The Aztecs offense awakens in the fourth period and defeats the Cowboys 27-24

The San Diego State Aztecs (3-3, 2-0) were behind on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter entering conference play for the second straight year. Both times their struggling offense stepped up and immediately turned the game around, leading to 27-24 victories.

“It’s nice to get our first road win and of course our second conference win,” head coach Sean Lewis said after the game. “The resilience, the character of the children and the program continue to be noticeable. Obviously there is a lot of room for improvement. I really don't think we're that close to where we can be. … (But) winners find a way to win.”

Against the Wyoming Cowboys (1-5, 1-1) on Saturday, the offense scored 10 points and gained 157 yards on its first two drives of Game 4. In the final three quarters, the offense only managed 180 total yards.

“What you saw in the fourth quarter is what our offense is capable of doing all game,” WR Jordan Napier said after the game.

Danny O'Neil completed 16 of 27 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Marquez Cooper rushed for 87 yards and a score. Jordan Napier led receivers with 91 yards (on four catches) and a touchdown. Ja'Shaun Poke added a team-high eight catches (60 yards).

The Aztecs' big drive in the fourth quarter lasted just 49 seconds and was fueled by consecutive connections from O'Neil and Napier to tie the game at 24. First, Napier made a 53-yard reception on third-and-long. Then he capped the drive with a 27-yard catch in the end zone, lifting away from his defender to grab the ball and put a foot in Get ball to complete the score.

“Danny (O'Neil) stepped up and made a good throw,” Napier said of the 53-yard reception. “O-line (gave) good pocket protection to make the throw. From then on, all I had to do was do the piece.

As for the play for the touchdown, Napier said it's a call they practice a lot, which will be helpful when it comes time to execute it.

“Practice. Repetition. Game reality.”

Lewis spoke enthusiastically about how Napier, the redshirt freshman, has matured this season and expects him to be a key figure in the years to come.

“I think his competitive maturity and how he's shown every day in the building, really, because I would say in the last month there's been a noticeable change and that's a testament to his approach, his increased level. “I have to “Focus and understand the impact he can have on the game,” Lewis said.

Gabriel Plascencia's 28-yard FG on the ensuing drive gave the Aztecs a three-point lead with 7:35 to play. It was the final result of the competition. A 41-yard reception by Nate Bennett and a 26-yard run by Cooper gave the Aztecs enough yards for the easy field goal.

Ryan Henderson and Dom Oliver sacked Svoboda on crucial plays late in the game to thwart the Cowboys' final chances.

The Cowboys' Evan Svoboda completed just 12 of 31 passes for 181 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He added 55 yards and a score on the ground, while Sam Scott added 94 yards and a score.

Trey White, who entered the week tied for first in the nation with nine sacks, added two more against the Cowboys. Kyle Moretti led the team with seven tackles and added one of the team's six sacks on the night.

“It’s a team game,” Moretti said after the game. “When (the defense) made a mistake, the offense proved us right. We (have to) clean up and learn from our mistakes.”

Shae Suiaunoa led the Cowboys with 10 tackles. Sebastian Harsh added 4 TFLs and the team's only sack.

The Aztecs led 10-7 at the end of the first quarter, with all of their points coming essentially from three games. Chris Johnson intercepted a pass and returned it to the Wyoming 10-yard line, setting up Plascencia's 22-yard field goal.

The Cowboys scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive on a 70-yard reception by Jaylen Sargent on a flea flicker that fooled Chris Johnson and JD Coffey and left the receiver wide open on the field.

The Aztecs' second interception of the first quarter, this time Eric Butler's first career pick, was returned 43 yards for a score late in the quarter. It was the 17th interception SDSU returned for a touchdown since 2014.

“(Butler) and (Johnson) made a great play,” Moretti said of the two early interceptions. “D line affected (Svoboda). It was a great decision by Coach Schmidt and the rest of the defensive staff and it's a testament to the preparation they give us every week and the way we execute it.

The Cowboys responded to an Aztec score for the second time, gaining 75 yards on 12 plays in nearly six minutes of play. The drive was extended twice, first by a fake punt run that scored a first down and second by a defensive pass interference by Bryce Phillips in the end zone on a third down pass attempt. Scott ran the ball from one yard out, giving the Cowboys a 14-10 lead.

It was time for the Aztecs to answer a touchdown with a touchdown. O'Neil drove the Aztecs 75 yards on eight plays in perhaps his best performance of his short career. Big balls from Poke and Jude Wolfe helped the Aztecs reach the goal line, and Cooper finished the drive with a 4-yard run for a 17-14 lead.

When the Aztecs tried to score a possible late field goal at the end of the half, disaster struck. O'Neil was hit from behind by Braden Siders and sent a pass attempt into the air and into the arms of Connor Shay, who intercepted it at the SDSU 34. It was O'Neil's first career interception after 127 pass attempts without one.

The Cowboys' John Hoyland missed a 50-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half, keeping the Aztecs ahead by three.

Hoyland scored on a 42-yard attempt on the first drive of the second half, tying the score at 17.

On the first play of the 4th quarter, Svoboda faked a handoff and stormed 51 yards right into the end zone to take a 7-point lead before the Aztecs controlled the game the rest of the way.

Tyler Pastula had an excellent day punting the ball for the Aztecs, averaging 47.1 yards (on seven attempts), with a long of 75 and a down on both of them early in the 3rd quarter.

Safety Deshawn McCuin and linebackers Owen Chambliss and Tano Letuli missed the game due to injuries. Josh Hunter, Cody Moon and Moretti replaced the injured starters.

The contest marked the first meeting between the conference opponents, five years to the day when the Aztecs defeated the Cowboys at SDCCU Stadium last season. The last time the Aztecs played in Laramie was the 2016 Conference Championship game, which the Aztecs won. The Aztecs now lead the series record at 20-19.

The Aztecs lost the coin toss and are now 1-5 in that department this season.

Attendance at War Memorial Stadium was reported as 23,155.

The Aztecs are off to a 2-0 start to Mountain West Conference play for the first time since 2021.

The Aztecs take next weekend off before hosting the Washington State Cougars at Snapdragon Stadium on October 26th. Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m.

Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. UC San Diego and San Diego State graduates live in the most beautiful city in America. Diverse team in multiple sports leagues, but in college athletics the Aztecs reign supreme.

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