Toledo vs. San Diego State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction
San Diego State returns home to play Toledo
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Can the Aztecs bounce back?
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WEEK 4: Toledo Rockets (2-1) vs. San Diego State (1-2)
WHEN: Saturday, September 24 – 12:30 PM PT/1:30 PM MT
WHERE: Snapdragon Stadium; San Diego, CA
WEATHER: Sunny, high of 83 degrees
TV: FS1
STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of FuboTV, which includes FS1
RADIO: The Toledo broadcast can be found on The Varsity Network. The San Diego State broadcast can be heard on San Diego Sports 760.
LAST WEEK: Toledo lost to Ohio State on the road, 77-21. San Diego State fell to Utah in Salt Lake City, 35-7.
WEBSITES: utrockets.com, the official Toledo athletics website | goaztecs.com, the official San Diego State athletics website
GAME NOTES (PDF): Toledo | San Diego State
ODDS: Toledo -3
SP+ PROJECTION: Toledo by 3.6
FEI PROJECTION: N/A
PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: N/A
https://twitter.com/AztecFB/status/1571959903807492096
Toledo enters this game with a 2-1 record through three games. Toledo suffered its first loss of the season in Week 3 against Ohio State. It was not a competitive game after the second half and Ohio State won by 56 points, 77-21. In the loss, Toledo managed to score the most points out of any Ohio State opponent in 2022.
San Diego State is looking to bounce back from a 35-7 loss to Utah. The Aztecs not only lost the game but the team also lost backup quarterback Will Haskell to the transfer portal. Haskell left after Saturday’s game and the program will have to rely on two quarterbacks.
Three Keys To A San Diego State Victory
1. Keep An Eye On Dequan Finn
Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn is having an exceptional first month of the season. He has thrown for 541 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. His 90.1 QBR ranks No. 7 in the country for quarterbacks. In the Ohio State game, Finn passed for 153 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He will target San Diego State’s secondary and work the ball down the field.
He leads Toledo in Rushing and will likely try to mix in some running plays. If San Diego State can station a spy on Finn, it could help keep the game close. Look for San Diego State to force Finn out of the pocket and to make him uncomfortable. Toledo star wide receiver Jerjuan Newton was limited to two catches against Ohio State. San Diego State needs to cover Newton throughout the game.
2. Test Toledo’s Defense
Toledo’s defense was exposed by Ohio State. Toledo gave up 482 passing yards to Ohio State and nearly surrendered 80 points. This will be a nice week for San Diego State to get the offense going again. Braxton Burmeister needs to trust his receivers. If he can stay healthy, Burmeister will give San Diego State a chance to move the ball down the field and keep drives alive.
3. Don’t Be Comfortable With A Close Game
Early in last week’s game, San Diego State looked like they were ready to compete with Utah, but the game escaped the Aztecs in the second quarter. San Diego State needs to score as early as possible and take some of the pressure off the defense. The Aztec defense struggled to hang in the game without offensive support.
Prediction
San Diego State has struggled against the two FBS teams they played and they will be facing a Toledo team who is looking to exact revenge. Toledo’s offense is potent and will be able to score points. This could cause an issue if San Diego State’s offense is not scoring.
Toledo 31, San Diego State 20