SDSU @ Nevada Recap: Domination in the Desert
Well…like we all expected, this game wasn’t too much of a competition for the Aztecs.
The team rushed for a school-record 474 combined yards in the 46-16 blowout over the Wolf Pack. SDSU finished with 620 total offensive yards, their most since December 7, 2002 against the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors.
Scoring Summary
Rashaad Penny broke open the scoring gates with a monster 40-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. The Wolf Pack would answer back however, with a fumble recovery for a touchdown, to knot up the score. Kicker John Baron would break the tie and start an avalanche of scoring for the Aztecs. D.J. Pumphrey would get his only touchdown of the game on a three-yard punch in. Christian Chapman would reopen his magical connection with Mikah Holder on a beautiful six-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter. To close out the half, Baron would connect on another field goal, this time from 31 yards.
In the third, Chapman would find the end zone again, this time 17 yards to receiver David Wells. Nevada kept finding weird ways to score through this game. This time they scored on a safety recorded by EJ Muhammad to put the score at 32-9. Rashaad Penny would make the play of the game, breaking free on a monster 72-yard touchdown run to put the Aztecs up by 30. Nevada’s Ty Gangi then connected with Wyatt Demps for an impressive 40-yard touchdown pass to close the book on scoring for the Wolf Pack. The Aztecs weren’t done just yet though. Running back Juwan Howard found the end zone on a 45-yard touchdown run to close the book on the game. 46-16.
Notes
Juwan Howard finished the game with 70 yards rushing on an impressive five carries and a touchdown. Rashaad Penny finished with 208 yards on just ten touches, two of which got him into the end zone (40 and 72-yard touchdown runs). D.J. Pumphrey did his damage somewhat quietly, racking up 199 yards on 26 touches and one touchdown. The team would finish with an average of 10.8 yards per run, its highest since becoming Division-I eligible.
Pumphrey passed DeAngelo Williams for fourth on the All-Time NCAA Rushing list in the process of rushing for 100 yards in his ninth straight game.
The Aztecs put themselves among the defensive elite by picking off Nevada quarterback Gangi three times, to give them 19 interceptions in just 10 games, the most in the country.
Player of the Game
I think we’re going to have to cut the game ball into thirds on this one. The effort that Pumphrey, Penny, and Howard put forth in this game was more than impressive. Penny finished the game with an average of 20.8 yards per run, Howard finished with a 14.0 yards per run average, and Pumphrey finished with an average of 7.6. The three combined for four touchdowns and 464 yards.
Derek is a 22-year-old out of Lemon Grove, California. A burning passion for San Diego sports led him to pursue an opportunity to write and share about what’s going on with the teams in America’s Finest City. A young and aspiring sports journalist looking to grow his knowledge and expand his experience at any opportunity.