SDSU Seeks a Peak in a Season of Valleys : College football: Undefeated Miami figures to test Aztecs’ defense, challenge their offense.

SAN DIEGO —  It turns out that the status of Heisman Trophy contender Marshall Faulk, because of a sprained right knee, is the same as the rest of the San Diego State football team.

Questionable.

The Aztecs finish their season today with a cold reality check.

Fantasy, circa mid-September: Miami would arrive today to help put the finishing touches on the 1992 SDSU football season, and the No. 1 Hurricanes would be greeted by a Holiday Bowl-bound, Top 25-residing, Heisman Trophy candidate-wielding Aztec team.

Reality, circa late-November: A Miami team does arrive today, and the Hurricanes are No. 1, and they will face an Aztec team planning to be home for the holidays, one that couldn’t recognize a Top 25 ranking when it landed in their lap, and one whose Heisman Trophy candidate might not play because of a knee injury.

Any questions?

Whether the Aztec team that tied USC or the one that couldn’t score a touchdown on Wyoming will take the field today at 4:35 p.m. in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium is anybody’s guess. The big question is: How will the Aztecs fare one week after blowing any chance at a bowl bid with a 45-41 loss, at home, to Fresno State?

“Basically, everybody knows we blew it,” quarterback David Lowery said. “It got away from us again. We’ve got to go out there with our heads up and play hard.”

Miami (10-0) has won 28 consecutive games. And if SDSU (5-4-1) needs more inspiration, there is the “Heisman Trophy Bowl” angle, the only bowl the Aztecs will get near this season. Miami quarterback Gino Torretta and Faulk are the front-runners for the award.

Although SDSU will not make a decision whether Faulk will play until after pregame warm-ups today, most signs this week indicated that he probably will. Faulk said on Wednesday that his gut feeling was that he will play, and his knee was better yet on Thursday.

Coach Al Luginbill said that Faulk will not play unless he is 100%.

The Aztecs have said all week that, in their eyes, there is no way Faulk should lose the Heisman to Torretta.

“There’s no comparison between the two players, or anybody else in the country,” SDSU free safety Darrell Lewis said. “Marshall is far beyond the others out there.”

Said SDSU linebacker Shawn Smith: “The Heisman should go to Marshall. He is the best player and puts up the best stats. Torretta is a good quarterback, but their defense really wins games.”

And there was receiver Darnay Scott’s endorsement from earlier this week: “(Faulk) is a lot better than Torretta is. Torretta don’t do nothing but throw passes and half of them are incomplete, anyway.”

Luginbill said that Torretta will not even be the best quarterback to face the Aztecs this season. That honor, he said, goes to Fresno State’s quarterback.

“Trent Dilfer is (the best), bar none,” Luginbill said. “He’s the best on the coast. I’d take him ahead of the kid at Washington State (Drew Bledsoe).”

In fact, although Luginbill called Miami the best team in the country, he said he still would take Fresno State’s offense over the ‘Canes’.

“They’re a good offensive team, but they’re not in Fresno State’s class offensively,” Luginbill said. “They don’t have that type of balance. They don’t have the running backs (the Bulldogs) do.”

Still, Torretta set a Miami school record with 485 yards passing in last year’s 39-12 victory over SDSU. And although SDSU is viewing this game as its bowl game for the second time in three seasons, Torretta said it simply is another step on the national championship ladder for Miami.

“I don’t think it’s a rivalry,” Torretta said. “We want to play well anytime we play. We want to play well and show we’re the best team in the country.”

The memory of so many open receivers in last year’s game has Torretta fired up.

“I look for our receivers to have a big day if they play man-to-man coverage,” Torretta said. “Our receivers are good enough, I feel, to beat anybody in the country.”

Said SDSU cornerback Damon Pieri: “I’m not afraid of what he can do. You kind of respect what he can do. Their receivers are awesome, all of them. Their jumping ability, speed and understanding of the offense. . . .

“We’re just going to try hard not to give up the big play. That’s what they live on.”

Going in SDSU’s favor is the fact that Miami, like SDSU, runs a one-back offensive set. The SDSU defense has seen it plenty of times before, in practice.

But then, there is the vaunted Miami defense, which is allowing only 11 points and 275.4 yards per game.

In last season’s meeting, Lowery had difficulty facing Miami’s two-deep zone. Although Lowery said he is comfortable now against that scheme, that game was the first time he had seen it. Four of his passes were intercepted.

Most at SDSU agree this is the best defense the Aztecs will face, with particular emphasis on Miami’s back seven--linebackers Micheal Barrow, Darrin Smith and Jessie Armstead and defensive backs Dexter Seigler, Terris Harris, Casey Greer and Ryan McNeil.

“Those three linebackers as a set are the best in the country, without a doubt,” Luginbill said. “The one thing they do is run. They run like skilled offensive players.”

Miami’s biggest weakness is its rushing game, which is averaging only 115 yards per game. As for SDSU, an Aztec defense that allowed 34 of Fresno State’s 41 points last week will be under scrutiny.

If Torretta has any kind of day like his record-setting spree against the Aztecs in 1991, Faulk can kiss the Heisman goodby. And if that’s the case, the Aztec defensive backs know for whom the bell will toll.

Said Pieri, warily: “We just hope (Torretta) doesn’t throw for so many yards that it crushes Marshall’s chances.”

Aztec Notes

The Aztecs are expecting about 57,000 for today’s game. . . . Miami can become the first team since Oklahoma in 1955-56 to win back-to-back national championships with a perfect record. . . . Aside from Marshall Faulk’s questionable status, nose tackle Turaj Smith (toe) and linebacker Chad Provensal (neck) and H-back Will Tate (knee) are out. For Miami, defensive tackle Kenny Lopez (ankle) will have his status determined at game time. . . . Miami receiver Lamar Thomas has caught at least one pass in 32 consecutive regular season games, one short of tying Michael Irvin’s school record. . . . Gino Torretta is 25-1 as a starter.

SAN DIEGO STATE

TODAY’S GAME

Opponent: Miami

Site: San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium

Time: 4:35 p.m.

Records: Miami 10-0; SDSU 5-4-1

Radio: XTRA (690).

TV: ESPN