SB Nation - San Diego St. Aztecs

SDSU (7-2) drubs Cal State Fullerton, 82-68

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:53:09 -0000

1 day ago: San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard, right, shoots over Cal State Fullerton's Orane Chin, center, and Bryce Webster during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 in San Diego. Leonard scored 23 points in San Diego State's 82-68 win. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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True freshman and preseason MWC Freshman of the Year Kawhi Leonard absolutely imposed himself all on both sides on the court all night and showed why he was picked as California's best high school basketball player. Kawhi established career highs (9 games) in points with 23 and rebounds with 18. He also lead the team in assists with 5 and tied for the team lead in steals with 2 and tied for the team lead in blocks with 1. He nearly had a double double at half with 11 points and 9 boards.

Ex Aztec transfer Jer' Vaughn Johnson led the way for Fullerton with 19 points and 5 rebounds, but fouled out with around 5 minutes left in the game. 6'10" center Bryce Webster who transferred from Minnesota had 3 blocks for the Titans. Fullerton falls to 3-3 after starting 3-0.

While the Aztecs shot 51% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc, and drew 23 fouls which constantly got them to the charity stripe, they shot just woefully when they did so. They missed 19 of 32 free-throw attempts, including seven consecutive shots from the free-throw line. They are going to have to improve that part of their game if they intend on competing with top teams. However, they did play an excellent game together as a team racking up 20 assists and scoring 46 points in the paint against a Fullerton team that had already beaten UCLA and is expected to finish high in the Big West. The Aztecs also limited the turnovers to 13 and only had 5 personal fouls in the second half despite playing man defense the entire half.

Billy White (14 pts, 5 rbs, 4 assts, 2 steals), Chase Tapley (10 pts 2 rbs 4 assts) and Brian Carwell (10 pts 4rbs) round out the four Aztecs in double figure scoring on the night. Malcom Thomas added 9 points and 7 rebounds while DJ Gay added 8 points and 4 assists. Sophomore Tim Shelton played his first 5 minutes of the season coming back from a knee surgery and is expected to play a little bit more on Saturday.

Final - 12.9.2009	1	2	Total
Cal. St.-Fullerton Titans	25	43	68
San Diego St. Aztecs	41	41	82

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Mountain West and their Road to the BCS: Week 14

Michael Rueckert — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:31 -0000

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

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The Mountain West Conference regular season has officially come to a close, but there is still one final weekend of college football. This is a big weekend that will determine where most teams are going bowling when announced on Sunday.

TCU crushed New Mexico and finished the season undefeated, guaranteeing them their first ever spot in the BCS. They remain ranked 4th in the BCS standings, but still have a shot at the BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena.

Here is a look at the games being played in the final week of the regular season in college football, and how they will affect the Mountain West's BCS outlook:

All times are eastern

No. 3 Texas vs No. 22 Nebraska (ABC, 8:00 PM)

The Big 12 Championship Game. If Texas wins they will play the winner of the SEC Championship Game in the BCS National Championship. If Nebraska wins they will play in the Fiesta Bowl, and Texas will likely be selected as an at-large team.

MWC rooting interest: Nebraska. This is TCU's last chance to get into the Championship Game. If Texas loses TCU should jump to the No. 2 spot over Texas and the loser of the SEC Championship Game. Mountain West fans should all become the biggest Huskers fans on Saturday night.

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama (CBS, 4:00 PM)

A rematch of the 2008 SEC Championship Game. The winner will punch their ticket to Pasadena, and the loser will be going to the Sugar Bowl.

MWC rooting interest: Toss up. TCU has no chance of jumping the winner of this game. There is a good chance that TCU will play the loser of this game in the Sugar Bowl. That is what Jeremy Mauss has been predicting here for a while now. I believe that TCU can beat either of these teams, a MWC vs SEC matchup would be great for the conference.

No. 5 Cincinnati at No. 15 Pittsburgh (ABC, 12:00 PM)

The winner will claim the Big East for 2009 and their automatic spot in the BCS.

