This was one of the zaniest college football bowl games you’re going to see this season. San Diego State’s season came to a close with a tough loss to North Texas in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, 49-47. The Aztecs were unable to finish a strong second-half push against the Mean Green as this game really put their personnel depth to the strongest test all season.
North Texas rushed for 368 yards on the ground and SDSU totaled 326 yards on the ground. North Texas featured their highly rated QB Drew Mestermaker all game long as he completed 27/47 passes for 250 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. While the Aztecs were having to use a combined effort from QBs Bert Emanuel Jr (11 carries, 170 yards, 2 TDs and Kyle Crum (14/29 169 yards 1 TD 2 INTs.
Needless to say this was not the ideal situation SDSU had faced all season long. For the Mean Green, they were hitting on all cylinders. The Aztecs opened the game competitively, trading scores early and leaning on their physicality to stay within reach.
Offensively, Coach Lewis’ team was able to move the ball in spurts, mixing the run game by RB Lucky Sutton and backup QB Bert Emanuel Jr. with timely completions. But North Texas couldn’t be stopped from fully settling in.
Defensively, the Aztecs really struggled to stop the Mean Green as they scored 21 first quarter points, making them play catch up all game long. The defensive line found trouble in closing gaps to slow down the North Texas runners from getting to the second level in full stride.
When Bert Emanuel Jr. went out with a shoulder injury the obstacle looked even more daunting with Kyle Crum filling in. Crum who hadn’t attempted a pass all season long showed plenty of moxy, leading the Aztecs on several scoring drives late in the game.
After a TD run by Crum, the Aztecs got a defensive stop that led to a punt and a Nathan Acevedo touchdown on the return. SDSU had a lot of momentum in a furious 4th quarter comeback brewing. However, missed opportunities and stalled possessions made it difficult for San Diego State to regain control as the game tightened late.
The Aztecs showed resiliency but poor tackling against the nation’s #1 offense doomed them in. SDSU showed flashes of its resilience but ultimately fell short in Albuquerque.
Despite the loss, the Aztecs continued to compete until the final moments, reflecting the effort and buy-in that defined much of their season. While the result was disappointing, the New Mexico Bowl performance offered a snapshot of both the progress made and the areas still needing growth as San Diego State turns its focus toward the offseason and the future of the program.
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