SAN DIEGO — Javion Kinnard ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns, Lucky Sutton added 115 rushing yards and San Diego State held off Washington State 26-20 on Saturday night, moving the Aztecs within two wins of bowl eligibility.
San Diego State (4-5, 3-2 Pac-12) got a trick-play touchdown pass from wide receiver Bert Emanuel Jr. and two field goals from Cooper DiLeva and handed Washington State (1-8, 0-5) its sixth straight loss.
Sutton carried 18 times, averaging 6.4 yards per carry, and he and Kinnard combined for 202 yards on the ground.
Washington State quarterback Owen Eshelman completed 30 of 42 passes for 299 yards with one interception and ran 16 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Daniel Blood caught eight passes for 105 yards, but the Cougars couldn't capitalize on several chances.
San Diego State's defense set the tone on the opening possession, when Josiah Cox stopped Kirby Vorhees for no gain on fourth-and-1.
The offenses took over from there, combining for four straight touchdown drives before DiLeva made a 36-yard field goal with 3:16 left in the first half. That gave San Diego State a 17-14 lead it never gave up.
Washington State had a chance to swing the momentum early in the second half when Jaylen Thomas intercepted an Aztecs pass on the third play of the third quarter. The Cougars drove into San Diego State territory but turned it over on downs when they failed to convert a fourth-and-4 from the Aztecs' 30.
DiLeva kicked a 45-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to make it 20-14.
San Diego State got creative near the goal line in the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Emanuel threw a touchdown pass to Jackson Ford with 9:51 left to make it 26-14. The points proved decisive.
Washington State answered with Vorhees' 2-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to six, but San Diego State held on. The Cougars remain winless in conference play.
The Aztecs need two more wins in their final three games to reach six and become bowl eligible.
San Diego State hosts Utah State on Nov. 14, and Washington State hosts Colorado State the same day.
