San Diego State Wins, 38-24 : WAC: Freshman running back Marshall Faulk suffers broken ribs and leaves game 17 yards shy of 1,000.

SAN DIEGO —  San Diego State survived seven turnovers and the loss of freshman running back Marshall Faulk to beat New Mexico, 38-24, Saturday night in a Western Athletic Conference game.

Faulk was sidelined 17 yards short of becoming the first freshman in NCAA history to rush for 1,000 yards in six games. Florida’s Emmitt Smith set the record when he reached 1,000 in his seventh game in 1987.

The nation’s leading scorer and No. 3 rusher, Faulk was injured when he was hit by New Mexico linebacker Jesse Becton on a four-yard run with about four minutes left in the half. Faulk was taken to Mercy Hospital for X-rays. Team doctor Robert Straumfjord said Faulk suffered two cracked ribs.

Trainer Brian Barry said Faulk’s status is week to week and did not rule out that he could play Saturday at Texas El Paso.

Faulk had 153 yards and two touchdowns in 14 carries, raising his season total to 987 yards.

Faulk, who set a major college rushing record with 386 yards against Pacific on Sept. 14, scored touchdowns on runs of 63 yards and one yard and has 18 for the season, tying the freshman record set in 11 games by Hawaii’s Jamal Farmer in 1989.

T.C. Wright, who finished with 102 yards in 18 carries, helped take up the slack caused by Faulk’s injury. He sealed the victory for the Aztecs, 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the WAC, with an 11-yard scoring run midway through the fourth quarter for a 30-17 lead.

The Lobos (1-6, 0-3), coming off a 94-17 loss to Fresno State, cut a 24-6 halftime deficit to 24-17 in the third quarter, but got no closer despite matching a school record with five interceptions.