CARSON, Calif. — San Diego State was searching for something, anything, to generate a spark after a sluggish start Friday morning against Boise State.
The Aztecs found it in a quarterback who began the season as the starter before dropping not one but two places on the depth chart after an early season injury
SDSU's Jordon Brookshire was buried on the bench, all but forgotten before being called upon under the most dire of circumstances.
Boise State had a 10-point lead late in the second quarter and the Broncos were looking every bit in control of the game.
That's when Brookshire replaced starter Lucas Johnson, who had suffered a right knee injury on a previous drive.
The senior from Santa Rosa led the Aztecs to 24 unanswered points and a 27-16 Mountain West win over Boise State before an estimated 4,000 fans (announced attendance was 11,886) at Dignity Health Sports Park.
A national television audience on CBS watched No. 21 SDSU (11-1, 7-1 MW) earn the conference's West Division title and a berth in next Saturday's Mountain West championship game.
The Aztecs will host Utah State — which defeated New Mexico, 35-10, Friday — at noon on Dec. 4 (Fox).
The winner in that game is ticketed for the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl against a Pac-12 opponent.
SDSU's 11 victories ties a school record most recently shared by the 2015-16 Mountain West championship teams that went 11-3.
SDSU trailed 16-3 with three minutes remaining in the first half when Brookshire — listed as No. 3 on the depth chart behind Johnson and freshman Will Haskell — entered the game.
On his first snap, Brookshire threw a ball up along the left sideline that wide receiver Jesse Matthews went up over the defender for a 30-yard catch that moved the ball to midfield.
Two plays later, Brookshire found tight end Daniel Bellinger for a 17-yard completion.
Two plays after that, Brookshire went back to Matthews (nine catches, 133 yards, TD), who made a sideline catch, spun and raced to the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown that made it 16-10 with 90 seconds remaining in the first half.
The Aztecs defense seemed energized by the offensive awakening, getting the ball back for their teammates with 28 seconds left.
It was enough time for Brookshire to complete 16- and 22-yard passes to wide receivers Elijah Kothe and Tyrell Shavers, respectively, positioning Matt Araiza for a 37-yard field goal that made it 16-13 at halftime.
SDSU got the ball to start the third quarter, and Brookshire moved the team 75 yards over 11 plays before running back Greg Bell scored on a 2-yard run that gave the Aztecs their first lead of the game, 20-16.
Bell's TD came on a fourth-and-1 play, the second fourth-and-1 conversion on the drive.
The earlier one was even more gutsy, as Brookshire (11 for 15, 192 yards, TD/nine carries, 46 yards rushing) faked a handoff with Boise State defenders loaded at the line and hit a wide open Bellinger down the left side for a 38 yard gain.
SDSU got the ball right back after that when safety Patrick McMorris picked off Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier for the second time in the game. This one came off a tip from teammate Caden McDonald and set SDSU up at the Boise State 43-yard line.
Brookshire immediately went to Matthews, who made an acrobatic 27-yard catch.
Two plays later, Brookshire scored on a 16-yard keeper up the middle in which he carried a couple would-be tacklers with him across the goal line for a 27-16 lead midway through the third quarter.
That seemed like plenty of points for a sufficiently inspired SDSU defense, which kept coming after Bachmeier.
Most notable was a third-down play early in the fourth quarter when SDSU defensive tackle Jonah Tavai burst up the middle for a sack that separated the QB from his helmet.
It was quite a contrast to what Boise State was able to do earlier in the game.
Bachmeier picked at the Aztecs with short and intermediate passes that moved the Broncos up and down the field.
He had help from running back George Holani, who made significant gains running the ball (and catching it out of the backfield).
A 20-yard touchdown pass from Bachmeier to tight end Kurt Rafdal and a 13-yard TD pass to wide receiver Khalil Shakir provided Boise State with a 13-3 lead four minutes into the second quarter.
It was moments afterwards that SDSU tried some trickery.
A fake field goal worked three weeks ago for a touchdown at Hawaii.
This time?
The Aztecs faked a punt from their own 27-yard line. The ball was snapped to protector Garret Fountain instead of punter Matt Araiza.
SDSU needed eight yards. Fountain got four, and Boise State was positioned for more points, a 22-yard Jonah Dalmas field goal that boosted the Broncos lead to 16-3.
"That speaks to desperation of San Diego State," CBS broadcaster Aaron Taylor said after the fake.
SDSU did look desperate at that point.
Johnson (9 for 20, 98 yards) hadn't done much to move the offense. Neither had SDSU's running game, which produced only 29 yards on 15 first-half carries. At that point, Bell had nine carries for 24 yards.
But Brookshire was waiting in the wings.
