Aztecs vs. Penn State Preview

SDSU heads to PSU for the first time ever.

 The Aztecs make their first trip to Beaver Stadium this weekend and hopefully they’ll leave Happy Valley, well happy.

 
San Diego State (1-2) heads to Penn State (2-1) looking to end a two game skid. The Aztecs are 14-point underdogs facing a team that beat Rutgers 28-3 last weekend in the second largest college football stadium. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No.
 
Here are some things to look out for Saturday.
 
Penn State’s run game. Last week they piled up 330 yards on the ground. Freshman running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 195 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns. Teammate Akeel Lynch tacked on 120 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown of his own. The SDSU rush defense is ranked 78th in FBS.  A tough task but one the Aztecs can overcome because their offensive ground game has Donnel Pumphrey. 
 
Last week the junior running back posted his first 100-yard game of the season and 14th of his collegiate career. Pumphrey sits in fourth place on SDSU’s all-time list with 2,868 career rushing yards behind Marshall Faulk, Larry Ned and Ronnie Hillman. He’s also a receiving threat that can cause problems for the PSU defensive if he can find some holes. 
 
But Pumphrey and the rest of the Aztecs are going to have to deal with a PSU defense that gets to the quarterback. Defensive end Carl Nassib is tied for second in the nation with 5.0 sacks. The Nittany Lions as a whole have 13 on the season. They’ve also got outside linebacker Brandon Bell who had nine tackles against Rutgers.
 
But SDSU cornerback Damontae Kazee could be the Aztecs not so hidden weapon. The 5’11 185-pound junior is off to a great start. In the Mountain West, Kazee is considered one of the top players in his position. He’s active tracking down receivers around the field and has three interceptions this season. He’ll be keeping his eye on PSU quarterback Christian Hackenberg who has only one touchdown but two interceptions in three games. 
 
Another plus for the Aztecs is their special teams. They’re ranked third nationally behind Rutgers and Auburn. Sophmore Rashaad Penny is fifth in FBS in kick return average at 37.3 yards per return including a 97-yard touchdown return in the Aztecs opener. 
 
It won’t be easy for the head coach Rocky Long and the Aztecs at Beaver Stadium. But they’ve got a real chance to get a statement win in Happy Valley. 
 
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. pacific time.
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