Brady Hoke tried to make this game like any other game.
How could that be when you’re wrapping up a 42-year coaching career, including 16 seasons as a head coach?
You can’t.
But you can still try to make it like any other Saturday.
Fresno State seemed intent on spoiling things when running back Malik Sherrod took a handoff from quarterback Mikey Keene and broke three leg tackles on the way to a 62-yard touchdown 5:41 into the game.
But four field goals by SDSU kicker Jack Browning, quarterback Jalen Mayden’s 70-yard touchdown run — SDSU’s longest play of the season — and a bend-but-don’t-break defensive showing sparked the Aztecs to a 33-18 Mountain West win over Fresno State.
When the clock reached 0:00, SDSU players sprinted to the stadium’s southeast corner to grab the Old Oil Can trophy that represents this rivalry. Then they ran with it down to the north side of the stadium to hold it up to the student section.
Hoke lingered on the field a few moments to say some goodbyes, then joined the team as players and coaches exited the field to the locker room.
SDSU junior running back Jaylen Armstead’s 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter boosted a 16-10 halftime lead to a 23-10 advantage that proved insurmountable. It came after the SDSU defense had forced Fresno State to punt away the opening possession of the second half.
Entering the fourth quarter, Bulldogs punter Carson King accounted for nearly as many yards himself (228 on six punts) as Fresno State’s offense (236).
Browning’s fourth field, a 33-yarder less than a minute into the fourth quarter, made it 26-10. Fresno State scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by Sherrod with 10:08 remaining and added a two-point conversion to make it an eight-point game at 26-18.
But the Aztecs iced it on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Mayden to walk-on running back Leo Kemp with 2:54 to play.
SDSU produced more than 400 yards in total offense while controlling the clock for nearly 42 of the game’s 60 minutes.
And so, the Aztecs (4-8, 2-6 MW) sent Hoke into retirement with a victory before an announced crowd of 22,000 (turnstile was 13,853), ending a four-game losing streak in a season where the Aztecs failed to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2009.
The year included more downs than ups, leading two weeks ago to Hoke announcing that he would not be returning next season as SDSU’s head coach.
“It’s time,” Hoke said more than a few times in the days since.
They counted down until only one day, one game, was left.
SDSU team buses arrived at Snapdragon Stadium with sirens blaring just more than two hours before kickoff against Fresno State (8-4, 4-4).
But, then, the Aztecs always receive a police escort to home games with all the bells and whistles.
As Hoke got off the bus, a young fan put a lei around the coach’s neck right before the team began the Warrior Walk up the east steps into the stadium.
Cheerleaders cheered. Drummers drummed. Baton twirlers twirled.
Hoke and coaches followed players down the steps onto the field to make their way across the 25-yard line to the locker room.
Hoke spotted an old acquaintance on the Fresno State sideline and broke ranks to go shake hands.
Then he was stopped for a pregame interview for the Fox Sports 1 broadcast before following the rest of the players and coaches into the SDSU locker room.
An hour later, Hoke was on the field for pregame warmups, chatting up some game officials before speaking to some recruits and their families along the SDSU sideline.
As kickoff approached, Hoke positioned himself near midfield outside the Aztecs’ tunnel to shake hands and pose for photos with each of the 18 seniors honored on Senior Night.
Highlights from Hoke’s career played on the Snapdragon video boards, then he walked back on the field as the “Honor Warrior” and planted a spear at the 50 before returning to the sideline.
Moments later, Hoke joined SDSU’s captains on the field.
He jogged off after Fresno State won the coin toss, likely thinking, “Can we start this game already?”
Hoke has seemed almost embarrassed to share what this moment meant to him, keeping his emotions on hold — at least on the outside — as this night approached.
His players spoke for him.
“Everything he’s done has been great for us,” senior safety Cedarious Barfield said earlier this week. “Even after the announcement, he’s still been coaching us very hard and he’s still been into it 110 percent. Very intentional and everything like that. …
“It kind of did hit hard (when the announcement came), because of how he’s such a great guy, a great coach, and had a great career.”
San Diego State quarterback Jalen Mayden sparked the offense with a 70-yard touchdown run.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Mayden, who returned to quarterback last season after moving to safety, expressed appreciation for Hoke’s encouragement.
“(We’ve) have had our personal talks,” Mayden said, “and it’s always been about the opportunity that I have in front of me and whether I’m going to take it or not and do it.
“I just really appreciate him because every time that I’ve gone to him, he’s always given me something positive. … to look for opportunities, and just taking advantage of them.”
Mayden, like SDSU’s other 17 seniors, had one more opportunity against the Bulldogs.
They were hoping to make the most of it.
Mayden (17-for-26, 189 yards, TD passing/14 carries, 96 yards, TD rushing) led the way with the longest play of the season. His 70-yard TD run also was the longest rush by an SDSU quarterback in at least three decades.
Notable
• Browning returned as SDSU’s place-kicker after two games in which he was limited to punting.
It signaled that Browning (knee) was again healthy enough to kick.
It also preserves the redshirt year of backup kicker Gabriel Plascencia. The junior played in four games (two starts) this season, which is the NCAA maximum to still redshirt.
• SDSU backup quarterback Tobin O’Dell, a redshirt freshman walk-on, replaced Mayden for a few snaps, and rushed three times for 21 yards.
The 62-yard run was representative of the big plays that have been back breakers this season.
• New Mexico’s loss to Utah State on Friday meant SDSU would share the cellar with the Lobos (4-8, 2-6 MW) with a season-ending win.
The Lobos showed improvement at times this season, but it wasn’t enough to save the job of head coach Danny Gonzales. Reports out of Albuquerque were that Gonzales was fired with one year remaining on his contract. He was an SDSU coach from 2011-17, the last year as defensive coordinator.
