DeKALB – Adding another loss to increase its losing streak against the San Diego State University Aztecs (3-1), NIU football (1-3) produced its lowest scoring game since the 2010 season in a 6-3 loss at home.
FIRST HALF
San Diego State won the coin toss and elected to receive in the second half, giving the Huskies possession to start the game.
NIU started the game at their own 25-yard line after an Aztecs touchback, and strung together a 62-yard, 16-play drive before coming up short at the San Diego State 13-yard line. Senior kicker Andrew Glass proceeded to kick a 30-yard field goal to put the Huskies up 3-0.
A lengthy drive from the Aztecs came up short at the NIU 12-yard line, ending the first quarter. The San Diego State drive totaled 13 plays and 63 yards, ending with senior kicker Gabriel Plascencia drilling a 30-yard field goal to start the second quarter.
The Huskies started their second possession with a fumble, recovered by redshirt sophomore running back Jaylen Poe, which was the start of a three-and-out ending in a 46-yard punt from freshman punter Danny Vuckovic.
The Aztecs responded with a 10–play, 31-yard drive ending with a 4th-and-1 stop from the Huskies, giving NIU the ball back at their own 46-yard line.
The two sides traded punts, with NIU getting the ball back with 3:06 remaining in the first half.
The Huskies were then immediately called for a false start, pushing them back to their own 12-yard line to begin their drive, which ended two minutes later with a 20-yard, out-of-bounds, punt from Vuckovic.
Forcing a punt from San Diego State, NIU got the ball back at its own 5-yard line for the final possession of the half. The Huskies kneeled, sending the game to halftime with a score of 3-3.
Holst ended the first half with 27 yards and 2 sacks, with junior wide receiver DeAree Rogers’s 38 yards leading the Huskies.
SECOND HALF
On the second play of the half for San Diego State, junior quarterback Jayden Denegal threw an interception to redshirt-senior safety Muhammed Jammeh, giving the Huskies the ball at their own 27-yard line.
The Huskies failed to capitalize on the turnover, going three-and-out on their first possession of the half.
NIU started their next drive with a change at quarterback, putting freshman Brady Davidson in to replace Holst. On the second pass of his career, Davidson was picked off by Aztec senior cornerback Chris Johnson, giving San Diego State possession at their own 49-yard line.
The two sides took turns punting to end the third quarter, with the Huskies punting on their first drive of the fourth.
On fourth-and-1 for the Aztecs, Denegal’s pass was picked off by junior safety Jasper Beeler, giving the Huskies the ball at their own 32-yard line. A 22-yard run from freshman running back Lazaro Rogers was called back after a holding penalty was called on NIU, erasing what would have been the longest run of the game for NIU’s offense.
Attempting to punt, the snap to Vuckovic was bobbled, but a facemask call on the Aztecs’ defense kept the ball with Huskies on NIU’s 48-yard line. Going for it on fourth-and-two, the Huskies turned the ball over on downs to give the Aztecs the ball with just over 4 minutes remaining in regulation.
Forcing a three-and-out from the Aztecs, the punt from San Diego State gave the Huskies the ball back at their own 15-yard line. The Huskies were unable to gain significant yards, punting to San Diego State’s 44-yard line.
The Aztecs took seven plays to get to the Huskies 7-yard line, where Plascencia kicked a 25-yard field goal to walk off the game for the Aztecs and seal the 6-3 victory.
Holst ended the game going six for 14 with 49 passing yards and 2 sacks. Rogers contributed 51 receiving yards and sophomore running back Telly Johnson Jr. added 53 rushing yards.