MWC rooting interest: Pittsburgh. Cincinnati is not far behind TCU in the rankings. With a win over Pitt there is a very good chance that they can jump the Horned Frogs. It would be awful is Texas loses, but Cincinnati jumps TCU to get into the BCS Championship Game.

No. 10 Georgia Tech vs Clemson (8:00 PM, ESPN)

The ACC Championship Game. The winner will represent the ACC with their automatic spot in the BCS. TCU defeated Clemson earlier this season.

MWC rooting interest: Clemson. TCU has only beated two teams that are currently ranked in the Top 25. It would strengthen their claim to the National Championship Game by having Clemson get back into the Top 25. If Clemson wins, they will likely boot No. 25 Utah out of the Top 25 which actually may be worse for the Mountain West with the AQ Evaluations.

New Mexico State at No. 6 Boise State (3:00 PM, ESPN 360)

A win means another undefeated regular season for the Boise State Broncos, who are looking to get into the BCS as an at-large team.

MWC rooting interest: Boise State. Multiple non-AQ teams in the BCS would be a great thing for all non-automatic qualifier conferences. It can open the door of the non-BCS movement even more. Also, if rumors are true, and the Mountain West chooses to expand; the higher Boise State's final ranking, the better off the MWC would be in the AQ Evaluations.

Aztecs take City Championship in overtime, 69-62.

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:12:14 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

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Point guard DJ Gay lead the Aztecs with 22 points over the USD Torreros Wednesday night in a packed Jenny Craig Pavilion. The Torerros started slowly in each period, but managed to come back in each except for OT. The Aztecs started the first half on an 8-0 run, the second half on a 13-0 runs, and OT on a 7-0 run that intimately lead the Aztecs to the 7 point win. 3 point shooting kept USD in the game; they were 9-20 in regulation but they also had a total of ZERO points in the paint in regulation. This probably makes sense since the Aztecs are much bigger than the Torerros; their ability to hit the 3 from anywhere on the court kept them dangerous and in the game at all times.

The Torreros took a 1 point lead into the half, and after a 13-0 run by the Aztecs, they spent the majority of the second half chipping away at that lead. Eventually, the Aztecs had the ball with a 52-52 tie with a chance to shoot for the win by Billy White lost the ball and SDSU was unable to get a shot off from out of bounds. Once OT started, it was all SDSU; the Torerros inability to make points inside killed them late and the Aztecs were able to put away the game.

Final - 12.2.2009	1	2	Total
San Diego St. Aztecs	24	28	69
San Diego Toreros	28	24	62

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SDSU was lead by DJ Gay who had a game high 22 points although he didn't really do anything else that a point guard is supposed to do. He had no steals and only one assist. He is going to have to work on those stats if the Aztecs want to compete against bigger more talented teams. The only other player in double figures was Tyronne Shelley with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. Malcom Thomas led the team with 10 rebounds and added 8 points. Team leaded in rebounds freshman Kawhi Leonard had 7 rebounds to go with 8 points 2 assists and 2 steals. He seemed to be less apprehensive shooting the ball today, but his main roll seems to be getting rebounds. Billy White had 9 rebounds and 8 points as well and added 2 blocks. The Aztecs actually finished 51% from the floor although this was a very low scoring game. They continued to struggle at the charity stripe with 66.7%

The Torerros were of course led by their top-scorer Brandon Johnson, who seemingly cannot miss a 3 from wherever he shoots from. Johnson finished with 21 points. The other double-digit scorers for USD were Matt Dorr with 13 and De'Jon Jackson with 10 and added 5 assists and 4 steals. The Torerros were out rebounded by the Aztecs 38-33. This is actually pretty good for USD who was absolutely dominated on the boards early. Clinton Houston led the Torerros with a game high 11 boards but nobody else on USD hit double figures in that category. Like I said, the Torerros are a small team that lives and dies by the 3. They had zero points in the paint in regulation and 2 in overtime when the Aztecs simply let them put in a layup to run down the clock. USD ended up shooting 44% from 3 land but only 34.4% from the field.

