Marquez Cooper runs for two TDs as San Diego State rolls past Texas A&M-Commerce, 45-14

Updated Sep. 1, 2024 12:34 a.m. ET

Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marquez Cooper ran for 223 yards and two second-half touchdowns to lead San Diego State to a 45-14 win over Texas A&M-Commerce in a season-opener on Saturday night.

Gabriel Plascencia connected on a 50-yard field goal to give the Aztecs a 3-0 lead after one but the Lions grabbed the lead when EJ Oakmon bulled over from the 1 to make it 6-3.

Cooper took over in the second half, vaulting San Diego State into the lead with a 47-yard touchdown romp in the third quarter. Tano Letuli recovered a fumble in the end zone and Louis Brown IV pulled in a 44-yard pass from Danny O'Neil for three touchdowns in a six-minute span of the third quarter. Cooper added a seven-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter and O'Neil capped the scoring with an eight-yard TD pass to Jordan Napier. In between those two scores JD Coffey III added a 45-yard pick-six.

O'Neil completed 22 of 33 passes for 214 yards without an interception and Brown caught three passes for 91 yards.

Texas A&M-Commerce managed just 117 yards passing, with Eric Rodriguez completing 14 of 20 passes for 105 yards for a touchdown and the pick-six. The Lions' ground game was held to just 63 yards on 34 carries.

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