The San Diego State Aztecs (4-2 Conf. 7-2 Overall) play the second of two in their only multi-game homestand of the season with the only game under the Friday night lights against division foe Fresno State Bulldogs (2-3 Conf. 4-5 Overall).
The season is down to its final stretch with just three weeks left in the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs currently rank first in the West Division of the MWC with the Bulldogs down a game and a half in fourth.
The Aztecs lead the series between the two rivals. With a 15-13-2 record at home and a 14-12-2 on the road, San Diego State has four games between them and Fresno State on the series. However, since the Mountain West era, the Bulldogs lead it 6-3.
The San Diego State Aztecs are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Nevada Wolf Pack last week in a 17-13 game in San Diego. They will be looking for redemption in a victory over Fresno State Friday night.
The defense has been the brightest spot for the team in a 7-2 season. The Aztecs’ defensive squad has allowed the fewest rushing yards in College Football (CFB) with just 65.3 rushing yards allowed per game. They only trail the Utah Utes, who have only given an average of 56.0 rushing yards allowed per game through their first nine games.
The offensive team has struggled this season. While leading in the top 10 in highest time of possession in the CFB with an average of 34:34 with the ball, they only average 21 points per game. Their total offense per game (326.6) ranks 115th in the nation.
The Fresno State Bulldogs have not had a winning or losing streak of three or more this season. They are coming off a two-point loss to Utah State last week. They were defeated off a game-winning field goal by the Aggies.
The Bulldogs offensive team has done well enough for top five in the conference. They average 34.3 points per game, which is fourth in the Mountain West. Their rushing (177.8) and passing (238.0) yards per game are also significantly better than that of the Aztecs.
However, their defense has been their downfall this season. They have struggled all season to keep teams from scoring, giving up an average of 32.4 points per game. Rushing (162.1) and passing (260.3) yards rank on the lower half of the conference.
Kickoff between San Diego State and Fresno State from SDCCU Stadium begins at 6:30 p.m. with live television from ESPN2 and radio broadcasts on XTRA 1360 and 101.5 KGB.