San Diego City Championship: San Diego State at San Diego

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:08:04 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dinneen - AP

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The San Diego State Aztecs (4-2) will travel across the Interstate 8 freeway 9.2 miles to Jenny Craig Pavilion (NOT USD Sports Center) tonight to take on the San Diego Torreros in the San Diego City Championship. The Aztecs have won 3 straight and 6 out of 7 in this match-up but tonight's game looks to be a tough, intense match-up that is important for both teams. The Aztecs feature a big, long talented but young team against the Torreros small, quick, and experienced team that still features players from their NCCA tournament win over UCONN.

While the Aztecs have beaten up on weaker teams this year, they have not fared well against more talented teams. The Torreros on the other hand already have huge wins over AQ conference schools Stanford and No. 25 Oklahoma and made it to the Great Alaska Shootout Final (an event the Aztecs won last season) in a disappointing loss to Washington State. Both teams lost to common opponent Pacific, USD by 1 and SDSU by 8.

For those in San Diego the game is on TV on Channel 4, everyone else can tune in to the live radio broadcast at AM600 KOGO.

Click the break for more.

[Disclaimer: This story might not be as good because my first one got wiped out -Ed.]

Next Game

San Diego St. Aztecs
@ San Diego Toreros

Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009, 7:00 PM PST
USD Sports Center

Radio: AM600 KOGO

TV: Local San Diego Channel 4

Complete Coverage >

The Aztecs have been nothing if not inconsistent. Combined with the loss of 4 senior and a rash of early injuries and illnesses, SDSU has yet to really come together as a team yet this season. The Aztecs are have the height and talent but not the experience. The are able to beat up on the weaker teams but have trouble putting it together against better teams. The Aztecs continue to be road warriors as they play the third out of their last four on the road and will travel back up to NorCal after this game. During their last win, a blowout against Northern Arizona at home, the Aztecs put together season highs in assists and rebounds. Hopefully this means they are starting to mesh as a team and will be better prepared to take on better opponents. After starting only one guard in the previous games, coach Steve Fisher started freshman Chase Tapley at guard along with Junior DJ Gay in that game. Coach Fisher will continue to tinker with the lineup until he gets it right and will probably adjust it for each opponent.

The Aztecs continue to struggle with free throws but Junior Billy White and Freshman Kawhi Leonard (who also is the team's leading rebounder) have stabilized the team on that front. Transfers Malcom Thomas and Tyronne Shelley, who have been leading the team in scoring, will be especially excited for this game. During their time at Pepperdine in the WCC, they were beaten up by the Torreros and look forward to some payback. DJ Gay is improving as a point guard as he had a season high is assists last game. The Aztecs are deep in forwards but do not have very many guards so DJ's play tonight will be key. USD will likely play a lot of zone so the outside shooters are going to have to step up their game.

The Torreros game out of the gate hot but got cooled off a bit by a blowout loss to Washington State in the Great Alaska Shootout Championship game. A team that is really the opposite of the Aztecs, they are a small team deep in guards who are quick and athletic. They are really built like recent SDSU teams which is characteristic of smaller schools. Since SDSU had a huge recruit class and have much bigger talented forwards, this should be an interesting match-up. The Torreros rely heavily on their experience seniors. Seniors Brandon Johnson (15.6 ppg), De'Jon Jackson (12.8 ppg), Chris Lewis (8.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Roberto Mafra (7.7 ppg) do most of their scoring.

Since USD is small, quick, and athletic, they will likely play a zone against SDSU and force them to shoot it from outside. SDSU has a huge height advantage and would dominate in the paint if they played man to man. The Aztecs have struggled shooting field goals so look for the Torreros to come out in zone and see what happens. Coach Bill Grier already has two big wins this season and has a penchant for winning big games against more talented teams so this should be a real barn burner. SDSU has won 4 straight at JCP (including an NIT win over Kansas State last year when the NCAAs were at ~~Cox~~ Viejas Arena) but this is always a big game that USD looks forward to beating their older brother. Be sure to tune in.

Making the Rounds: 12/1/09

Jeremy Mauss — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:59:41 -0000

Air Force

The Falcons will have to wait till Sunday before they know if they are going to the Armed Forces Bowl or the New Mexico Bowl. Fellas pack your bags for Texas.

