transfer Bert Emanuel Jr. stepped in and made his first start in the Scarlet and Black.
Before exiting the game with an injury before halftime, Emanuel looked serviceable as a passer, going 4-for-7 for 37 yards. He created problems for North Texas’ defense with his legs, leading the team with 170 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns on 11 attempts. Emanuel also produced two explosive runs on back-to-back possessions of 69 and 72 yards.
The Aztecs’ third-string junior, Kyle Crum, replaced Emanuel and did what he could, having not played in a game since 2022. He finished 14-for-29, throwing for 169 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. While in defeat, Crum managed to lead a couple of drives to make the game a one-possession affair, including an 11-yard TD run by Christian Washington with 4:39 left in the fourth quarter. The team went for a two-point conversion and failed, leaving the score 49-40.
"We were always in the fight, even to the last drive," Crum said. "If we scored with a little more time, we've got a chance for an onside. And we were always in that game. So I think the guys on the sidelines never stopped believing and we gave it all we got until the time expired."
It was tough for Crum and the offense to get anything going through the air without Jordan Napier, the team’s leading receiver. Junior Nathan Acevedo stepped up, making several impactful plays, including a 63-yard punt return touchdown to make it a one-possession game. He also led the team in receiving with a season-high four receptions for 61 yards.
Running back Lucky Sutton finished with 15 carries for 60 yards, and Washington rushed for 77 yards. As a team, the Aztecs finished with 326 rushing yards, averaged 7.1 per attempt, and scored five touchdowns—the most they’ve had all season.
By surprise, the biggest challenge was their defense, typically their strength and one of the top units in the nation.
The renowned group allowed an astonishing 618 total net yards, playing uncharacteristically by missing tackles and failing to stop the run. North Texas’ running attack imposed itself early, gaining 237 yards in the first half and another 131 in the second half. On the first two drives of the game, North Texas ran 12 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
"Our game plan was just to stop the run," Aztecs linebacker DJ Heran said. "That was something that we were prominent with these last couple of weeks after we found out they were coming here, and just overall, it just didn't happen to our expectations. And you know, the game happened and it was not the result that we wanted."
Running backs Caleb Hawkins (198) and Ashton Gray (152) each rushed for more than 150 yards, averaging over 6.5 yards per carry. Hawkins finished with three touchdowns—two rushing and one receiving.
San Diego State also allowed Drew Mestemaker, who leads the FBS in passing yards and ranks second in touchdowns, to dissect the secondary, throwing for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
"They're really good offensively," Lewis said. "You don't fall out of bed and become the No. 1 scoring offense in the country. They've got really good players."
Despite not recording a sack, the defense produced a pair of interceptions by safeties Jelani McLaughlin and Dwayne McDougle, who now has three on the year.
While the team was missing some usual starters, they still had names like Trey White, Owen Chambliss, Niles King, Ryan Henderson and Mister Williams.
With the season concluded, the focus for San Diego State will be which players stay and which enter the transfer portal. The expectation is that most will remain, but nothing is guaranteed after a season that ended with a missed chance to host the Mountain West Championship and a bowl-game loss.
Nonetheless, the Aztecs exceeded expectations under Lewis in his second year. Projected to finish eighth in the MWC, they came within one win of a 10-win season. The defense ranked near the top in nearly every major statistical category, and the running attack was among the best in the nation.
This season also marked the Aztecs’ final chapter in the MWC; they will join the Pac-12 in 2026. With Lewis in command and shaping the culture he envisioned from day one, San Diego State embarks on a new journey with a promising future ahead.