Aztecs beat Utah 33-31 in triple-overtime thriller

San Diego State passed for fewer yards than almost any game in its history during the first four quarters of Saturday’s game against Utah.

And SDSU didn’t even attempt a pass in a last-gasp effort to prevent the contest from going into overtime.

But SDSU passed the ball — and completed it — when it needed to Saturday night in a 33-31 triple overtime victory over the Utes.

Both teams scored on their first overtime possessions — SDSU on a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Lucas Johnson to tight end Jay Rudolph and Utah on a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Rising to wide receiver Jaylen Dixon — and failed to score on their second OT possessions — both teams missing 37-yard field goal attempts.

In the third OT, which requires teams to alternate attempting two-point conversions, SDSU running back Greg Bell took a direct snap, handed off to wide receiver Jesse Matthews, who ran right, then passed to Johnson in the middle of the end zone for the score that made the difference before an estimated 5,000 fans (announced attendance was 11,090) at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The Utes appeared to have matched the two-point score with one of their own when Rising hit Connor O’Toole in the left corner of the end zone, but the completion was overturned on review — the ball touched the ground — and the Aztecs raced off the field with the victory.

Johnson embraced his head coach before joining his joyous his teammates.

SDSU’s winning play was popularized in the Super Bowl three years ago, with the Philadelphia Eagles calling it “Philly Special” or “Philly Philly.”

Asked if they should call the play “Aztec Aztec” now, SDSU head coach Brady Hoke said: “That sounds good to me.”

Hoke said the play was added to the playbook two years ago after offensive coordinator Jeff Hecklinski was hired.

“That was one of the first things we put in,” Hoke said, “so when we got to that situation we had to go for two, I knew what the play was going to be. They executed, and it was great to see all that hard work and execution pay off.”

Hoke said he tried to calm Johnson, who replaced starting quarterback Jordon Brookshire (ankle), in the game’s anxious moments, but it turned out being the other way around.

“On the sideline, he comes over and says, ‘Coach, we’re going to be fine,’ “ Hoke said. “He’s settling me down and I’m trying to settle him down. He really, I thought, did a nice job.”

Said Johnson: “He had all faith in us. We went out there in overtime and executed our plays. I just said, ‘Coach, we got you’ and took care of business.”

SDSU had not attempted three straight passes in the game, then opened OT with Johnson hitting tight end Daniel Bellinger with a 15-yard pass, threw a pass to the goal line (Utah was called for interference) Johnson hit Rudolph for the TD on the third snap.

This, after playing conservatively in the fourth quarter while protecting a 24-10 lead that became 24-24 by the time the clock expired in regulation. Hoke admitted trying to bleed the clock in the fourth quarter before being more daring in OT.

“It’s two different worlds you enter,” Hoke said. “You’ve got to do what you think is your best when you get into those overtimes, especially those two-point plays.”

The way this game was going, it appeared the Aztecs wouldn’t need to throw the ball.

After all, who needs to throw it when you can run it?

On offense.

On defense.

And on special teams.

SDSU running back Greg Bell rushed for a pair of 7-yard touchdowns, the first one set up by Johnson’s 54-yard run and the second one set up by cornerback Tayler Hawkins’ 34-yard interception return.

SDSU’s Jordan Byrd, the fastest man on the field, also got into the act, running back a first-half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

And Araiza’s left leg provided some more prodigious punts.

The performances helped the Aztecs (3-0) beat Utah (1-2) and continue a run of dominance against Pac-12 teams.

SDSU defeated a Pac-12 team for the second straight week — they defeated Arizona 38-14 in Week 2 — and the seventh time since the 2016 season. The Aztecs are 7-2 (.777) in that span, a nonconference winning percentage against the Pac-12 that leads the nation (minimum five games).

The Aztecs took control of a game that was even at halftime — 10-10 — by taking the opening kickoff of the third quarter and advancing it 82 yards downfield for a 17-10 lead on Bell’s first TD.

Johnson set it up when he broke containment and raced from SDSU’s 39-yard line to the Utah 7.

“It was a good momentum swing for us, and I was just happy I was able to make the play for our team in that moment,” Johnson said.

After two plays did not move the ball closer to their stated goal, Bell got the call, found a seam on the left side and bulled his way over the goal line.

There was 11:24 showing on the clock — and 54 seconds later the Aztecs had boosted their lead to 24-10.