BYU

Max Hall's words are still causing quite a stir across the social media sites and the newspapers. BYU is still in consideration for a BCS bowl, even though very unlikely. Is there too much hate? Max Hall apologizes and is publically reprimended by his comments.

Colorado State

The Rams had a disappointing way to end the season ending on a nine game winning streak.

New Mexico

This past season was a complete mess and finally ended in a blowout loss to TCU, but they did get that one win.

San Diego State

Season finished in a disappointing fashion... again.

TCU Coach Gary Patterson is receiving a nice bump in pay from his previous $1.7 million base in a multi-year extension. This means Notre Dame can remove Patterson from their speed dial. Is Andy Dalton worthy of Heisman consideration?

UNLV

Rebels are having a hard time finding their replacement athletic director. UNLV sent out fired coach Mike Sanford with a victory. WR Ryan Wolfe ends his career as one of the best ever at UNLV.

Utah

Utes looking to go to Vegas Bowl and will play loser of USC/Arizona game. Grading the Holy War game. Ute fans are lashing back at Max Hall.

Wyoming

Freshman QB Austyn Carta-Samuels is named frosh of the year. New Mexico bowl is the most likely site for Wyoming.

2009 Mountain West All-Conference Football Team Announced

Jeremy Mauss — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:54:10 -0000

As expected TCU lead the way with all-conference selections, but they ran away with 15 first and second team selections which more then doubles second place BYU with seven spots. The Horned Frogs also took home three of four player of the year awards, and coach of the year -- the one loss was freshman of the year which went to Wyoming's QB Austyn Carta-Samuels.

Some irony in the list is that New Mexico had the first team punter; he did have the most chances to impress. A choice that was not expected when the season started was Utah RB Eddie Wide who ran for over 1,000 yards but was to be the back up before Matt Asiata tore his ACL in the Louisville game.

The offensive player of the year award went to TCU's QB Andy Dalton while the defensive award went to TCU's DE Jerry Hughes. The rest of the awards are after the jump.

2009 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL FIRST-TEAM
Offense
Pos.	Player	Cl.	School
QB	Andy Dalton	Jr.	TCU
WR	David Reed	Sr.	Utah
WR	Ryan Wolfe**	Sr.	UNLV
RB	Harvey Unga	Jr.	BYU
RB	Eddie Wide	Jr.	Utah
TE	Dennis Pitta**#	Sr.	BYU
OL	Matt Reynolds	So.	BYU
OL	Erik Cook	Sr.	New Mexico
OL	Marshall Newhouse	Sr.	TCU
OL	Marcus Cannon	Jr.	TCU
OL	Zane Beadles*	Sr.	Utah
PK	Ross Evans	So.	TCU
PR/KR	Jeremy Kerley*#	Jr.	TCU
Defense
Pos.	Player	Cl.	School
DL	Jan Jorgensen**	Sr.	BYU
DL	Jerry Hughes*#	Sr.	TCU
DL	Koa Misi	Sr.	Utah
DL	John Fletcher	Sr.	Wyoming
LB	Carmen Messina	So.	New Mexico
LB	Daryl Washington	Sr.	TCU
LB	Stevenson Sylvester	Sr.	Utah
DB	Reggie Rembert	Jr.	Air Force
DB	Rafael Priest	Sr.	TCU
DB	Nick Sanders	Sr.	TCU
DB	Robert Johnson	Sr.	Utah
P	Adam Miller	Sr.	New Mexico
--Two-Time First-Team Selection *--Three-Time First-Team Selection #--Unanimous Selection
2009 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND-TEAM
Offense
Pos.	Player	Cl.	School
QB	Max Hall	Sr.	BYU
WR	Vincent Brown	Jr.	San Diego State
WR	DeMarco Sampson	Sr.	San Diego State
RB	Joseph Turner	Sr.	TCU
RB	Jared Tew	Jr.	Air Force
TE	Andrew George	Sr.	BYU
OL	Nick Charles	Sr.	Air Force
OL	Peter Lusk	Sr.	Air Force
OL	Caleb Schlauderaff	Jr.	Utah
OL	Jake Kirkpatrick	Jr.	TCU
OL	Zane Taylor	Jr.	Utah
PK	Erik Soderberg	So.	Air Force
PR/KR	Dion Morton	Sr.	Colorado State
Defense
Pos.	Player	Cl.	School
DL	Wayne Daniels	Jr.	TCU
DL	Ben Garland	Sr.	Air Force
DL	Johnathan Rainey	So.	New Mexico
DL	Cory Grant	Jr.	TCU
LB	Tank Carder	So.	TCU
LB	Mychal Sisson	So.	Colorado State
LB	Brian Hendricks	So.	Wyoming
DB	Andrew Rich	Jr.	BYU
DB	Anthony Wright	So.	Air Force
DB	Tejay Johnson	Jr.	TCU
DB	Chris Prosinski	Jr.	Wyoming
P	Brian Stahovich	So.	San Diego State
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Andy Dalton, Jr., QB, TCU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jerry Hughes, Sr., DE, TCU
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jeremy Kerley, Jr., KR, TCU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Austyn Carta-Samuels, QB, Wyoming
COACH OF THE YEAR Gary Patterson, TCU

