Greg Bell ran for 111 yards and a touchdown Saturday night, and No. 25 San Diego State limited New Mexico to 193 total yards in a 31-7 win in Carson, Calif.
Quarterback Jordan Brookshire added two rushing scores for the Aztecs (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) while throwing for 130 yards on 11 of 24 accuracy. San Diego State gained just 336 total yards but was in control almost from the beginning.
The Aztecs’ defense made life difficult for quarterback Terry Wilson Jr., a Kentucky transfer who absorbed four sacks and completed 13-of-25 passes for 127 yards with an interception. The Lobos (2-4, 0-2) rushed for only 66 yards on 34 attempts.
San Diego State wasted no time putting its stamp on the game. After its defense forced a 3-and-out to start the game, Bell rushed 40 yards on the Aztecs’ first snap, then scored five plays later from the 1 for a 7-0 lead only 3:39 into the night.
Matt Araiza started the second quarter by hitting a 40-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage. Brookshire finished off a drive of nearly 5 1/2 minutes with a 1-yard touchdown run that put San Diego State ahead by 17 at halftime.
New Mexico got back into contention briefly in the third quarter when Ray Leutele recovered a Bell fumble and rumbled 15 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Aztecs’ cushion to 17-7 at the 4:41 mark.
But San Diego State needed just over two minutes to formulate a response. Two Lobo penalties gifted it first downs and Brookshire cashed in a 45-yard field with an 11-yard run with 2:35 remaining to restore a 17-point lead.
Chance Bell capped the scoring with an 8-yard run with 13:05 left in the game, finishing off a 66-yard drive.
Aaron Dumas managed 77 yards on 11 carries for New Mexico, which hurt itself repeatedly with penalties and an inability to extend drives. The Lobos were flagged nine times for 86 yards and went just 3 of 16 on third down.
–Field Level Media
