Foes look similar heading into game
Until it happens ? if it even happens ? you won't hear San Diego State players or coaches talking bowls. The mere mention of the word ? outside of references to fish, toilets, kitchenware or haircuts ? is strictly taboo.
But the implications of tonight's Mountain West Conference matchup against Wyoming are difficult to disregard. And the similarities between the Aztecs and Cowboys are eerily striking.
Consider:
?Both have identical overall and conference records (4-5, 2-3), leaving them two wins shy of bowl eligibility with three games to play.
?Both have first-year head coaches.
?SDSU is coming off a 55-12 loss to TCU. Wyoming was stomped last week 52-0 by BYU.
?Both will be underdogs next week, SDSU at Utah and Wyoming home to TCU.
?Both have winnable games in the season finale, SDSU at UNLV and Wyoming at Colorado State.
It doesn't take a lot of number crunching to postulate that today's 7 p.m. kickoff is High Noon for both teams.
?In the whole big scheme of things, this game is a pretty important game,? Aztecs defensive coordinator Rocky Long said. ?Neither team played worth a darn last week. I'm sure both teams are waiting for their ?A? games to show up. If both of us show up ?A? game-wise, it's going to be a heck of a game. If we both show up not ?A? game-wise, it's going to be a heck of a game too. I think both teams are going to come ready to play. I think it's going to be a great football game.?
It's also the last chance for fans to see the Aztecs play in Qualcomm Stadium this year, and for 23 seniors it's their final home game ? barring an invitation to the Poinsettia Bowl.
?This is the way football is supposed to be played,? SDSU quarterback Ryan Lindley said. ?It's a level playing field. Surprisingly, and unusually, it's not like this in most games with all those intangibles. It's going to make for a great game and guys are going to be fighting.?
A long time ago, some football coach probably told a sportswriter his team needs to take it ?one game at a time.? Back then, it wasn't a cliche, it was insightful. Yet offensive coordinator Al Borges ? normally not one to speak in cliches ? warned of the dangers of looking too far down the road.
?That's such a bad habit to get into,? Borges said. ?If you just keep your eye on the prize and what's in front of you, it's so much better. I know it sounds like coach speak, but it's so true. One game at a time. You start talking about who beats who, it screws you up when you start trying to prognosticate.?
But that doesn't change the fact that bowl eligibility is very attainable for San Diego State, which has yet to play in a bowl game since entering the Mountain West Conference and hasn't been to a bowl since 1998.
?Guys individually may have thought about it. I'd be a fool to say no,? linebacker Jerry Milling said. ?But among each other, it hasn't been talked about. We're not in a position to speak on those things. We just lost 55-12. We have a lot of improvement this week to even consider something like that. Right now, we're focused on winning this game because if we don't win this week, nothing else matters.?
Both teams have plenty of motivation. The theme around The Mesa this week has been all about the seniors and their final home game. Head coach Brady Hoke, who has been extremely demanding of his seniors from Day 1, called it the most important game of their college careers. Not because a bowl berth hangs in the balance, but because it's their last opportunity to represent their school at home.
?That last one means a lot,? Hoke said. ?The biggest ramification for us is that it's our seniors' last game at home. That in itself is enough for us to play hard and prepare our best. I remember my last game. It was Indiana State. We won.?
How'd Hoke play?
?Not bad,? he said. ?I got a pick.?
Wyoming coach Dave Christensen is likewise playing the one-game-at-a-time card. But he too understands what is at stake.
?(The players) understand where we are at,? Christensen said. ?We are focused on one game. But we understand this is a pivotal, pivotal game in order for us to achieve a winning record and have an opportunity to get to six or seven wins. We have to win this football game. Our players understand that and that's the approach we're taking.?
Offensive tackle Peter Nelson said it's easy to ignore all of the bowl talk and just focus on Wyoming.
?If you worry about all that other stuff, it just adds more pressure,? Nelson said. ?We don't need that stuff right now. The coaches have done a good job instilling that one-game mentality. We're not letting the other stuff cloud our vision.?
The Aztecs are at least a touchdown favorite, according to most sites, but that doesn't mean much because SDSU is 3-4-1 against the spread this season; the Southern Utah game did not have an official line. If history is any indication, SDSU hasn't lost at home to Wyoming since 1995, and the home team has won the past six matchups.
?They are in the same spot as we are,? Aztecs linebacker Luke Laolagi said. ?Both teams are excited for the opportunity. I think it's going to be a great game.?
