Stopping Washington State quarterback John Mateer is Aztecs' top priority

San Diego State and Washington State are like those neighbors across the street who wave when they're outside to get the mail, but other than that you don't have much contact.

The teams have only met on the football field twice before. SDSU won 42-24 at home in 2011. The Cougars won 45-17 at home in 2007.

SDSU (3-3) and Washington State (6-1) will match up much better in the future, with the Aztecs expected to join the Cougars in the restored Pac-12 in 2026. Washington State is on the Aztecs' schedule for both. They will be old friends this year and next when they become conference opponents.

“They're a really good opponent, that's coming down here, right?” said SDSU coach Sean Lewis. “Only one loss this season, against a really good Boise (State) team, and they beat Texas Tech, a Power Five (school).

Washington State earned bowl eligibility with last week's 42-10 win over Hawaii, a team the Aztecs beat 27-24 three weeks ago.

SDSU is a 14-point underdog coming into the game at Snapdragon Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network).

Here are five things to keep in mind:

1. Washington State QB John Mateer

As quarterback John Mateer goes, so do the Cougars.

Washington State ranks 15th nationally in scoring average (39.4 ppg), largely due to the 6-foot-2, 219-pound dual-threat QB from Little Elm, Texas.

Mateer has completed 129 of 215 passes for 1,896 yards and 16 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also passed for 533 yards and another eight touchdowns.

“This guy presents a challenge just because of his speed,” SDSU defensive coordinator Eric Schmidt said. “There are guys who are dual-threat and run to extend plays to put the ball away. He’s really fast.”

After watching videos of Washington State's wins against Texas Tech and Washington, Schmidt said Mateer had some carries that were just as good as a college running back.

“He’s agile and his lower half is strong and he can get through arm tackles,” Schmidt said. “It will be as big a challenge as it was this year, dealing with a guy who is really, really elusive and is just as good on his feet as he is with his arms.”

2. SDSU ground game

SDSU running back Marquez Cooper (151 carries, 670 yards, 6 TDs) got a welcome break during last week's off week.

Cooper was a workhorse for the Aztecs, averaging 25 carries and 111 yards per game. They were tough farms. Cooper is often hit behind the line of scrimmage, and the gaps were often small as he looked for room to run.

Washington State has been mediocre against the run, ranking 83rd nationally with 157.6 yards per game.

The pressure is on SDSU's offensive line to give Cooper some leeway. One positive takeaway from this week is that it gave Aztecs center Brayden Bryant's injured right ankle more time to heal.

3. Washington State pass defense

SDSU has only had three passes intercepted this season. Only one of the interceptions came from starting quarterback Danny O'Neil, who had a streak of 127 consecutive throws without an interception before Wyoming intercepted a pass two weeks ago.

Washington State intercepted nine passes, led by defensive backs Ethan O'Connor (three) and Tyson Durant (two).

Something has to give, right?

“They're finding their rhythm a little bit on offense,” Washington State coach Jake Dickert said on Coaches' Show this week. “Hopefully we don’t let them find it this week. That’s the plan.”

Of O'Neil's performance this season, Dickert said: “He's as talented as they come and can make all the throws. We have to try to corral him and keep him in check and of course push those things back so he doesn’t feel comfortable.”

The Aztecs have only lost one fumble this season. They rank fifth nationally with four turnovers. Only Army (1), Navy (2), Vanderbilt (2) and South Alabama (3) have fewer turnovers.

4. Third-down conversions

A focus of the second half of the season for the Aztecs will be improving their third-down conversion percentage.

SDSU has converted just 33 percent of its third-down plays, which ranks 113th nationally.

Part of the problem is penalties. SDSU ranks 132nd nationally with 10 penalties per game. That led to several third-and-long situations that were too much to overcome.

Washington State was very effective on third down, as you would expect from a team that scores nearly 40 points per game. The Cougars have converted 45 percent of third downs and rank 25th nationally.

5. When it comes to pedaling

Washington State's offense has been so productive this season that senior kicker/punter Dean Janikowski (Cathedral Catholic High School) spent more time as a spectator than as a participant.

Janikowski is 7 of 9 on his field goal attempts for 52 yards. He averaged 43.6 yards and 55 yards on 23 punts.

SDSU kicker Gabriel Plascencia made 5 of 6 field goals for 50 yards. He made two field goals in wins over Hawaii and Wyoming.

SDSU punter Tyler Pastula has been a weapon for the Aztecs this season. His 46.3-yard punting average ranks fifth in the NCAA. Two weeks ago, the achievement was enhanced by a performance at Wyoming that included a season-high 75-yard punt. That was one in 10 punts of 50 yards or more.

Originally published: October 25, 2024 at 5:34 p.m