This time it was Hawkins providing the spark, stepping in front of a Charlie Brewer pass at the Utah 41-yard line and returning the interception to the 7 before he was tackled out of bounds.

One play later, Bell was in the end zone again.

Bell had a workhorse game, rushing 33 times for 119 yards. It was his third straight 100-yard game this season and put him over 1,000 yards for his Aztecs career (1,042 yards in 10 games).

Johnson wasn’t far behind in rushing yardage, carrying eight times for 87 yards. As a team, SDSU rushed 45 times for 204 yards.

Johnson completed 8 of 17 throws for 27 passing yards — only 13 more than the school’s all-time low of 14 yards set against Utah State — in regulation.

He may have more than doubled that total but for a pass interference penalty on a ball aimed 40 yards downfield to wide receiver Tyrell Shavers. Including OT, Johnson was 10-for-19 for 44 yards.

Most of Johnson’s passing numbers — 7-for-14 for 23 yards — were compiled in the first half when both offenses struggled to move the ball.

Total offense at halftime: Utah 89 yards, SDSU 79 yards.

For the game, Utah held a 327-248 advantage in total yards.

Brewer (14-for-26 for 104 yards) was largely ineffective before being replaced late in the third quarter by Rising, who completed 19 of 32 passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Rising also was difficult to tackle, rushing five times for 46 yards.

“He was breaking contain and a lot more mobile than (Brewer),” SDSU defensive end Cameron Thomas said. “He kept us on our heels, but I think we responded well.”

Utah’s offense finally reached the red zone on a run by Rising. But the Utes turned the ball over on downs at SDSU’s 4-yard line.

There were still nearly nine minutes remaining in the game at that point, and the Aztecs enjoying a 24-10 lead.

Utah narrowed the gap with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Rising to wide receiver Britain Covey with 4:17 remaining, but the Utes missed the extra point and SDSU led 24-16.

Utah had one final drive in the closing minutes, with the Utes getting a 4-yard touchdown pass from Rising to Theo Howard to make it 24-22 with 16 seconds remaining.

The two-point conversion made it 24-24. SDSU got the ball back with 14 seconds remaining, but Johnson took a knee at the 35-yard line as time expired in regulation.

There were more fans dressed in red — most of them rooting for Utah — than black for the so-called “Blackout” game.

It mattered not to those in the black jerseys on the field, although the Aztecs were a bit red-faced the way Utah opened the game’s scoring.

A punt-filled first quarter was interrupted midway through the period when Utah turned the tables on an SDSU special teams that was notable for good producing big plays the first two weeks of the season.

Covey fielded an Araiza punt at the Utes 20-yard line, cut left, broke two tackles and ran down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown to the roaring approval of those sitting on the visitors side of the stadium.

As an aside, Araiza got a smidge of redemption later when he made the tackle on Covey — not once but twice — after punts and came off the field to helmet slaps from his teammates. Araiza averaged 51.4 yards on nine punts.

SDSU made it 7-3 on a 51-yard Araiza field goal before the quarter ended.

The Aztecs made two critical mistakes in the second quarter that helped Utah to a 10-3 lead on a 43-yard Jadon Redding field goal with 7:51 to go before halftime.

The drive was stopped when SDSU’s defense pinned the Utes at their 23-yard line to force a punt. The Aztecs jumped offsides on the place, giving Utah a first down to extend the drive.

The flag was especially frustrating because SDSU’s Tyrell Shavers had rushed in to block Cameron Peasley’s punt and teammate Kobe Smith grabbed the loose ball and returned it for an apparent touchdown.

Instead, Utah had a first-and-10 at its own 28-yard line.

SDSU appeared to have the Utes stopped again five plays later, but a targeting foul on safety Patrick McMorris turned a third-down stop into a first-and-10 at the SDSU 43-yard line.

Redding booted his field goal moments later. McMorris was booted from the game for the penalty.

Byrd stirred the crowd after the field goal when he fielded the kickoff while straddling the goal line, ran left, found the corner and was gone.

“It felt great,” Byrd said. “That play really put some momentum into the offense and the defense.”

The way SDSU’s defense performed for three quarters, who would have thought the game would go three overtimes?

“I still can’t believe it,” Thomas said. “When it was official, I was so excited. I don’t even know what was going through my mind. It was just a great team win, and I’m excited to keep this season rolling.”