Maybe there was nothing of real consequence on the line Saturday night as the Aztecs played out the string against Hawai’i. We walked into the Tombstone with some concern that a seven-win SDSU team in the improved Mountain West could get left without a bowl bid. That’s possible, though consensus seems to be that the only bowl-eligible team in Southern California will merit a forgettable postseason invite.
But in a larger sense, the 31-30 overtime loss felt like the night our legends and myths dissipated into mist before our eyes.
What: Football game Who: Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors at San Diego State Aztecs When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: SDCCU Stadium TV: ESPNU Line: SDSU -17.5
The Stakes At first glance, this appears to be a meaningless play-out-the-string game before a meaningless lower-tier bowl game. Turns out, the full picture is even more depressing! With a likely overflow of bowl-eligible teams and the Mountain West possibly having seven eligible teams for its five (mostly lousy) bowl tie-ins, SDSU likely needs to win its eighth game to be sure of bring invited to a meaningless lower-tier bowl game. You’ve got to work for that trip to the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, kids!
If they lose? The Aztecs might need a few things to break their way for the season to not end in ignominious fashion. In short: DEATH TO ALL 5-WIN TEAMS.
So it has come to this: your Get the Tecs to a Crappy Bowl Game weekend rooting guide. Most important games are bolded. pic.twitter.com/vb6S0lNKpT
Well! That’s a relief. The San Diego State football Aztecs, reeling from two straight losses after starting the season 6 and 0, went to Honolulu and beat Hawai’i 28-7. Coupled with Fresno State’s surprising loss at home to UNLV, the win cracks open a can of hope for a return to the Mountain West championship game.
This tweet from the official SDSU Football account is a good representation of the game: Rashaad Penny running to daylight past a handful of disinterested fans and thousands of empty Aloha Stadium seats.
What: San Diego State Aztecs at Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors When: Saturday, October 28 at 8:15 p.m. TV: ESPN2 Line: Aztecs -9.5
The Aloha Stadium Swap Meet I, too, have visited Aloha Stadium on a Saturday, with a singular goal and high stakes. In the parking lot, they have a swap meet that puts even the best day at Kobey’s to shame. Faced with consecutive defeats, I took to the Aloha Stadium turf (parking lot) in a last-ditch effort to get myself on track. I was determined to find that throwback Rainbows cap that had eluded me, that I was told by many locals “did not exist.” After a treacherous journey through junk jewelry, coconut stands and die-cut decals depicting Stormtroopers with traditional Polynesian tattoos, I found my cap. It was hot as shit. Rocky Long would have loved it. My point is that I intro all of these previews with loosely-related nonsense, and today is no different. The Aztecs are just like me, as you can see. They’re looking for their Rainbows throwback ca-shut up, David.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas updated their “spirit mark” i.e. athletics logo. It’s bad! UNLV tweeted it out yesterday and were met with immediate dogpiling and cyberbullying.
KABEER THIRTY 