Washington State Cougars On SI

Washington State 2025 Spring Opponent Outlook: San Diego State Aztecs

Jared Miller

Nov 11, 2023; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; San Diego State Aztecs players huddle during the second quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images
Nov 11, 2023; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; San Diego State Aztecs players huddle during the second quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images / Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images
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For the second straight year, Washington State will clash with San Diego State. The Cougars are looking to make it two straight over the Aztecs when they come together in Pullman on September 6.

It will be Sean Lewis' second season heading the team and SDSU is hoping to improve after a down 3-9 go of it in 2024. What should Jimmy Rogers' bunch expect when their new foes from the Mountain West come to town?

Offense

The quarterback position is very much up in the air for the Aztecs. Last year it was Danny O'Neil running the offense but now O'Niel is gone and the likely starter will be Central Michigan transfer Bert Emmanuel Jr. He and fellow transfer Jayden Denegal will duke it out this offseason to see who gets the starting QB job come fall. Neither one saw any significant snaps as backups at their respective schools last season.

Another big loss the Lewis' team suffered was that of standout running back Marquez Cooper. Cooper, who rushed for 1,274 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, has exhausted his eligibility meaning that someone else will be stepping up to take that torch in the backfield. SDSU brought in redshirt junior Christian Washington from Coastal Carolina in the hopes that he can be the guy moving forward. While with the Chanticleers last season, Washington appeared in 11 games and rumbled for 537 yards along with five scores. He and senior Cam Davis, who has been with the team since 2021, are expected to be the main ball carriers this year.

While there will be a bunch of new faces at the skill positions, the Aztecs will have one of the more experienced offensive lines of anyone Washington State faces this season. All five projected starters on the front will be seniors who were with the team last year. Despite losing tackle Nate Williams, San Diego State will still have guys like Tyler McMahan, Brayden Bryant and Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli bolstering their front.

Defense

Defensively the Aztecs don't say goodbye to quite as many notable players. Leading tackler from a year ago Tano Letuli will return for his junior season at middle linebacker as will defensive end Trey White. In 2024, White and Letuli were responsible for a combined 130 stops with White wreaking havoc on the edge with 12.5 sacks. They spearheaded a defensive effort that held the Cougars to one of their lowest rushing outputs of the 2024 season last year with just 114 on the ground.

If the new faces on offense can gel sooner rather than later, the Aztecs should see improvement in Lewis' second year. The defense appears as though it will be fine barring any unforeseen setbacks and the O line experience should help a bunch as well. Seeing a team in back-to-back seasons might make things interesting as well. It took WSU everything it had to escape SDSU on their field last October. To play again not even a calendar year later could make for an interesting Week 2 showdown.

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Jared Miller
JARED MILLER

I was born and raised in Montana and I love the outdoors. My favorite time of year is Fall, not only for the colors and scenery up in Big Sky country but of course for college football! When I'm not writing about or watching football you can find me on the golf course.

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