Defense the Difference for BYU Against Aztecs : College football: Crucial plays in the final minute help Cougars hold off San Diego State, 45-44. Faulk runs for 252 yards and Walsh passes for five touchdowns.

And they say Brigham Young has no defense.

Of course, there was plenty of offense Thursday night. The Cougars were playing San Diego State.

But Travis Hall and Jack Damuni made crucial defensive plays in the final minute at San Diego to preserve Brigham Young’s 45-44 victory over the Aztecs.

Damuni, whose interception at the goal line in the third quarter stopped one San Diego State drive, tackled Aztec quarterback Tim Gutierrez three yards short of the end zone during a two-point conversion attempt with 1:02 to play after the BYU lead had been cut to one.

Hall, who recovered a fumble to kill an early San Diego State drive, also recovered an onside kick attempt.

Marshall Faulk, the Aztecs’ two-time national rushing champion, ran for a season-high 252 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-best 71-yard touchdown run, in 32 carries.

“We both have great offenses,” Hall said. “Our defense hasn’t played very well and their defense isn’t known to play really well. We held them to what we had to.”

BYU quarterback John Walsh threw for 417 yards and five touchdowns, completing 19 of 35 passes.

Gutierrez completed 15 of 29 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns, including a 30-yarder to Keith Williams with 3:35 to play and an eight-yarder to Will Tate with 1:02 to play to pull San Diego State to 45-44.

On the conversion attempt, Gutierrez was flushed from the pocket as he looked for a receiver, then fumbled when hit by Damuni.

BYU, 5-4 overall and 5-1 in the Western Athletic Conference, ended a four-game losing streak, its longest since 1970, and took sole possession of second place in the WAC behind Wyoming (5-0). San Diego State fell to 6-4 and 4-2.