2009 HONORABLE MENTION
Air Force:	John Falgout, Sr., LB; Brandon Geyer, Sr., P; Ryan Gonzales, Sr., OL; Chris Thomas, Sr., DB.
BYU:	Coleby Clawson, Sr., LB; Brett Denney, Sr., DL; Scott Johnson, Sr., DB; Brian Logan, Jr., DB; Riley Stephenson, Fr., P; R.J. Willing, Sr., OL.
Colorado State:	Adrian Martinez, Sr., OL; Nick Oppenneer, Sr., DB; Cole Pemberton, Sr., OL; Shelley Smith, Sr., OL; Tim Walter, Sr., OL.
New Mexico:	Kendall Briscoe, Sr., DL.
San Diego State:	Davion Mauldin, Sr., KR; Jerry Milling, Sr., LB.
TCU:	Evan Frosch, Jr., TE; Antoine Hicks, So., WR; Jeremy Kerley, Jr., WR; Ed Wesley, Fr., RB; Jimmy Young, Jr., WR.
UNLV:	Jason Beauchamp, Sr., LB; Joe Hawley, Sr., OL; Matt Murphy, Jr., OL.
Utah:	Joe Phillips, Jr., K; Sean Sellwood, Fr., P; Sealver Siliga, So., DL; Mike Wright, Sr., LB.
Wyoming:	David Leonard, Jr., WR; Austin McCoy, So., P; Mitch Unrein, Sr., DL.

Talking AQ Evaluation With BCS Executive Director, Bill Hancock

Michael Rueckert — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:00:41 -0000

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Bill Hancock

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Everyone knows that the Mountain West is looking to become a BCS conference. They tried lobbying for it last summer, but was rejected. The only way that they can guarantee automatic qualification BCS status would be to gain it through the "BCS Evaluation Period."

The given criteria for evaluating BCS Conferences is very vague. According to the BCS website, the following is how they determine AQ status:

The evaluation data includes the following for each conference
(1) The ranking of the highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings each year
(2) The final regular-season rankings of all conference teams in the computer rankings used by the BCS each year and
(3) The number of teams in the top 25 of the final BCS standings each year.

Obviously the given information is very vague. Fortunately the new BCS Executive Director, Bill Hancock was kind enough to answer a few of my questions regarding the process of determining automatic qualifier status.

Note: This was an e-mail and not exactly an interview. Bill Hancock gave me permission to quote him on his answers.

If a conference is to expand and add a team during the evaluation period, would the conference be able to use that teams statistics in their evaluation, even if the team gained some of their "points" in another conference?

Yes.

This is big news for Boise State fans. The Mountain West Conference will very likely need to expand and add a team like Boise State since it is a top-heavy conference, with little competition aside from TCU, Utah and BYU. This explains the reason that the MWC has not invited anyone in yet. This is a strategic move, which would allow that team to gain points without beating up on MWC teams. If the MWC does expand they will need to invite a team before July 1, 2010 to use that team in their evaluation data.

