Saturday could be the last chance for area football fans to watch San Diego State running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful Donnel Pumphrey perform as a college football player, when the Aztecs host Colorado State in the regular-season finale.
Pumphrey earlier this week was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best at his position, along with Dalvin Cook of Florida State and D’Onta Foreman of Texas.
The senior is third on college football’s career rushing list with 6,127 yards, behind only Ron Dayne of Wisconsin and Ricky Williams of Texas, who attended Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. Pumphrey also is the only player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to gain at least 5,000 yards rushing and more than 1,000 yards receiving in his career.
For the season, Pumphrey is second to Foreman in total rushing with 1,855 yards, just eight yards short of the leader.
“We just want to leave Qualcomm with a bang and just be able to show the fans what we’ve been working towards,” Pumphrey said.
“It will mean a lot if we’re able to go out with a win,” said Pumphrey, who spent much of his childhood in San Diego but went to high school in Las Vegas. “It’s just crazy how it’s our last game — I never thought it would come this fast. It’s been an incredible four years being part of this program.”
Pumphrey is the first Aztec to be prominently mentioned in the Heisman race since running back Marshall Faulk, who finished second in the voting in 1992.
He earned national attention after running for 281 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-40 victory over Cal in the second week of the season. His cause, however, was hurt last week when he was held to 76 yards in a 34-33 loss at Wyoming.
SDSU, with a 6-1 record in the Mountain West and 9-2 overall mark, several weeks ago clinched a spot in the conference championship game next week by winning the West Division.
The question is where the contest will take place. For SDSU to host the event at Qualcomm Stadium for the second year in a row — and have Pumphrey perform an additional time before a home crowd — Mountain Division representatives Boise State and Wyoming would need to lose their games.
On Friday, Boise fell to Air Force 27-20. Wyoming faces New Mexico Saturday.
It’s also unclear where Pumphrey and the Aztecs will play in a postseason bowl game. One or two more setbacks could land them back at Qualcomm Stadium to face Brigham Young in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Colorado State comes to San Diego with a 6-5 record. The Aztecs pounded the Rams 41-17 in Fort Collins last year.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium.
— City News Service
