SDSU place-kicker Gabriel Plascencia earned honors as the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week after accounting for 11 of the Aztecs’ 23 points in a shutout win at Fresno State on Saturday.
Plascencia, an Oakland native, accounted for three field goals and two extra-point conversions to tie a career high.
He split the uprights from 42 yards out with 12:20 remaining in the second quarter to extend SDSU’s lead to 10-0 and added a 50-yarder with 1:33 to play in the first half for a 13-0 Aztec lead. He converted a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the visitors up 16-0.
Plascencia now has the conference record for most consecutive field goals made at 25. He also kicked off three times with three touchbacks.
On the season, he has made all 13 field goal attempts and all 21 extra-point attempts. He ranks in a tie for the FBS lead in both field goal percentage (100.0) and PAT percentage (100.0).
He is 30-for-31 in career field goals (96.8 percent), the highest mark in FBS history (minimum 1.2 field goals per game, 30 made field goals).
“I thought our kids did a great job,” SDSU head coach Sean Lewis said. “The staff did a great job of weathering the ups and downs of the game. There’s still a ton of room to grow as we continue to climb and take the next step.
“When I say the community is playing with us, home advantage is real. Now when I’m out in the community, to see the number of people that are wearing Aztec gear, it’s really, really cool. This is a special team.”
The road win raised SDSU’s record to 6-1 on the season following a 3-9 showing last season. The Aztecs are now bowl eligible with five regular season games remaining, and for the first time since 2022.
The 6-1 start is the best for SDSU since starting 7-0 in 2021. That 2021 team set a program record with 12 wins (12-2) en route to a No. 25 AP Top 25 ranking.
The Aztecs have three shutouts in the same season for the first time in their Division I history (since 1969). They rank as the only team in FBS with three shutouts.
SDSU handed Fresno State its first shutout at home since Oct. 25, 1980.
The Aztecs have now won five consecutive games, their longest streak since starting 7-0 in 2021.
The Aztecs improved to 3-0 in MW play. They won the conference championship in both 2015 and 2016 after starting MW play 3-0.
Running back Lucky Sutton (Cathedral Catholic) rushed for a career high 131 yards, his third 100-yard game this season. He scored on a one-yard run to stake the visitors to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
Fellow Dons alumnus Tano Letuli (Otay Ranch Broncos) scored on a 31-yard interception return, the team’s fourth defensive touchdown this season.
SDSU out-gained Fresno State 208-45 in net rushing yards. The Bulldogs (2-2 in MW play, 5-3 overall) punted six times.
Aztec signal-caller Jayden Denegal passed for 124 yards with two sacks. Byron Cardwell (Morse) had two catches for 59 yards, including one catch and run for 54 yards. Cardwell totaled 85 all-purpose yards by tacking on 26 rushing yards.
Dalesean Staley led the team with seven tackles while Niles King had one sack.
Sutton leads the team with 662 net rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season while Denegal has passed for 1,221 yards and seven scores. Jordan Napier has 567 receiving yards and two TD.
SDSU next hosts Nevada (0-4, 1-7) Saturday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. for homecoming. The Aztecs play at Hawaii on Nov. 8.
Mountain West Standings
Conference/Overall
Boise State 4-0 6-2
SDSU 3-0 6-1
Hawaii 3-1 6-2
UNLV 2-1 6-1
New Mexico 2-2 5-3
Fresno State 2-2 5-3
Utah State 2-2 4-4
Wyoming 2-2 4-4
San Jose State 1-2 2-5
Colorado State 1-3 2-6
Air Force 1-4 2-5
Nevada 0-4 1-7
Community College Standings
American Pacific
Conference/Overall
Santa Monica 3=0 7-1
Glendale 2-1 5-3
San Bernardino 2-1 5-3
Grossmont 1-2 5-3
West L.A. 1-2 5-3
LA Pierce 0-3 0-8