There are three rules listed for determining AQ status. Is each rule given an equal weight? If not, which categories are "worth more?"

All are the same weight.

This is good news for the Mountain West. Two of the three criteria the MWC is very strong in. The amount of teams in the final Top-25 and ranking of the highest team are things that the Mountain West is very competitive in. The MWC struggles in the ranking of the entire conference in the computers since it is a top heavy conference. It is definitely a plus that that category will not out-weigh the rest.

Does the number of teams in each conference affect how the statistics are calculated for certain criteria such as, number of teams in Top 25?

No, the data is averaged so that the number of teams in the conference does not affect the rankings.

Another positive for the conference. The Mountain West in 2008 and 2009 finished with three ranked teams in the final BCS standings. The Mountain West is a smaller conference with only nine teams. Having three teams ranked for the Mountain West would be greater in the evaluations than three teams from a larger conference like the Big-12.

Does a current non-Automatic Qualifier conference have to "beat out" a single BCS conference four of the four years of the evaluation period? Or, does that conference just have to finish ranked ahead of a certain conference in the final statistics?

Basically a conference must finish in the top half of each category.

Does this mean that a current non-AQ conference must finish ranked at least third in each of the three evaluation criteria? They must finish ahead of at least three current BCS conferences in each of the three categories?

Actually, no, it wouldn't have to finish at least third. Basically it would have to finish in the top 50 percent in each of the three categories.

This is a confusing topic to me. I'm guessing that they would have to finish in the top 50 percent among the 11 conferences in averaged data at the end of the evaluation. It sounds like the Mountain West would have to finish at least fifth in each category. This is a problem for the "final regular-season rankings of all conference teams in the computer rankings used by the BCS each year" criteria. They may need to expand to finish at least fifth in this category. In the other two categories the MWC seems to be among the top 50 percent.

If a non Automatic Qualifying conference gains Automatic Qualifier status, would the BCS expand to 7 conferences, or would that conference replace a current BCS conference?

There would be seven automatic-qualifying conferences.

This is what everyone expected, but I just wanted to clarify it. This is good news for current BCS conference. If the Mountain West becomes a BCS Conference, no one will get replaced.

A big thanks to Bill Hancock for taking the time answering my questions. He is very involved in the public and seems to be the guy that the BCS is using to boost their public relations.

Aztecs blow another late lead, Rebels come from behind to win, 28-24.

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:33:06 -0000

More photos » by Denis Poroy - AP

San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke looks on as his team blows a 4th QTR lead. Again. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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The Aztecs were unable to hold yet another late lead and the Rebels got revenge on SDSU for last season's loss that prevented UNLV from becoming bowl eligible. This season, although neither team had a chance to become bowl eligible, the Rebels wounded the moral of an Aztec team that was hoping to end the season on a high note. Although it seemed as though the Aztecs had improved from last season, the results in the win column really stayed the same. For UNLV, coach Sanford's last game after being fired was bittersweet. He was able to rally his team from a 17 point second-half deficit and ended his team's season on a high note despite a rough year. The Aztecs finish 4-8 while the Rebels finish 5-7; the Aztecs add two wins from last year's total and the Rebels repeat last year's performance.

Catch the rest after the jump

Final - 11.28.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
San Diego St. Aztecs	14	7	3	0	24
UNLV Rebels	7	0	7	14	28

Complete Coverage >

After blowing a 21 point 4 QTR lead against Wyoming, now the Aztecs blow a 17 point 3 QTR lead against UNLV. Ryan Lindley threw 2 interceptions, including one that was returned for a TD, and place kicker Lane Yoshida missed a FG. Some people may now call SDSU's coach Brady (c)Hoke until he proves otherwise. On a positive note, RB Walter Kazee amassed 106 yards on the ground which is a welcome change to the Aztecs usual tepid rushing offense. QB Lindley did throw for 341 yards and a TD including 106 and a TD to WR Roberto Wallace. The Aztec offense stalled after the half managing only 3 points in the final two quarters. They moved the ball well but were unable to turn that into points for one reason or another. The offense managed 445 yards of offense and outperformed the Rebels in most categories in the box score but that ultimately didn't turn into a win. Although the defense managed two interceptions including one for a score from Luke Laolongi, they weren't capable of playing a full game or at least a consistent one. They consistently forced UNLV into third downs but then gave up huge plays time and time again. Coach Hoke hopes to get some of his recruits into the system next season and teach his team how to limit mistakes and play more consistent football. Look for the Aztecs to play in a bowl next season.

