The MW division winners meet December 5 in the conference championship game.
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Interceptions were the story of the latter half of the second quarter for the Rams as defensive backs junior Malik Smith and sophomore Kameron Kelly picked off CSU’s Stevens on back-to-back drives. Watch San Diego State Aztecs vs Colorado State Rams live stream online NCAA College Football CBSSN TV broadcast coverage, live scores, Game Kickoff time & schedule and Radio Commentary info here. If the defense is anything but completely atrocious, they may give the Rams a chance, especially considering the emergence of quarterback Nick Stevens.
The Aztecs have not yet lost a conference tilt, but then again, the level of competition up to this point has been suspect (ahem, Hawaii and Fresno State).
Culbert, who was named AVCA National Player of the Week on October 20, posted her seventh triple-double of the season at Boise State on Thursday, totaling 14 kills, 20 assists and 10 digs in CSU’s sweep of the second-place team in the Mountain West. Culbert followed that performance with another terrific match at Utah State on Saturday, registering nine kills on.
The second half was a whole new ballgame.
But maybe they wish it hadn’t – a pass from Stevens went through the hands of Higgins soon after, and was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by SDSU’s Damontae Kazee.
Higgins touchdown came on the final play of the first quarter, which were the first points allowed by the Aztecs in the first quarter against a MW opponent. We were in the right spot at the right time.
“Very surprised. I feel like we had a very good game play, that we knew what was coming”, linebacker Deonte Clyburn said. The Aztecs eventually deciphered the Rams’ offense, and limited it to just 120 yards in the second half.
What looked like an upset in the making, with the Rams once leading 10-7, disintegrated quickly for Colorado State (3-5, 1-3 MW).
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Donnel Pumphrey would add to the historic day with a 23-yard rush in the second quarter that would see him claim second on the all-time rushing list in program history passing Larry Ned. He finished with 20 carries for 121 yards and two rushing touchdowns. CSU true freshman Izzy Matthews had more yards than Pumphrey (64-46) and a longer run (35 yards, Pumphrey’s big gain being 23). The Aztecs started with the ball at their own 11-yard line and Smith directed a 13-play, 89-yard drive that ended with his 32-yard touchdown pass to Pumphrey. “You can sit here and say unlucky, but that’s what teams do that lose ball games”. “We had the effort, we had the energy, we came out with a bang and we just couldn’t finish….”
