SAN DIEGO — As much as October has San Diego sports fans focused on baseball, San Diego State made a strong case for attention on the football field. Trailing by 14 points at halftime, the Aztecs (2-3, 1-0 Pac-12) orchestrated their fourth-largest second-half comeback in a thrilling 31-29 victory over the Texas State Bobcats (2-3, 0-1) on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium.
Almost anyone playing a bingo card for plays during this game found something to check off.
A blocked field goal? That halted Texas State’s scoring streak after they converted on their first three possessions. A kick return for a touchdown? Absolutely, it opened the second half.
A freshman rushing for over 100 yards? A crucial fourth down goal line stand? A game-winning defensive touchdown? A last-second Hail Mary throw after replay confirmed one second remained?
Yes to all, as the announced crowd of 28,747 braved 92-degree temperatures at kickoff to witness the Scarlet and Black secure a critical win to start their conference season.
“Being 1-0 in conference play and getting back up after our struggles these past few weeks is huge. It’s vital. It gives us momentum,” said head coach Sean Lewis, as SDSU improved to 6-1 in October games under his leadership.
Here are three key takeaways from San Diego State’s second win of 2026:
Aztecs Show Resilience
SDSU faced a three-game losing streak and a reported mumps outbreak within the team, with a game day availability report featuring 14 game-time decisions and 13 players listed as out.
Coming off a tough loss at Toledo due to a barrage of big plays, it would have been easy for the team to falter as the Bobcats scored on their first three possessions with three passing plays of over 20 yards.
Instead, the Aztecs did what their fight song encourages — they fought.
Junior linebacker Cameron Cooper blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt, keeping it a two-score game just before halftime. Redshirt freshman Jaylon Hawkins electrified the crowd with a 96-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
Freshman running back Josiah Lucas rushed for 111 yards on 21 carries, stepping up in place of injured players Lucky Sutton and Javion ‘Chop’ Kinnard. He became the first SDSU true freshman RB to rush for over 100 yards since Donnel Pumphrey in 2013.
“I wouldn’t have done it without my O-line. Great blocking, great calls on the perimeter. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Lucas said. “At halftime, we talked to the coaches, got our blocking assignments right, and came out ready to execute.”
The freshman performed well behind a starting offensive line featuring redshirt freshman Ashdon Wnetrzak in his first career start, making him the eighth player to start on the O-line this season.
The defense stepped up in the second half, forcing four consecutive drives that ended in either a punt or a turnover and halting Texas State on nine of their final 11 possessions.
“We’re missing our first-string center and guard, working with our third and fourth running backs, and yet the Aztecs are 1-0 in Pac-12 play. There’s a lot of energy in that locker room right now. We’ll keep finding ways to win,” Lewis stated.
A much-needed win, fueled by the team’s determination and spirit, helped the Aztecs secure a vital result.
Special Teams and Defense Make the Difference
It’s rare to highlight a defense that allowed 565 yards of total offense as the game’s highlight, but the key was the two takeaways: one from senior edge Kai Wallin (leading to one of Lucas’ touchdowns) and Cooper’s game-winning 32-yard interception return.
Scoring a 21-0 advantage in points off turnovers plus special teams touchdowns certainly helped.
The defense made life tough for Bobcats’ quarterback Brad Jackson, sacking him three times and tallying nine tackles for loss.
Junior edge Djibril Rahman had a standout night with seven tackles and 3.5 for loss, while transfer freshman Alijah Lash recorded his first two career sacks. Senior defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot had 12 tackles, a career high, with one for loss and a pass breakup.
Besides the interceptions, which were well-executed by backing off to spy on Jackson, a pivotal moment came when the defense stopped Texas State on four consecutive goal-to-go downs after closing the gap to 24-20.
Senior linebacker Sione Hala and Cooper stuffed the run up the middle, and after a false start moved the ball back, Lightfoot tackled Jackson for no gain. Sophomore corner Caleb Ricks brought down senior wide receiver Beau Sparks on a short pass, while senior safety Josh Hunter halted Arvis Battle Jr. for a turnover on downs.
Though a safety on the following drive helped reset the momentum, it set Cooper up for another big play.
Hawkins scored his second kickoff return touchdown of the season, becoming the first Aztec since Rashaad Penny in 2017 to return multiple kickoffs for scores in a season, the last time SDSU achieved this feat.
Credit goes to senior kicker Cooper DiLeva for making a 47-yard field goal, his longest of the season, while senior punter Tashi Dorje averaged 44.7 yards per punt and pinned three inside the 20.
With the offense struggling due to injuries, the ability to win through defense and special teams was crucial.
A Fitting Return for Pac-12 ‘After Dark’
While San Diego has already played in the last game of the Pac-12 schedule this season — recall their matchup against James Madison — this marked their first true experience of the craziness that is Pac-12 After Dark.
What began as a social media tag in the mid-2010s has become synonymous with the wild finishes in games starting after sunset.
For instance, during the first week of October in 2014, a last-second field goal led to Utah upsetting No. 8 UCLA, Cal and Washington State engaged in a shootout, and Arizona State scored two long touchdowns to upset USC.
Over the years, numerous upsets, thrilling comebacks, and explosive performances have marked this Saturday night tradition.
Consider Oregon losing a 10-point lead to Stanford in overtime or UCLA rallying from a 49-17 deficit against Washington State in 2019. There have been memorable encounters like Cal’s victory over Washington State with a missed chip shot sealing a 60-59 score despite a QB throwing for 734 yards.
This game, featuring a quarterback with 372 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an exciting second-half rally, certainly fits the bill.
As the Aztecs prepare for their next matchup at Oregon State on October 10 with a 3 p.m. kickoff, fans can anticipate the Battle for the Old Oil Can a week later, kicking off at 7:30 p.m., promising more Pac-12 After Dark excitement.
