San Diego State football team closing in on becoming bowl eligible

San Diego State is one win shy of being bowl-eligible for the first time since 2022.

The resurgent Aztecs (5-1, 2-0 Mountain West) will be going for that all-important sixth win as soon as Saturday at Fresno State, where SDSU will be playing for more than just the Old Oil Can trophy. SDSU is a 3.5-point favorite to beat the Bulldogs and extend its winning streak to five games.

The Bulldogs (5-2, 2-1) can also become bowl eligible on Saturday if they win in a rivalry dating to 1923. Both teams are coming off bye weeks.

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

One doozy of a projected matchup has faded away. Two weeks ago, three outlets had SDSU facing future Pac-12 rivals SDSU and Texas State facing off in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 27 in Albuquerque.

While that would have been intriguing for many reasons, the Bobcats have lost three straight games to fall to 3-4 overall.

Sep 13, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Texas State Bobcats head coach G. J. Kinne during a time out in the first quarter of the game between Arizona State Sun Devils and Texas State Bobcats. | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

In one bold prediction, CBS Sports sees the Aztecs playing in the Los Angeles Bowl, which matches the Mountain West champion against a Pac-12 legacy team, in this case, Washington.

At least two prognosticators have the Aztecs facing future Pac-12 foe Washington State in a rematch of their Sept. 6, which the Cougars won 36-13 in Pullman.

Defending champion Boise State improved to 3-0 in the Mountain West after routing previously undefeated UNLV. Many outlets predict the Broncos will go to the Los Angeles Bowl as the MW champion.

Why all this matters

San Diego State is enjoying a big turnaround in Sean Lewis’ second season as coach. They’re already two wins better than they were last season in Lewis’ first year at Montezuma Mesa, 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.

Dec 21, 2019; Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA; San Diego State Aztecs quarterback Ryan Agnew (9) and linebacker Kyahva Tezino (44) hoist the winner's trophy after the New Mexico Bowl. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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

It’s not super attractive to have a rematch in a bowl game. While WSU beat the Aztecs by 23 points on Sept. 6, the Cougars have some work to do as they are only 3-4.

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN

Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24: San Diego State vs. Washington State

Bonagura also sees the future Pac-12 opponents facing off, this time in Hawaii.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN

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

This would be the first time these teams would face off in a bowl game, in this case, in Dallas.

Athlon Sports

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, Dec. 27: San Diego State vs. Central Michigan

This would be a rematch of the 2019 New Mexico Bowl, which SDSU won 48-11 against the Chippewas.

Mountain West Connection

The experts at Mountain West Connection have the Aztecs playing in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise and the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl. It does not project opponents.