Recap: San Diego St vs. Utah
Sports Network | November 15, 2008
San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Brian Johnson threw for 283 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as eighth-ranked Utah remained unbeaten with BCS aspirations following a 63-14 pounding of San Diego State.
Johnson connected on 27-of-38 passes and was picked off once. Freddie Brown had 11 receptions for 110 yards and a pair of scores for the Utes (11-0, 7-0 MWC), who secured at least a share of the Mountain West Conference title. They will aim to finish the regular season unbeaten when they host nationally- ranked BYU next Saturday.
Deshawn Richard returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns in a 70-second span in the fourth quarter.
Matt Asiata gained 83 yards on the ground and scored for the Utes, who rolled up 520 yards of total offense.
Ryan Lindley connected on 23-of-41 passes for 247 yards with two TDs and was picked off twice for San Diego State (1-10, 0-7), which dropped its seventh consecutive contest.
It was a horrible start to the game for the Aztecs, as Tyler Campbell carried the ball for 18 yards, but was stripped by linebacker Stevenson Sylvester. Koa Misi fell on it for the Utes, and a short time later Johnson connected with tight end Colt Sampson on a two-yard TD pass.
Layne Yoshida then missed a 47-yard field goal for the Aztecs, and it became 14-0 on Johnson's four-yard touchdown strike to Brown later in the first.
David Reed caught a 32-yard scoring toss from Johnson on the first play of the second quarter for a 21-0 margin.
Lindley found Darren Mougey for a 31-yard TD nearly four minutes later, but with just over five minutes left in the half Brown caught a five-yard touchdown pass. Reed's three-yard scoring reception with 15 seconds left made it 35-7 at the break.
Justin Shaw had the lone TD in the third quarter, catching Lindley's 16-yard pass, but the Utes tacked on four touchdowns in the final quarter, on one-yard runs by Asiata and Ray Stowers, and returns of 89 and 38 yards on interceptions from Richard.
Utah has won the last three meetings...Utah was 13-of-14 on third down conversions and scored six of seven times when having the ball in the red zone...Mougey had five receptions for 85 yards.
