Here are three reflections following San Diego State’s thrilling 26-23 victory over Fresno State late Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium:
1. QB Situation?
SDSU faces a dilemma at quarterback this week as starter Jayden Denegal exited with a knee injury in the first half against Fresno State.
Following the game, SDSU coach Sean Lewis indicated it was too early to determine who would start in Saturday’s matchup against Colorado State, where SDSU (3-4, 2-1 Pac-12) is currently a 1.5-point favorite against the Rams (2-4, 0-2).
When questioned in the postgame press conference about the quarterback position, Lewis remarked: “We have many talented players in the (quarterbacks) room who can help us win.”
He later specified that Denegal will be considered day-to-day as he awaits scans to ascertain the severity of his injury.
Denegal suffered the injury at the SDSU 35-yard line with 6:41 left in the first half after being hit while attempting a long pass that fell incomplete.
He was seen limping on his right leg, attempting to shake it off, but ultimately signaled for help. Denegal left the field with trainers and was substituted by redshirt freshman backup Stone Saunders, who entered the game for the first time since fracturing his collarbone in the season opener against Portland State.
Denegal was noticeably limping on the sideline during the second half and as he departed the field post-game. It wouldn’t be surprising if he were sidelined for this week, or potentially longer.
Even minor knee injuries can necessitate several weeks of recovery. Should the issue be more serious, the healing process could extend for months.
Notably, SDSU running back Javion Kinnard was able to return after missing just one game due to a knee injury sustained at Toledo.
Despite his challenges this season, Denegal was performing well against the Bulldogs, completing 7 of 10 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown while leading three scoring drives that gave SDSU a 13-3 lead. The highlight was a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jaylon Hawkins.
Saunders played commendably under pressure, stepping in unexpectedly after a five-week absence. The Kentucky transfer had not taken the field during his time with the Wildcats, leaving him with only 16 fourth-quarter snaps in preparation from the Portland State game.
His initial snap against Fresno State unfortunately resulted in a fumble. However, he quickly found his rhythm, completing 6 of 11 passes for 61 yards.
Saunders successfully managed two scoring drives in the fourth quarter, aided significantly by his teammates.
A notable 92-yard touchdown drive featured Lucky Sutton’s career-best 67-yard run and ended with Saunders lined up wide as wide receiver Bert Emanuel Jr. handed a shotgun snap to wide receiver Jordan Napier for a 7-yard touchdown.
The drive that culminated in Cooper DiLeva’s game-winning 53-yard field goal included a pivotal third-and-10 conversion when Saunders connected with Napier for a crucial 26-yard gain.
Fans should be prepared for the possibility of Saunders starting against Colorado State. This would allow Denegal the necessary time to recover and enable the Aztecs to gauge Saunders’ capabilities.
2. Clutch Kicking
This offseason, there was considerable speculation about whether the Aztecs had a kicker who could rise to the occasion when it mattered most.
DiLeva emerged as that player against Fresno State, recovering from a 40-yard miss in the third quarter — having previously gone 7-for-7 this season — to nail a career-long 53-yard game-winning kick with just 57 seconds left on the clock.
During a critical timeout, DiLeva stepped onto the field, assessed the goalposts, and collected his thoughts. He shared that he prefers to close his eyes and visualize the moment before stepping up.
“I’ve always had a mentality focused on the next rep,” DiLeva explained. “After that miss, I returned to the sideline, reflected on it for about 30 seconds, and then cleared it from my mind. I knew we had an opportunity to win the game.”
“I actually asked for more. … I wanted a deep one. I longed for something significant, and it turned out to be that way.”
It likely helped that former SDSU kicker Gabe Plascencia, the Aztecs’ all-time leader in field goal accuracy, paid a visit in the days leading up to the game, also lending support from the sideline on Saturday night.
DiLeva’s four field goals equaled a school record for a single game. While the last one was the most crucial, every one of his kicks was essential for the victory.
3. Timer Troubles
What is going on with the timing this season?
Michigan notably benefited from an extra second being added to the clock to execute a Hail Mary, resulting in a victory over Western Michigan at the season’s start. This sparked a slew of debates regarding whether the official time aligns with the TV clock, the stadium clock, or a clandestine Big Ten clock.
Conversely, Notre Dame did not get another chance during their 28-24 loss to BYU on Saturday because one second wasn’t added back after a stoppage. Following the game, the Big 12 admitted the officiating team erred in their decision not to restore that second, which could have provided the Fighting Irish with another opportunity from the 4-yard line of BYU.
SDSU encountered its own clock troubles during the match against Fresno State when 23 seconds ran off the clock before a play review stopped the game.
Bulldogs running back Julius Gillick had initially been ruled down short of the goal line. However, after reviewing the play, the decision was overturned, granting Fresno State a 2-yard touchdown that leveled the game at 23-23.
When Gillick crossed the goal line, there were 5:08 remaining, yet the clock had shown 4:45 before stopping for the review. No time was added back afterward.
This could have been pivotal during SDSU’s game-winning drive or when Fresno State regained possession with no timeouts and 57 seconds remaining after the Aztecs took the lead 26-23. Ultimately, it became a non-issue when Fresno State quarterback Jayden Mandal’s fourth-down attempt fell incomplete with 26 seconds left. SDSU then took a knee on the subsequent play to run out the clock.
Pac-12 officials have yet to address the clock issue, though it raises concerns and merits further investigation to prevent future occurrences.
Alternatively, they might heed the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Lost time is never found again.”
