The San Diego State Aztecs took down the Idaho Vandals, 35-21, Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium in front of a season-high 46,293 fans who stayed after the game to watch the annual KGB Sky Show.
With the win, the Aztecs improved to 5-4, 3-2 Mountain West Conference, putting them one win away from becoming bowl-eligible.
Idaho kept the game close, with a score tied at 14-14 at halftime, thanks to a stout run defense, but the Aztecs blew the game open in the second half.
Senior quarterback Quinn Kaehler found junior wide receiver Eric Judge for a 58-yard pitch-and-catch for the first score of the half, then after forcing the Vandals to punt, SDSU marched down the field and capped off its drive with a 5-yard rushing touchdown from junior Chase Price.
The Vandals were not dead yet though, and senior wide receiver scored on a wide-open 51-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Chad Chalich, which brought Idaho within a touchdown, 28-21.
Kaehler would put the nail in the coffin though a few drives later when he connected with senior wideout Ezell Ruffin for a 28-yard touchdown.
Since injuring his throwing shoulder against UNLV in late September, Kahler has struggled, but he had one of his best games of the season on Saturday going 14-22, with 249 yard and three touchdowns. Ruffin also had a solid game catching four passes for 83 yards, and added a season-high two touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Donnel Pumphrey was quiet in the first half of the game, but would go on to finish with 142 yards on 26 carries, and a touchdown.
SDSU will now travel to Boise, Idaho to play the Boise State Broncos (7-2, 4-1 MWC) next Saturday at 7:15 p.m., and that game will be televised on ESPNU.