San Diego State Gets Floored in Las Vegas

Lowly Las Vegas Nevada, a loser of 12 games in a row, knocked off San Diego State, 44-42, Saturday in a Western Athletic Conference game.

Jon Denton threw for four touchdowns and broke five NCAA freshman records in helping UNLV halt the nation’s longest losing streak.

UNLV, now 1-10 overall and 1-6 in the WAC this season, hadn’t won since beating North Texas, 34-24, last season.

San Diego State’s Peter Holt shanked a 35-yard field goal attempt wide left with 17 seconds remaining as the Aztecs (6-3, 4-2) fell out of the WAC Pacific Division title chase. Wyoming beat Colorado State, 25-24, to clinch the division title and a spot in the WAC title game.

Denton, who was 27 for 53 with touchdown throws of 19, 82, 35 and 75 yards, broke his own NCAA freshman records with 503 passing yards and 513 yards total offense. On Sept. 28, he had 486 passing yards and 491 offensive yards in a 33-21 loss to Wyoming.

Denton set freshman records for passing yards (3,154) and total offense (3,208) in a season, surpassing marks set in 1986 by South Carolina’s Todd Ellis of 3,020 yards passing and 2,975 total offense.

Denton’s 563 plays broke the record set in 1982 by Northwestern’s Sandy Schwab of 504 plays.

San Diego State’s Billy Blanton was 21 for 32 for 395 yards and three touchdowns and George Jones ran for 275 yards with scoring runs of 40, 53 and 18 yards.

San Diego State led, 12-7, early in the second when the teams scored 21 points in 30 seconds.

With 11:41 remaining, Denton passed to Omar Love for a 19-yard touchdown. At 11:29, Blanton connected with Nathaniel Jacquet for an 85-yard touchdown pass play. At 11:11, Blanton connected with Len Ware, who turned a routine pass play into an 82-yard touchdown that gave UNLV a 21-19 lead.

Denton’s 75-yard touchdown pass play to Damon Williams extended UNLV’s lead to 35-26, and Love’s two-yard plunge made it 41-29.

Blanton’s 27-yard pass to Will Blackwell with 4:26 left got San Diego State within two points, but Blanton’s 2-point conversion pass failed. Blackwell caught 12 passes for 196 yards.