Until it happens ? if it even happens ? you won't hear San Diego State players or coaches talking bowls. The mere mention of the word ? outside of references to fish, toilets, kitchenware or haircuts ? is strictly taboo.
But the implications of tonight's Mountain West Conference matchup against Wyoming are difficult to disregard. And the similarities between the Aztecs and Cowboys are eerily striking.
Consider:
?Both have identical overall and conference records (4-5, 2-3), leaving them two wins shy of bowl eligibility with three games to play.
?Both have first-year head coaches.
?SDSU is coming off a 55-12 loss to TCU. Wyoming was stomped last week 52-0 by BYU.
?Both will be underdogs next week, SDSU at Utah and Wyoming home to TCU.
?Both have winnable games in the season finale, SDSU at UNLV and Wyoming at Colorado State.
It doesn't take a lot of number crunching to postulate that today's 7 p.m. kickoff is High Noon for both teams.
?In the whole big scheme of things, this game is a pretty important game,? Aztecs defensive coordinator Rocky Long said. ?Neither team played worth a darn last week. I'm sure both teams are waiting for their ?A? games to show up. If both of us show up ?A? game-wise, it's going to be a heck of a game. If we both show up not ?A? game-wise, it's going to be a heck of a game too. I think both teams are going to come ready to play. I think it's going to be a great football game.?
It's also the last chance for fans to see the Aztecs play in Qualcomm Stadium this year, and for 23 seniors it's their final home game ? barring an invitation to the Poinsettia Bowl.
?This is the way football is supposed to be played,? SDSU quarterback Ryan Lindley said. ?It's a level playing field. Surprisingly, and unusually, it's not like this in most games with all those intangibles. It's going to make for a great game and guys are going to be fighting.?
A long time ago, some football coach probably told a sportswriter his team needs to take it ?one game at a time.? Back then, it wasn't a cliche, it was insightful. Yet offensive coordinator Al Borges ? normally not one to speak in cliches ? warned of the dangers of looking too far down the road.
?That's such a bad habit to get into,? Borges said. ?If you just keep your eye on the prize and what's in front of you, it's so much better. I know it sounds like coach speak, but it's so true. One game at a time. You start talking about who beats who, it screws you up when you start trying to prognosticate.?
But that doesn't change the fact that bowl eligibility is very attainable for San Diego State, which has yet to play in a bowl game since entering the Mountain West Conference and hasn't been to a bowl since 1998.
?Guys individually may have thought about it. I'd be a fool to say no,? linebacker Jerry Milling said. ?But among each other, it hasn't been talked about. We're not in a position to speak on those things. We just lost 55-12. We have a lot of improvement this week to even consider something like that. Right now, we're focused on winning this game because if we don't win this week, nothing else matters.?
Both teams have plenty of motivation. The theme around The Mesa this week has been all about the seniors and their final home game. Head coach Brady Hoke, who has been extremely demanding of his seniors from Day 1, called it the most important game of their college careers. Not because a bowl berth hangs in the balance, but because it's their last opportunity to represent their school at home.
?That last one means a lot,? Hoke said. ?The biggest ramification for us is that it's our seniors' last game at home. That in itself is enough for us to play hard and prepare our best. I remember my last game. It was Indiana State. We won.?
How'd Hoke play?
?Not bad,? he said. ?I got a pick.?
Wyoming coach Dave Christensen is likewise playing the one-game-at-a-time card. But he too understands what is at stake.
?(The players) understand where we are at,? Christensen said. ?We are focused on one game. But we understand this is a pivotal, pivotal game in order for us to achieve a winning record and have an opportunity to get to six or seven wins. We have to win this football game. Our players understand that and that's the approach we're taking.?
Offensive tackle Peter Nelson said it's easy to ignore all of the bowl talk and just focus on Wyoming.
?If you worry about all that other stuff, it just adds more pressure,? Nelson said. ?We don't need that stuff right now. The coaches have done a good job instilling that one-game mentality. We're not letting the other stuff cloud our vision.?
The Aztecs are at least a touchdown favorite, according to most sites, but that doesn't mean much because SDSU is 3-4-1 against the spread this season; the Southern Utah game did not have an official line. If history is any indication, SDSU hasn't lost at home to Wyoming since 1995, and the home team has won the past six matchups.
?They are in the same spot as we are,? Aztecs linebacker Luke Laolagi said. ?Both teams are excited for the opportunity. I think it's going to be a great game.?
