Saturday’s semifinals game started off hot for Delaware, scoring the first points of the game. However, this would not last long against SDSU in their home stadium. After the first score, SDSU scored four touchdowns in a row, skyrocketing the score up to 33 to three. SDSU played well throughout all four quarters, keeping them on track to win. SDSU finished with 33 points and was able to hold Delaware to only three points on the first drive. For the first time in SDSU history, they are in the FCS National Championship.

“I’m really proud of our football program. They believed, they worked harder than I can imagine and they never gave up. We beat a really good football team, and I’m looking forward to taking that next step,” said SDSU head coach, John Stiegelmeier.

SDSU’s offense was dominating the field. They had almost 350 total yards more than Delaware and averaged 5.2 rushing yards per carry. In 32 rushing attempts, they had 168 yards.

Even though the SDSU offense were the ones scoring, their defense played a big part in the win. Holding a team to just one score is a hard accomplishment, but with seven sacks, they made it look easy. They matched the postseason school record for most sacks in a game.

“It just started with them winning the line of scrimmage. They controlled the line of scrimmage and were able to totally dictate the tempo of the game,” said Delaware coach, Danny Rocco.

Delaware’s quarterback, Nolan Henderson tried setting his own tone on the field. He was successful for a while with a 54 yard drive taking eight minutes of the clock. SDSU’s defensive line was getting constant pressure, but the junior quarterback was finding ways to continue marching down the field. But as Delaware approached the end-zone, SDSU got a good stop, holding Delaware to just a field goal. The stop was a huge turning point in the game, sparking the energy they needed to get the win.

“When we got that first sack, it was like, ‘OK, we can do this,'” said SDSU defensive player,  Reece Winkleman.

This win boosted the confidence of the entire team, leaving them anxious and ready for the championship. If they play like they did against Delaware, they will have no problem dominating against SAMHOU for the championship title.