John Mateer rallies Washington State to 29-26 win over San Diego State

Washington State quarterback John Mateer, above, leaps over San Diego State safety Deshawn McCuin during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in San Diego. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO - John Mateer threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores and Washington State scored the final 15 points to rally for a 29-26 victory over San Diego State on Saturday night.

Washington State (7-1), which has won three in a row, led by two points at halftime, but San Diego State scored 20 unanswered points for a 26-14 advantage with 13:39 left to play.

Mateer answered quickly when he found Carlos Hernandez open for a 34-yard touchdown four plays later and Washington State trailed 26-21 with 12:08 remaining.

San Diego State (3-4) drove as far as the Cougars’ 14-yard line, but Taariq Al-Uqdah intercepted a Danny O’Neil pass and returned it 20 yards to the WSU 37-yard line. Mateer capped a seven-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run and a successful two-point pass left the Cougars with a three-point lead with 5:03 to go. The Aztecs never threatened from there.

Washington State grabbed the lead on its first possession when Mateer connected with Cooper Mathers for a 26-yard touchdown on the Cougars' fifth play from scrimmage. San Diego State answered with 46- and 28-yard field goals by Gabriel Plascencia and trailed 7-6 after one quarter.

The Cougars moved in front 14-6 on a 1-yard plunge by Mateer midway through the second quarter. San Diego State got a 7-yard touchdown run from Marquez Cooper with 17 seconds left in the first half, but the two-point run failed and the Aztecs trailed by two.

San Diego State had the lone score in the third quarter — a 27-yard touchdown pass from freshman wide receiver Jordan Napier to Nate Bennett — to take a 19-14 lead. The score came three plays after Tony Freeman muffed a punt and Jelani Whitmore recovered at the Cougars' 43-yard line.

The Aztecs upped their advantage to 12 on a 1-yard plunge by Cooper just 1:21 into the final quarter.

Mateer completed 19 of 27 passes for 257 yards for WSU. He was also the Cougars' leading rusher with 42 yards on 21 carries.

O'Neil finished with 195 yards on 22-for-34 passing with one interception for San Diego State. Cooper carried 18 times for 78 yards and two scores. Ja'Shaun Poke had 10 receptions for 80 yards.

The Cougars' only loss this season was a 45-24 defeat on the road to then No. 25 Boise State.