San Diego State’s Gutierrez Has Busy Night Turn Sour

Tim Gutierrez of San Diego State set career highs by completing 35 of 59 passes for 421 yards, but he also threw five interceptions and the Aztecs lost to Air Force, 36-35, in a Western Athletic Conference game Saturday night.

Air Force, 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the WAC, scored 20 points off eight San Diego State turnovers.

The Falcons also blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety, blocked a field-goal attempt and caused havoc with their triple option attack out of a modified wishbone.

San Diego State (2-3, 0-2) lost its third consecutive game.

Gutierrez’s third touchdown pass of the game, a 12-yarder to Will Blackwell with 5:05 left, pulled the Aztecs within one point. But Gutierrez’s conversion pass deflected off DeAndre Maxwell’s hands and was intercepted by Kelvin King.

King also intercepted a pass in the end zone with 2:03 to play, and Mark Sotallaro recovered a fumble by Ray Peterson, who had called for a fair catch, with 1:34 left.

Air Force’s LeRon Hudgins fumbled the opening kickoff, which led to a San Diego State touchdown two plays later. But he atoned for that with a 26-yard interception-return touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Falcons a 29-14 lead.