By admin 
Three thoughts after San Diego State’s 28-10 loss to UCLA on Saturday at the Rose Bowl:
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1. Time of possession
San Diego State meant to test UCLA with deep balls down the sidelines.
“That was part of the plan,” SDSU coach Sean Lewis said after the game. “We felt like we had good matchups on the edge. There was a lot of single, high coverage. There were good, calculated shots downrange that we got balls on hands that we didn’t catch. We had guys wide open that we missed.
“Pitch and catch. We’ve got to do a better job with that as we go.”
One challenge with that strategy is that when balls fall incomplete – quarterback Jayden Denegal was 6-for-17 – it is difficult to sustain drives. SDSU’s average time of possession was 2 minutes, 16 seconds.
Incompletions also stop the clock, which is one reason SDSU’s time of possession was 25:05 – nearly 10 full minutes less than the Bruins had the ball.
Time of possession is not a perfect stat. Portland State had the ball 8 1/2 minutes more than the Aztecs a week earlier and lost by 33 points. That difference could be explained by some quick strikes on offense on a short field after two blocked punts as well as a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
It was a different story against UCLA, where SDSU’s defense acquitted itself well but wore down late in the game.
While SDSU works to improve on its pitching and catching, the Aztecs may want to rely on more ground and pound. They have a robust running game. Riding that has been a successful strategy for the better part of two decades.
Keeping the offense on the field for extended drives with the clock running is a sound idea as a defense that showed promise in Pasadena develops depth.
2. A leg up
Matt Araiza. Jack Browning. Tyler Pastula. Hunter Green.
They left an elite punting legacy at SDSU over the past five years.
Tashi Dorje leaned into it when he succeeded Green in the spring.
“It’s a legacy I’m following in,” Dorje said then. “I just want to build my own and leave my mark.”
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Dorje left his mark against UCLA with a punt in the second quarter that went 77 yards. It was the ninth-longest punt in school history. He punted seven times on Saturday, averaging 50 yards per kick. It included one that settled on the 1-yard line but was a touchback because it briefly crossed into the end zone.
“He did a great job,” Lewis said. “Their returner’s really, really dynamic. We asked Tashi to do a lot of different things. He hits a lot of different kicks.
“He gives us a chance. I thought the operation was really good. He’s doing his part to flip the field. Every single time he goes out there, we want those guys to start as far away from the goal line as possible, and he’s doing a heck of a job with that.”
Dorje’s 49.3-yard punt average through two games ranks seventh in the nation. It’s one spot behind Green (50.8), who is kicking for Washington this season.
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3. Misplaced their minds
The term fan is short for fanatic, so we shouldn’t be surprised at the reaction from some following a loss.
Still, the vitriol that spews forth in such situations is amazing. And you know it’s coming.
As he walked out of the Rose Bowl on Saturday night, one SDSU staff member was overheard saying he’s “staying off social media for the next 48 hours.”
Within minutes of the loss, some Aztecs fans, like their peers for half the teams across the country, had misplaced their minds.
“Gross incompetence by Sean Lewis,” “Horrific playcalling” and “Our QB play is pathetic” were among the comments on social media in the immediate aftermath.
These are the same people who are so interested in the team that in one breath they’re pestering people about who looks good at third-string right guard, and in another moment they’re burying a team that is two games into a 12-game schedule.
Does anyone remember what happened to SDSU in its second game last season? The Aztecs lost 36-13 at Washington State. Some fans went crazy, then watched the Aztecs win eight of their next 10 regular-season games, nearly play for a conference championship, make it back to a bowl game and finish 9-4.
At Fanatic Central, a chat board more formally called Aztec Mesa, there was one voice of reason in the wilderness.
Under the topic thread, “Overreaction Sunday is in full effect,” someone with the moniker laaztec posted:
“I’m not sure what people were expecting out of SDSU against UCLA. Everyone is acting like we were playing against an FCS opponent again. Leave your emotions out of this. UCLA is a good Big (Ten) team playing at home. SDSU hung tough and kept it close. SDSU needed to play perfect and UCLA had to make a bunch of mistakes for SDSU to win.
“UCLA is a better team. It’s as simple as that. I like the passion of everyone, but you have to realize that to win a game like that, everything has to break our way. Yesterday it didn’t. It’s a long season. SDSU’s going to be fine.”
Upon further review … Maybe it’s good that people have a place to vent. It could keep them from kicking the dog.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 5:04 PM.