Fresno State @ San Diego State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2012 ) San Diego State 40, Fresno State 52

A pair of winning streaks will be on the line Saturday night when San Diego State hosts No. 18 Fresno State in a Mountain West Conference game. The Bulldogs have won eight consecutive conference games dating to last season and the Aztecs have won seven straight within the league. San Diego State’s last loss in conference play came in September 2012 against Fresno State, a game marked by a career-high 536 passing yards from the Bulldogs' Derek Carr.

Carr is back for his senior season and continues to put up record numbers. He passed for 412 yards and four touchdowns in last weekend’s victory against visiting UNLV, breaking program records for career completions (849) and touchdown passes (85). The biggest weapon for the Aztecs is running back Donnel Pumphrey, who has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last three games, becoming the first San Diego State freshman to accomplish that feat since Marshall Faulk in 1991.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Fresno State -8.5

ABOUT FRESNO STATE (6-0, 3-0 MWC): Davante Adams continues his meteoric rise as one of the nation's top wide receivers. He tied a school record with four touchdown receptions last week and remains the nation’s active career leader in receptions (8.5) and receiving yards per game (106.8). He’ll be up against a San Diego State secondary that allows an average of 280.2 passing yards a game, 15th most in the nation.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (3-3, 2-0): The Aztecs have been wildly inconsistent in the fourth quarter over the last month. They blew a nine-point lead with less than three minutes remaining in a loss to Oregon State on Sept. 21, outscored New Mexico State 15-0 in the final quarter of a 10-point win the following week, blew a 21-point lead against Nevada before winning in overtime and then stormed back from a 14-point deficit in their most recent game, a 27-20 victory at Air Force. Aztecs coach Rocky Long might be hesitant to send out his kicking unit for a game-winning field goal try as San Diego State has missed two field goals and three PATs in the last two games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Aztecs can become the second FBS team since 2002 to win four straight after starting the season 0-3.

2. Over their last 52 meetings, San Diego State and Fresno State have been separated by a total of one point, with the Aztecs holding a 1,092-1,091 advantage.

3. The Aztecs have won their last four home games against Fresno State.

PREDICTION: San Diego State 34, Fresno State 31