How to watch San Diego State vs. Colorado State: TV channel, live stream

After winning its last two games with defense and the strong left foot of Gabe Plascencia, the San Diego State Aztecs (3-1) open their final season in the Mountain West Conference when they return home to face off against Colorado State (1-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Snapdragon Stadium. The game will air on CBS Sports Network.

This is an odd rivalry, to say the least. This will be the Rams’ first visit to San Diego since 2016, when they routed the Aztecs 63-31 at Qualcomm Stadium, which no longer exists. The teams have played only three times since then, twice in Fort Collins and once in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, where the Aztecs played for two seasons while Qualcomm Stadium was being razed and Snapdragon was being built.

SDSU leads the series 22-15, having won seven of the last nine games and 10 of 13. The Aztecs and Rams did not play last year. CSU went 8-5 overall and was third in the MW at 6-1, staying in the race for a berth in the championship game until late in the season, while SDSU went 3-9 and 2-5.

The Aztecs have allowed only three points in the last two games, including a 34-0 home victory against California and a 6-3 road win against Northern Illinois.

“We play with superior confidence. We go out there and try to pitch a shutout every game,” linebacker Owen Chambliss said. “We have the offense’s back. We believe in those guys every time they take the field. We are just going to keep working, keep improving. Obviously, there's still some meat on the bone for us in terms of big plays.”

Colorado State has already changed quarterbacks, going from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi to redshirt sophomore Jackson Brousseau. It didn’t help, as a Rams rally against UTSA fell just short, and then CSU was routed at home last Saturday by future Pac-12 foe Washington State.

What’s at stake

The long goodbye begins Friday night when the Aztecs begin their 27th and final season in the Mountain West. SDSU is 62-34 in league play since the current 12-team Mountain West conference began play in 2013, including championship and bowl games.

SDSU finished 10th in the MW last year at 2-5, with its only conference wins coming against Hawaii and Wyoming.

The Aztecs and their fans have long wanted to move up in the world to the Pac-12. They get their wish starting next season, although there’s not much left of the legacy Pac-12. Holdovers WSU and Oregon State will welcome the Aztecs, Rams, Boise State, Fresno State and Utah State from the MW, as well as Texas State in football and basketball and Gonzaga in basketball.

Aztecs players to watch

Lucky Sutton has rushed for 337 yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries, averaging 5 yards per carry. He carried six straight times for 30 yards to help set up Plascencia’s game-winning, 25–yard field goal as time expired at NIU.

Transfer Jayden Denegal is 56 of 93 for 636 yards and three touchdowns in his first four career starts at quarterback.

Sep 6, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; San Diego State Aztecs quarterback Jayden Denegal (4) throws a pass against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. | James Snook-Imagn Images

Jordan Napier continues to lead the Aztecs’ receiving corps with 25 catches for 290 yards and a touchdown.

Rams players to watch

Running back Jalen Dupree has 267 yards and one touchdown, while Lloyd Avant has rushed for 209 yards and two scores.

Colorado State's Jalen Dupree finds a pocket against Washington State at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo., on Sept. 27, 2025. | Logan Newell/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Quarterback Jackson Brosseau has thrown for 266 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions, in one-plus games.