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San Diego State Football: 3 takeaways from Frisco Bowl win over UTSA

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 21, 2021; Frisco, TX, USA; San Diego State Aztecs wide receiver Jesse Matthews (45) holds the offensive MVP trophy after the game against the UTSA Roadrunners during the 2021 Frisco Bowl at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2021; Frisco, TX, USA; San Diego State Aztecs wide receiver Jesse Matthews (45) holds the offensive MVP trophy after the game against the UTSA Roadrunners during the 2021 Frisco Bowl at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Diego State football ended the season with an impressive Frisco Bowl win over UTSA. What’d we learn from the Aztecs’ win?

What a way to finish the season for San Diego State football. The Aztecs were blown out in the Mountain West title game by Utah State and earned a Frisco Bowl berth against a tough UTSA team. They handled the Roadrunners 38-24 to end the year 12-2.

Brady Hoke deserves a ton of credit for this turnaround in 2021 as his Aztecs will finish the season ranked and as one of the best Group of Five teams in the country.

This win also wouldn’t have been possible without the toughness of senior quarterback Lucas Johnson nor the breakout performance of wideout Jesse Matthews.

What’d we learn from this impressive Frisco Bowl win by San Diego State?

3. Defense stood tall

Coming in Tuesday night’s Frisco Bowl, UTSA was one of the better offensive Group of Five teams in the country. The Roadrunners averaged about 38 points and over 430 total yards per game and San Diego State was fresh off a nightmarish defensive effort against Utah State in the Mountain West title game, giving up 46 points and nearly 400 yards.

San Diego State’s defense had been otherwise solid this season, but it was interesting to see how they responded against an electric UTSA offense in the Frisco Bowl.

The defense stepped up big-time, holding UTSA about two touchdowns under their season average in the scoring column and they gave up just 388 total yards on 62 plays. Not too shabby.

The reason San Diego State won this game is that the defense limited big plays and held Frank Harris in check. Not having to face Sincere McCormick also helped.

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