Notebook: Aztecs get kickoff time(s) for Fresno State game while focusing on off-week improvement

The Mountain West’s television contract with Fox allows the network to wait until 12 days before a game to announce the kickoff time in order to provide scheduling flexibility.

It is 12 days before San Diego State travels to Fresno State to begin the second half of the season.

The kickoff time will be: 12:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. on FS1.

It turns out there’s a little-known codicil that also allows Fox a six-day selection. While this is common for Power Five matchups, it is the first time the network has used it for a game involving the Aztecs.

The holdup is Fox wanting flexibility to determine which window it wants to place a Big Ten matchup on Oct. 25. So whether SDSU-Fresno State is a midday or late-afternoon kick will be announced after this Saturday’s games have been played.

SDSU (5-1, 2-0 Mountain West) has this week off before returning to the field against the Bulldogs (5-2, 2-1), who also are idle this week. The Aztecs have won four straight games, including Saturday night’s 44-10 victory at Nevada. Fresno State is coming off a 49-21 loss at Colorado State that ended a five-game winning streak.

The Aztecs were given an over/under of 4 1/2 wins this season by Las Vegas oddsmakers. They have already surpassed that, putting themselves a win away from bowl eligibility.

“I think they’re (the players) well aware of that,” SDSU coach Sean Lewis said. “I think they’re well aware of what the next opportunity is, and that next opportunity is special. … We want to have a blue-collar nastiness about us that no matter where the job is or who it’s against, no matter what time it is, that we’re going to find a way to be successful.”

The players were off Monday and will be off Tuesday before returning to the practice field on Wednesday morning.

“There’s lots of things for us to get better at,” Lewis said. “We’ll take a little bit of time at the beginning of the week to do a deep dive about who we are. I think at times you get into the eye of the storm and if you don’t do a good enough job detaching and zooming out to look at tendencies, to do some self-scouting, to do some internal autopsies of processes, of how we can do them better, you’re missing an opportunity.”

Lewis said the off week provides an opportunity in practice to get more work for the reserves.

“We’ll get some guys who haven’t played significant snaps some opportunities in the middle half of the week on the practice field,” he said, “then we’ll start preparing for the next opponent as we go. But there’s a great opportunity here for the Aztecs to go against the Aztecs.

“We’re coming together and we’ve got pretty strong units in all three phases. So the iron is going to sharpen iron, and we’re going to go to work. It’s not a bye week, it’s a work week, and we’ve got to get better.”

Among nation’s leaders

SDSU kicker Gabe Plascencia, who has made a school and conference record 22 straight field goals dating to last season, is among 11 kickers in the nation who haven’t missed a field goal attempt this season. Plascencia is 10-for-10 over six games. Only Hawaii’s Kansei Matsuzawa (19-for-19) and Tulane’s Patrick Durkin (13-for-13) have been better.

• SDSU cornerback Chris Johnson is tied for the national lead with two touchdown returns, along with UNLV’s Aameris Brown and South Mississippi’s Ian Foster. Johnson’s scores came on a 97-yard interception return against Cal and a 40-yard interception return against Nevada. Johnson also is tied for third in the nation with nine passes defended (6 breakups, 3 interceptions).

• SDSU punter Hunter Green‘s 46.6-yard punting average ranks 12th in the country. Green is actually third in the Mountain West behind Colorado State’s Bryan Hansen (47.6) and San Jose State’s Trent Carrizosa (47.3). Green leads the conference with 15 punts inside the 20-yard-line.

• SDSU wide receiver Jordan Napaier ranks eighth in the nation in receiving yards (553) and receiving yards/game (92.2). San Jose State’s Danny Scudero leads the nation in receiving yardage (845) and touchdowns (8).

By the numbers

0 — SDSU is one of only eight teams that have not lost a fumble this season.

2 — The Aztecs have two turnovers this season (both on interceptions against Northern Illinois). Only Temple and UConn, with one apiece, have fewer.

3 — Defensive touchdowns by the Aztecs defense, which ranks behind only Louisiana Tech (5) and Tennessee (4).

12.2 — Points allowed per game by the SDSU defense, which ranks tied for sixth in the country behind Ohio State (6.8), Oklahoma (9.8), Texas (11.0), Indiana (11.3) and LSU (11.8).

1.000 — SDSU’s scoring percentage in the red zone, which is tied for first in the nation. In 20 red-zone trips, the Aztecs have come away with 11 rushing touchdowns, three passing TDs and six field goals.