San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson will never forget what may be his career-defining moment in the Aztecs’ 34-0 win over Cal earlier this season.
He ended what looked like was going to be Cal’s first scoring drive of the game late in the third quarter by intercepting a pass at the 3-yard line and following a caravan of blockers up the sideline for a 97-yard touchdown.
“It was kind of a trick play from Cal,” Johnson told Under the Radar host Nate Kreckman in September. “I just played my zone and played off the quarterback. I saw his eyes and I saw his hand come off the ball and I made a play.”
Johnson is having a career-defining season. He leads the Aztecs with six pass breakups and three interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns. He’s No. 2 on the team with 38 tackles. The senior has the highest overall Pro Football Focus defensive grade of any cornerback in the country, earning a 91, and he leads all corners with a 91.3 coverage grade.
Johnson is the first Aztec since 2019 to be named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, which goes to the top defensive back in the country. He will lead San Diego State’s suffocating defense against visiting Wyoming on Saturday.
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The Aztecs (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West) recorded their third shutout of the season last week with a 23-0 win over in-state rival Fresno State. They also blanked Cal, opened the season with a 42-0 win over Stony Brook, and beat Northern Illinois 6-3.
San Diego State is surrendering just 10.4 points a game, which leads the Mountain West and ranks No. 2 in the country. Only Ohio State is giving up fewer points with 5.9 a game. The Aztecs also lead the conference in total defense (255 yards a game allowed), rushing defense (88.4 YPG), and passing defense (166.6 YPG).
Wyoming (4-4, 2-2) is coming off a shutout of its own. The Cowboys dominated Colorado State 28-0 in last week’s annual Border War rivalry game. Quarterback Kaden Anderson threw a pair of touchdowns, and running backs Sam Scott and Landon Sims found the end zone on the ground. Defensively, they held Colorado State to 94 rushing yards and intercepted three passes.
Wyoming vs. San Diego State Betting Odds
San Diego State is a 10.5-point college football betting odds favorite at BetMGM as of the time of this writing, and the Over/Under is 42.5 points. The moneyline is at -450 for San Diego State and +350 for Wyoming.
The Aztecs lead the all-time series with the Cowboys 20-19. San Diego State has won its past three meetings and five of the last six dating back to 2012. Their past four meetings have been decided by four points or less, including the Aztecs’ 27-24 win in Laramie, Wyoming, last season.
San Diego State is 16-4 overall and 9-11 against the spread in its past 20 regular season games as the favorite at home. Wyoming is 3-17 overall and 9-11 ATS in its past 20 regular season games as an underdog on the road.
Wyoming vs. San Diego State On TV
The Mountain West game featuring San Diego State and Wyoming at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Wyoming vs. San Diego State Prediction
I predict San Diego State wins 27-17.
The Aztecs clearly have the best defense in the Mountain West, and I think Wyoming is going to have all kinds of trouble moving the ball in this one. San Diego State should neutralize the Cowboys’ physical rushing attack, but that’s not why I think the Aztecs win this game.
I believe they’re going to win because they are getting more comfortable relying on running back Lucky Sutton. He’s coming off a career-high 131 rushing yards against Fresno State, and he’s playing behind an offensive line that has vastly improved since the start of the season.
The Aztecs might need a win over Wyoming with what could be a season-defining stretch of games the next two weeks. San Diego State travels to Hawaii next week and hosts Boise State on Nov. 15 in a game that could ensure the winner a spot in the Mountain West Championship.
