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First-year San Diego State coach Brady Hoke and his staff have helped the Aztecs (4-4, 2-2 Mountain West Conference) rebound from a 2-10 season a year ago to being just two wins from a possible bowl berth.
The Aztecs offense has continued to improve this season, especially since a bye Oct. 10. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Lindley has an efficiency rating of 170.6 in the three games since the bye, including 12 touchdowns and just one interception. San Diego State has won two consecutive games (over Colorado State and New Mexico) for the first time since 2007."They’re the most dangerous team below the surface in the league," said Gary Patterson, whose No. 6-ranked Frogs (8-0, 4-0) play at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego at 3 p.m. Saturday. "Offensively they have tremendous weapons at the skill positions. They have unbelievable wideouts. This year is no different. Their quarterback is growing up. You can just tell there’s a confident air about them. They can play."Patterson was impressed with the Aztecs’ 42-28 comeback win at Colorado State on Oct. 24. After the Rams took a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, San Diego State scored on five consecutive drives in the second half. Three of Lindley’s six touchdown passes were caught by DeMarco Sampson, who finished with 15 receptions for 257 yards."They’re on a two-game winning streak and playing with confidence," Patterson said. "They have a chance with two more wins to go to the Poinsettia Bowl for the first time in a long, long time. We have to keep our noses down and understand we’re going to have to claw, scratch and do everything we can to come back with one more point."Dueling studios?CBS College Sports, which will broadcast TCU’s Nov. 14 game with Utah, plans to set up an end zone studio on the south side of Amon G. Carter Stadium for the game. But they might have some competition.ESPN College GameDay, the popular Saturday morning show hosted by Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, could also make its first-ever visit to Fort Worth, Herbstreit told ESPN Radio’s Galloway and Company on Wednesday.Herbstreit said if Ohio State loses to Penn State on Saturday, TCU-Utah would become the week’s marquee game. An Ohio State loss at No. 11 Penn State (8-1) would take some luster off the Buckeyes’ home game against No. 8 Iowa (9-0) next week. Ohio State is 7-2.GameDay was in Provo, Utah, for the Horned Frogs’ win over BYU on Oct. 24.Sligar earns tripRedshirt freshman linebacker Logan Sligar impressed coaches enough on special teams last week to earn a trip with the team to San Diego.Sligar, who hails from Pope High School in Marietta, Ga., is one of 18 non-Texas recruits on the Frogs’ roster. He’s the only Frog from Georgia.Remain indoorsThe Frogs were forced to practice indoors this week, something the team has grown accustomed to this rain-filled season.The team practiced in the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility Tuesday through Thursday because the defensive practice field was still too wet from last week’s rain.Although the team practiced at Amon G. Carter Sunday night, the field needed a few days of inactivity after the Frogs’ game with UNLV.Johnson honoredReceiver Bart Johnson was named to ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-District team for the second consecutive year.Johnson is second on the team with 22 receptions for 287 yards. Johnson is a Dean’s List student majoring in marketing.Stefan Stevenson, 817-390-7760
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