QB Omar Clayton threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Phillip Payne with 1:24 to play to give the Rebels a win avenging last season's final game loss to SDSU that prevented the Rebels from playing in a bowl game. UNLV place kicker Kyle Watson missed a field goal with 3:29 to play that would have tied the game. The Rebels then forced the Aztecs to stall and to punt and the received the ball near midfield. The Rebels were able to drive down-field and punch it into the end-zone with ease and then stop a last minute bid by SDSU to win the game. Terrance Lee trimmed the deficit to three points in the initial minute of the fourth quarter with a interception return for a TD. The defense was able to come out in the second half and stop the Aztecs when it counted and allowed the offense to get them back into the game. The Rebels will spend the off-season looking for a new head coach and figuring out how to move forward and improve the team. A strong recruiting class will go a long way toward UNLV's bowl hopes for next season.

Triple Header Open Thread: TCU looking to clinch BCS Bowl Berth

Jeremy Mauss — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:30:17 -0000

The regular season is coming to a close after today's game, but they will be good. TCU should crush New Mexico, but a TCU gets them in their first ever BCS bowl. Then there is the Holy War that is always a nasty game and will determine the bowl situation for the league. The finale is UNLV and San Diego State the Rebels are looking for revenge over last years embarassing loss, but they are doing it with a lame duck coach. SDSU is looking for a positive note heading into the off season.

New Mexico @ TCU 12 PM CST

Utah @ BYU 3PM MST and HD

UNLV @ San Diego State 7PM PST

Feel free to comment on the Florida and Florida State game which could affect TCU and their chances in getting to the number two spot.

Let's hear what you think. Register for a free account here on the site and leave your comments, predictions and other game day chatter below in the comments section.

I have now integrated twitter to the open thread. So, within your message you need to put #mwc in the tweet and it will show up and send it to @mwcconnection. Also, if your not following me my twitter name is @mwcconnection

Mountain West and their Road to the BCS: Week 13

Michael Rueckert — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:05:45 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - ASSOCIATED PRESS

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It's now the time to feature the games that will affect the Mountain West's BCS possibilities during this rivalry week. This is a great weekend of college football with big games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

For probably the first time ever, there is a more important game in the Mountain West than the Holy War during rivalry week. Lost in the hype of the BYU vs. Utah game is the (11-0) TCU Horned Frogs, who are looking to finish undefeated against New Mexico.

Still four teams remain ranked ahead of the TCU, whose national championship hopes may be soon coming to a close. They will need losses ahead of them, and this week poses a greater challenge for those teams than prior weeks.

Here is a look at games this weekend that will affect the Mountain West in their BCS hunt:

All times are eastern

New Mexico at No. 4 TCU (The Mtn. HD, 1:00 PM Saturday)

One of the most lopsided matchups in MWC history. The Horned Frogs are a 45 point favorite over the Lobos. ESPN's Accuscore is giving New Mexico a 0% chance of winning.

MWC rooting interest: TCU. What a great scene it will be for the TCU program when they crush New Mexico and finish the season undefeated at home. They will be locked into a BCS bowl, but need teams ahead of them to lose to get into the BCS National Championship.

No. 3 Texas at Texas A&M (ESPN HD, 8:00 PM Thursday)

A Thanksgiving prime time game featuring the (11-0) Longhorns and the (5-6) Aggies in this in-state rivalry game.

