San Diego State Aztecs vs Cal Poly Mustangs Football Recap

San Diego State 49, Cal Poly 21

The team that surprised the Mountain West Conference last year will have to re-prove itself this season, but after one game against a cupcake opponent, it’s probably safe to say that the San Diego State Aztecs will continue to score copious amounts of points in the following three months of gridiron competition.

San Diego State ’s returning offensive stars Ryan Lindley and Ronnie Hillman gave Aztec head coach Rocky Long a soft landing in his return to the top spot on a college football sideline. The two stars led the Aztecs as they powered over Cal Poly for a 49-21 victory Saturday night in San Diego.

The game marked a meaningful moment for Long, the former head coach at the University of New Mexico who was fired and then found work as San Diego State’s defensive coordinator under former coach Brady Hoke. When Hoke took the vacant job at the University of Michigan this past offseason, SDSU’s athletic director chose to promote Long from within instead of looking across the country for a new head coach. Long is a defensive guru, but as Saturday night’s lid-lifter indicated, he’s going to be helped more than anything else by the fact that his team owns a very competent quarterback and a distinctly gifted running back.

Lindley is the quarterbacking half of the San Diego State equation. While not as accurate as one would expect, going just 15-of-27 on his pass attempts, Lindley still threw for 203 yards and four touchdowns. His last touchdown toss to Colin Lockett made Lindley the all-time touchdown pass leader at San Diego State with 71 in his career.

Hillman is the running back who makes SDSU’s offense a balanced and formidable one. After a phenomenal freshman year, Hillman started his sophomore campaign with a bang, rushing 28 times for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Hillman’s legs powered the Aztecs to a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Cal Poly responded with a touchdown drive that concluded on the first play of the second quarter, pulling the Mustangs to within a score. But more heavy dosage of Hillman, with some Lindley passes sprinkled in, extended SDSU’s lead back to 21-7. The teams traded two more touchdown drives to make the halftime score 28-14. After Lindley’s final touchdown pass marked the only score of the third quarter, the Aztecs pounded home another touchdown drive on the ground to start the fourth quarter, putting the game away at 42-14.

Walter Kazee added 82 yards on 15 carries for SDSU, while Lockett ended with 82 receiving yards. Cal Poly quarterback Andre Broadous finished 6-13 for 95 yards in the loss, and Mustang running back Mark Rodgers added 51 yards on the ground.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer