SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A valiant second-half comeback by the Northern Illinois University Huskies fell short against 19^th-ranked San Diego State Aztecs as NIU dropped a 34-28 decision at SDCCU Stadium in San Diego Saturday night.
 
Senior Christian Blake caught 13 passes for 160 yards, Spencer Tears had 105 yards on five catches, tailback Jordan Huff ran for 148 yards on 25 carries and quarterback Daniel Santacaterina completed 24-of-39 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns to lead a Huskie offense that outgained SDSU 429-263.  Defensively, NIU held San Diego State to just three points in the second half and allowed them to convert only one of 14 third downs.  
 
However, four turnovers, including three interceptions by Santacaterina, two in the fourth quarter, doomed NIU's upset chances and left the Huskies at 2-2 entering Mid-American Conference play.  San Diego State improved to 5-0 on the year. 
 
"It's hard to go on the road and win a game when you turn it over four times, and that's pretty much where it starts and ends," said NIU Head Coach Rod Carey.  "Four turnovers in a road game or a home game, you're not gonna win. We feel like we lost that one more than they beat us."
 
Down 31-17 at half, NIU scored on its second offensive play of the second half when Santacaterina hit Spencer Tears on a deep bomb and the sophomore out-ran the SDSU defensive back for an 81-yard touchdown, the longest completion since the 2013 season. 
 
Three possessions later, Santacaterina went deep again, this time to Blake, his favorite target of the night, for 50 yards to the SDSU 10-yard line.  Three plays later, Marcus Childers ran in for the first touchdown of his Huskie career as he scored from one-yard out and NIU was back within three points of the Aztecs at 31-28.   
 
"Obviously [Santa] played well at times," Carey said of his sophomore quarterback, who suffered his first loss in four starts as a Huskie, "But when you have three picks in a game, that's gonna overshadow all the good that you do."
 
San Diego State put together its best – and only – extended drive of the second half at the end of the third quarter.  Rashaad Penny, who came into the game leading the nation in rushing but gained just 107 yards on 25 carries, started the drive with a 25-yard run. He picked up 15 more yards to the NIU 2 as the third quarter came to a close.  But NIU's William Lee tackled Penny for a two-yard loss on third down, forcing the Aztecs into a 21-yard field goal.   
 
"I thought the defense played really well and gave our offense a chance to win the game," Carey said.  "Overall, though, they share in the loss just like the offense, special teams.  This is a learning moment, individual performances are great but we have to own [the loss] together."
 
Neither team was able to get anything going offensively in the fourth quarter although the Huskies had the field position edge as they twice started drives in SDSU territory.  NIU's best chance for a game-winning score came when they advanced from the Aztecs 45 to the 20 on four rushing plays, three by Huff for 20 yards.  On first and 10 from the 20, Santacaterina threw toward Blake in the corner of the end zone but SDSU's Kelly Kameron jumped in front to make the interception. 
 
The game began ominously for the Huskies when San Diego State's Juwan Washington returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and a quick 7-0 Aztecs' lead.  It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown against the Huskies since the 2014 Boca Raton Bowl versus Marshall.
 
NIU responded immediately.  After Santacaterina was sacked on the first play, three Huff rushes netted 37 yards and Marcus Jones added eight more on the ground before Santacaterina hit Blake for 34 yards and a touchdown. Hagan's PAT tied the score 7-7 with 11:49 still to play in the first quarter.
 
San Diego State took advantage of a Huskie fumble to secure its second touchdown as NIU's Andrew Parchment fumbled a handoff from Santacaterina and SDSU's Andrew Aleki recovered at the NIU 33-yard line.  One play later, SDSU quarterback Christian Chapman hit running back Rashaad Penny, who had snuck behind the defense, with a 33-yard touchdown pass for a 14-7 Aztecs' lead.
 
Again the Huskies responded, this time with a 13-play, 77-yard drive. Forty-four of those yards came on Santacaterina to Blake, connections, including the 10-yard touchdown pass as NIU tied the score at 14 with 4:18 to play in the first quarter.  
 
San Diego State exploded for 17 points in the second quarter to take a 31-14 halftime lead.  The first score came on an 83-yard interception return by Tariq Thompson, who read a Santacaterina pass at the SDSU 20-yard line and ran it all the way back for the score and a 21-14 SDSU lead.
 
After NIU was forced to punt on its next drive when Santacaterina was sacked for a loss of 12 yards, San Diego State marched 66 yards on seven plays in 3:45 to take a 28-14 lead.  Chapman hit Kahale Warring for the eight-yard touchdown pass and with 2:12 left in the half, the Aztecs went ahead by 14, 28-14. 
 
NIU went three and out on its possession, and the Aztecs tacked on a 38-yard field goal before the end of the half. 
 
The Huskies return home to open MAC play next Saturday, Oct. 7, versus Kent State in the 111^th Homecoming game.  Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. at Huskie Stadium. Tickets are on sale now, including the special "Carey You to Homecoming" and "Pick Six" promotional opportunities.  For more information, call the NIU Athletics Ticket Office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or go online to NIUHuskies.com and use the promo code "CoachCarey." 
 
-- NIU --