COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : SAN DIEGO STATE : Faulk to Return vs. Colorado State

San Diego State star running back Marshall Faulk has been declared out for Saturday’s game against Wyoming, but SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said Thursday that Faulk will return a week from Saturday when the Aztecs play host to Colorado State.

“I was told by our medical staff that he is cleared to practice with contact and to play in next week’s game,” Luginbill said.

SDSU’s next practice in pads is Tuesday, and Luginbill said he expects Faulk to participate. The Aztecs will not practice this afternoon and will hold a light, non-contact practice Monday night.

“I think I’m ready,” Faulk said Thursday before being informed he will play next Saturday. “There’s not as much pain as there used to be, just soreness I have to work out of.”

Faulk leads the nation in rushing (163.8 yards a game), scoring (18.3 points a game) and touchdowns (18). He has been out since he sustained two fractured ribs and a punctured lung Oct. 12 against New Mexico.

One statistic Luginbill is particularly proud of is this: The Aztecs lead the Western Athletic Conference in third-down conversions both by the offense (converting 45.6% of their opportunities) and by the defense (allowing only a 30.2% success rate).

“We’ve worked very hard on keeping drives going, and our one goal on defense is three downs and out,” Luginbill said.