Latest San Diego State football bowl projections

San Diego State gets to go bowling for the first time since 2022.

The resurgent Aztecs (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West) punched their ticket to the postseason with a 23-0 victory against Fresno State last Saturday that gave them their all-important sixth win.

San Diego State’s turnaround has been so impressive that it’s been showing up in bowl projections for several weeks.

Now that it’s official, some projections have changed, but some remain the same. That’s likely to happen during the rest of the regular season.

CBS Sports hasn’t backed off its bold projection of the Aztecs playing in the Los Angeles Bowl, which matches the Mountain West champion against a Pac-12 legacy team, in this case, Washington.

San Diego State Aztecs running back Byron Cardwell Jr. (21). | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

Several other prognosticators have defending MW champion Boise State going to the Los Angeles Bowl.

There will be more clarity come Nov. 15, when SDSU hosts Boise State at Snapdragon Stadium. The Broncos are the only other team with a perfect MW record, 4-0.

The Broncos host Fresno State on Saturday, while the Aztecs host Wyoming in their Homecoming game. BSU then has a bye week before visiting the Aztecs, while SDSU travels to face Hawaii.

Why this matters

San Diego State is enjoying a big turnaround in Sean Lewis’ second season as coach. They’re already doubled their win total from last year, when they lost their final six games and finished 3-9 overall and 2-5 in the Mountain West.

SDSU played in 10 straight bowl games from 2010-2019.

It made consecutive appearances in 2021-2022 before missing the postseason in Brady Hoke’s final season as head coach in 2023 and Lewis’ first season last fall.

Bowl projections for San Diego State:

CBS Sports

Los Angeles Bowl, Dec. 13: San Diego State vs. Washington

This would be an easy trip for Aztecs fans, up the freeway to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to cheer for SDSU against former Pac-12 member Washington, which is now in the Big Ten.

USA Today

Frisco Bowl, Dec. 23: San Diego State vs. Washington State

USA continues to project this rematch from Sept. 6, when WSU beat the Aztecs by 23 points. 6, the Cougars have some work to do as they are only 4-4 heading into the first of two games against the only other current member of the Pac-12, Oregon State. SDSU and four other MW teams will join the Pac-12 next season.

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 22: San Diego State vs. Ohio

Bonagura has moved away from his earlier pick of SDSU vs. WSU in the Hawaii bowl to this matchup between the Aztecs and Bobcats of the Mid-American Conference. Ohio beat the Aztecs 27-0 in the 2018 Frisco Bowl.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN

First Responder Bowl, Dec. 24: San Diego State vs. Miami (Ohio)

Schlabach offers this pick for a second straight week. This would be the first time these teams would face off in a bowl game, in this case, in Dallas.

Athlon Sports

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 22: San Diego State vs. Central Michigan

Athlon did have the Aztecs going to the Arizona Bowl to face Central Michigan, but now predicts they’ll go to Boise to face Buffalo. SDSU beat Buffalo 49-24 in the Boise bowl game in 2013.

Mountain West Connection

Mountain West Connection has raised the possibility of the Aztecs playing in the LA Bowl as MW champions. One of its experts made that prediction, while the others have the Aztecs headed to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix. It does not project opponents.