Faulk Would Swap Statistics for 12-0 Mark

About the only San Diego State player who didn’t feel completely miserable after the 39-12 drilling the Aztecs received by No. 1 Miami Saturday was freshman running back Marshall Faulk, whose 154 yards gave him the NCAA rushing title.

Among the accomplishments Faulk completed Saturday night:

* He finished the season with an average of 158.8 yards per game, the most ever by a freshman and good for first in the nation.

* He became the first freshman to lead the nation in rushing.

* His 15.5 per-game scoring average is also good for first nationally, and it is the sixth-highest average in history.

“It’s pretty cool,” Faulk said. “But we didn’t win. Records are good, but I like to win.

“I wouldn’t mind being the worst back in the nation as long as we win. I’d trade that to be 12-0 any time.”

Faulk, who took a recruiting visit to Miami last year but chose SDSU because the Aztecs planned to let him play running back, was impressed with the Hurricanes.

“They’re a pretty great team,” he said.

Good enough to defeat SDSU without much of a problem and good enough to put a damper on Faulk’s night.

Faulk was the last player out of the SDSU locker room, and he received a hug from SDSU Coach Al Luginbill on his way out.

“Nice job, buddy,” Luginbill told Faulk. “You’ll have a lot of chances to get these guys again.”

Miami is at SDSU next season, but after that, the series takes a two-year hiatus while Miami is incorporated into the Big East.

SDSU said it wanted to stop the run, but it was the pass that killed the Aztecs. Miami quarterback Gino Torretta passed for a school-record 485 yards and, for only the second time this season, two Miami receivers passed the 100-yard mark. Horace Copeland had 141 yards receiving and Martin Patton had 112.

SDSU sophomore cornerback John Louis was beaten on two touchdown passes and freshman Eric Sutton was burned on one.

Louis said he didn’t feel as if Miami was picking on him in particular.

“It seemed to me like they were just going after everybody,” he said. “They don’t make mistakes. They make you make mistakes, and as soon as you do, they capitalize.”

Sutton blew a zone coverage in the second quarter and allowed Copeland to catch a 66-yard touchdown pass on third and 35.

“I wasn’t deep enough,” Sutton said. “As of right now, I just want to put it behind me. We have another game to play (the Freedom Bowl, Dec. 30), thank God.

“There’s no reason for me to have blown coverage. I messed up.”

Miami has won 44 consecutive games in the Orange Bowl and 51 consecutive against unranked teams. . . . SDSU has never beaten a team ranked in the top 10. . . . Miami kicker Carlos Huerta had 12 points, giving him 397 career points--moving him into second on the NCAA career scoring list behind Houston kicker Roman Anderson. . . . Miami had seven plays of 30 or more yards.