MWC rooting interest: Texas A&M. If Texas loses, TCU will go to No. 3 in the polls, and would eventually jump the loser of the SEC Championship game putting them in the National Championship Game. Texas A&M will be playing at home where they are (5-1) this season. This will be tough, but it is possible for an upset. If Texas wins as expected, Nebraska will be have the last shot at ruining their perfect season in the Big 12 Championship Game.

No. 2 Alabama at Auburn (CBS HD, 2:30 PM Friday)

Alabama faces a tough challenge this week against their bitter rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

MWC rooting interest: Auburn. This should be a good game. Auburn is a good team, they are (7-4) and are looking to improve their bowl situation, plus gain bragging rights in the state of Alabama. An Alabama loss should drop them below TCU, but if they defeat Florida they could jump back over TCU.

Florida State at No. 1 Florida (CBS HD, 3:30 PM Saturday)

ESPN College GameDay will be on hand for Tim Tebow's last game at the Swamp.

MWC rooting interest: Florida State. The Seminoles crushed BYU's BCS hopes earlier this season, but could greatly improve TCU's with a win this week. Don't expect any upset though. Tim Tebow and the Gators are just too good to lose to this struggling Florida State team, especially in their last game at the Swamp this season. Likewise with Alabama, a Florida loss drops them behind TCU, but winning the SEC could put them back in the top 2.

No. 21 Utah at No. 19 BYU (The Mtn. HD/ CBS-C HD, 5:00 PM Saturday)

It's rivalry week in the Mountain West. The 2009 Holy War features two Top 25 ranked for just the third time ever.

MWC rooting interest: Toss up. What would be best for the Mountain West, is to have both teams remain ranked after this game. One of the criteria for BCS AQ evaluation is how many teams are in the Top 25 at the end of the season. With BYU being ranked higher, they are more likely to remain ranked with a loss but it is more of a toss up for the conference.

Illinois at No. 5 Cincinnati (ABC HD, 12:00 PM Friday)

Cincinnati QB Tony Pike is going to be back in the lineup for the game against the struggling Illini.

MWC rooting interest: Illinois. Undefeated Cincinnati still can jump TCU with a win over Pittsburgh next week. Illinois' best hope is if Cincinnati overlooks them for their Big East showdown next week.

Nevada at No. 6 Boise State (ESPN2 HD, 10:00 PM Friday)

A win means another undefeated regular season for the Boise State Broncos, who are looking to get into the BCS as an at-large team.

MWC rooting interest: Boise State. They are not a threat to jump TCU, so we can now root for the Broncos. Multiple non-AQ teams in the BCS would be a great thing for all non automatic qualifier conferences. If the Mountain West expands to add Boise, the higher their ranking, the better the conference would be in BCS evaluations. (we will have more to come on that next week)

No. 18 Clemson at South Carolina (ESPN HD, 12:00 PM Saturday)

Clemson clinched their spot in the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech last week with their win over Virginia. They are the highest ranked team in the BCS standings that TCU has beaten.

MWC rooting interest: Clemson. The higher Clemson climbs in the polls, the stronger TCU's claim is to play in the National Title. They face a tough challenge playing in the SEC, but South Carolina is not playing well as of lately.

No. 9 Pittsburgh at West Virginia (ESPN2 HD, 7:00 PM Friday)

With a Pitt win, the stage will be set for the de facto Big East Championship Game against Cincinnati next week.

MWC rooting interest: West Virginia. A Pittsburgh loss greatly reduces the risk of Cincinnati jumping TCU and also improves Boise State's chances of getting into the BCS as an at-large team.

SB Nation - San Diego St. Aztecs

SDSU (7-2) drubs Cal State Fullerton, 82-68

Mountain West and their Road to the BCS: Week 14

Aztecs take City Championship in overtime, 69-62.

San Diego City Championship: San Diego State at San Diego

Next Game

Making the Rounds: 12/1/09

2009 Mountain West All-Conference Football Team Announced

Talking AQ Evaluation With BCS Executive Director, Bill Hancock

Aztecs blow another late lead, Rebels come from behind to win, 28-24.

Triple Header Open Thread: TCU looking to clinch BCS Bowl Berth

Twitter #mwc

Mountain West and their Road to the BCS: Week 13