The good for the San Diego State Aztecs? They broke their first half shutout stretch on their opening drive. The bad? A 41-16 loss to the Toledo Rockets on Saturday afternoon at the Glass Bowl.
The ugly — a re-aggravated injury to senior captain running back Lucky Sutton as well as an injury to running back Javion Kinnard on his only drive for a rushing attack that managed only 15 yards on the 11 carries between the duo and 48 yards overall.
Kinnard was injured on a third-and-short on the second SDSU (1-3) drive where the Rockets (3-1) bottled up the line of scrimmage and a player rolled up on his leg. Sutton had a player fall on his foot on a second-down scramble by quarterback Jayden Denegal on the first Scarlet and Black possession of the second half.
The Aztecs converted just three of 14 third downs, facing an average of 7.3 yards to go. Toledo completed six passes of more than 15 yards, with three of them going for scores, as they out-gained SDSU 494-296, including 210-48 on the ground.
Toledo scored a pair of touchdowns in a span of 1:52 of game time surrounding halftime, both on big passing plays from quarterback John Alan Richter to wide receiver Bryson Hammer. The 78-yard scoring strike came 1:44 before the break, then after a failed onside kick attempt to start the second half by SDSU, the Rockets first play was a 38-yard touchdown connection to blow the game open 24-3.
It didn’t get better from there, as after Toledo got a field goal after bottling up the SDSU offense for the fifth three-and-out of the game, running back Jordin Thomas fumbled on his first carry that the Rockets recovered. The Aztecs defense forced a 43-yard field goal that missed.
But after Denegal converted a third-and-12 with a 41-yard completion to wide receiver Jacob Bostick in traffic, his next pass was intercepted by linebacker Isaac Zay and returned 67 yards for a score.
The Aztecs scored their first second half touchdown in the third quarter, converting five first downs and then finding tight end Ryan Wolfer for a diving catch in the left side of the end zone on fourth down. Toledo added another as well on a one-yard rush by running back Connor Walendzak.
Denegal finished 19-of-31 for 206 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Freshman quarterback Draiden Trudeau led a nine-play, 65-yard drive in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter with the reserves in the game. It included a fourth down conversion on a 26-yard completion to wide receiver Daishaun Davis, and was finished with a 14-yard strike to wide receiver Jaylon Hawkins.
SDSU had been to take a major weight off their shoulders on their first drive, snapping the two-game scoreless first half stretch by driving 68 yards in just over three minutes for a 25-yard field goal by kicker Cooper DiLeva.
But after taking advantage of a special teams miscue and the defense shutting down the opening Toledo drive after just one first down, the SDSU offense went three-and-out. A third down completion near the sticks to Ford was erased by a holding penalty, forcing a punt that Tashi Dorje mishit just 24 yards.
The Rockets were quick to take advantage, as Richter completed consecutive passes to wide reciever CJ Miller for 18 yards and then delivered a 19-yard scoring strike over the middle to wide receiver Adjatay Dabbs.
Later, Toledo would convert on a 40-yard scoring drive on their second time with the ball in the second quarter where they ran the ball on seven of 11 plays. The Rockets got stopped just at the edge of the red zone, ending their streak of 13 consecutive drives to start the season where they scored touchdowns when reaching the opposing 20-yard line. Kicker Reice Griffith knocked through a 38-yard field goal to extend the lead.
The real gut punch came on Toledo/s sixth drive, as after the Aztecs had not allowed a play of 20-plus yards to the MAC’s leader — the Rockets had 20 through their first three games — Richter took advantage of a busted coverage for the first deep score to Hammer.
San Diego State begins Pac-12 Conference play against the Texas State Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Snapdragon Stadium. The game will be broadcast on 760AM, with television coverage provided by The CW.