Johnson leads San Diego State past UTSA 38-24 in Frisco Bowl
Greg Bell rushes in for 1-yard touchdown
Greg Bell rushes in for 1-yard touchdown
FRISCO, Texas -- — Lucas Johnson passed for a career-best 333 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another score as San Diego State beat No. 24 UTSA 38-24 in the Frisco Bowl on Tuesday night for the Aztecs’ program-record 12th win of the season.
Jesse Matthews caught touchdown passes of 11 and 20 yards and set career marks with 11 catches and 175 yards receiving. Tyrell Shavers caught the other touchdown pass, a 24-yarder.
Greg Bell also scored on a 1-yard run for San Diego State (12-2). Johnson completed 24 of 36 passes.
San Diego State kicker-punter Matt Araiza made a 33-yard field goal and finished the season with an NCAA-record 51.19 yards per punt. Araiza broke the mark set by Texas A&M’s Braden Mann in 2018 (50.98).
Frank Harris threw touchdown passes of 12 yards to De’Corian Clark and 4 yards to Zakhari Franklin, and Brenden Brady scored on a 2-yard run for UTSA (12-2). Hunter Duplessis kicked a 41-yard field goal for the Roadrunners.
UTSA played without junior running back Sincere McCormick, Conference USA’s offensive player of the year. McCormick, who ranks seventh in the FBS in rushing (113.8 yards per game), was one of five UTSA players who opted out in advance of next year’s NFL draft.
THE TAKEAWAY
San Diego State: Simply qualifying for a bowl this season would have been accomplishment enough for a program that has driven 230 miles roundtrip to play its home games in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson for the last two seasons. Instead, they beat Pac-12 champion Oregon and reached the Mountain West championship game.
UTSA: Coach Jeff Traylor likes to check off boxes. This season, he checked off the Roadrunners’ first conference championship. Still ahead is the box for the Roadrunners’ first bowl win after three tries.
UP NEXT
San Diego State: The Sept. 3 opener against Arizona will mark the debut of new Snapdragon Stadium on the site of the old stadium that was also home to baseball’s Padres and football’s Chargers beginning in the 1960s.
UTSA: The Roadrunners’ 12th season, 11th in FBS, will feature arguably the biggest game in program history – at Texas on Sept. 21.
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Game Information
2023 American Athletic Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| SMU | 8-0 | 11-3 |
| Tulane | 8-0 | 11-3 |
| UTSA | 7-1 | 9-4 |
| Memphis | 6-2 | 10-3 |
| South Florida | 4-4 | 7-6 |
| Rice | 4-4 | 6-7 |
| Navy | 4-4 | 5-7 |
| North Texas | 3-5 | 5-7 |
| UAB | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Florida Atlantic | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Charlotte | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Tulsa | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| Temple | 1-7 | 3-9 |
| East Carolina | 1-7 | 2-10 |
2023 Mountain West Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Boise State | 6-2 | 8-6 |
| San José State | 6-2 | 7-6 |
| UNLV | 6-2 | 9-5 |
| Air Force | 5-3 | 9-4 |
| Wyoming | 5-3 | 9-4 |
| Fresno State | 4-4 | 9-4 |
| Utah State | 4-4 | 6-7 |
| Hawai'i | 3-5 | 5-8 |
| Colorado State | 3-5 | 5-7 |
| Nevada | 2-6 | 2-10 |
| New Mexico | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| San Diego State | 2-6 | 4-8 |
NCAAF News