PASADENA, Calif. - For three quarters and seven minutes, Bob Chesney's Rose Bowl debut was a dull affair, then just as quickly, the Bruins gave their faithful fans and historic stadium plenty to cheer about.
The SDSU Aztecs came to town looking to present a challenge and they certainly didn't make things easy on the Bruins, nor did the Bruins make things easy back. Both siders traded drives where they accomplished relatively nothing. So much nothing in fact the first play to go past the 50-yard line and into opposing territory didn't happen until Brian Rowe Jr. caught a pass with 11:47 left in the second quarter and both sides went into halftime tied 0-0.
Neither side particularly excelled with their passing, even if UCLA had the slight edge through the first half and finished with a much larger edge with 151 net passing yards to just 45 by SDSU and both sides were equally unsuccessful in their rushing attempts early on, but things started to change for UCLA in the second half.
"That is not the way we want to play football, obviously in the first half," Chesney said. "But at the same point in time, that's where we found ourselves. And I think every once in a while, it wasn't pretty, but it was gritty, and you need one of those."
UCLA struck first with a rushing touchdown courtesy of fifth-year running back Wayne Knight early in the third quarter, but UCLA could have scored far earlier than that if senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava made a different decision in a critical moment.

#first #things

PASADENA -- San Diego State's defense did practically everything they could to keep the Aztecs in the game against UCLA. They just needed the offense to come along for the ride.
Despite the defense largely holding UCLA's offense in check, SDSU's offense managed just 189 yards and one touchdown — coming effectively in garbage time — in a 28-10 loss to the Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
"Inefficiency on offense led to a bunch of snaps for the defense," head coach Sean Lewis said. "Starting three and out there constantly, we were behind in the field position game. So I think just the culmination of snaps, the inefficiency on offense. It starts with the play calling, with myself, the leadership throughout the course of the week, so that we can have more success and flip the field."
Nowhere was SDSU's offensive struggle more apparent than in the passing game. The Aztecs completed just six passes for 45 yards, and several deep shots by quarterback Jayden Denegal were wildly off-target.
"[We] felt like we had good matchups on the edge," Lewis said. "There was a lot of single-high coverage. Again, those are good, calculated shots downrange. We got ***** on hands that we didn't catch. We had other guys wide open that we missed."

#yards #shots

The UCLA Bruins defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 28-10 in their home opener at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. on Sept. 12.
The Bruins were held scoreless for the first half of the game, but took the lead in the third and blew up in the fourth to steamroll the Aztecs. UCLA head coach Bob Chesney was able to keep his team together yet again as he leaves his first home opener in the Rose Bowl triumphant. Here were five takeaways from the Week 2 performance.
The Bruins defense defended their den viciously for the season opener as they held the Aztecs scoreless for the first three quarters of play. San Diego State's lone touchdown came on the defense's worse drive of the game that was filled with penalties that led the Aztecs down the field and into the endzone.
Nonetheless, the defense was the strongest side of the ball for the majority of the game as they held the Aztecs to just 45-passing yards, had two sacks, six tackles-for-loss and an interception that was snagged by senior linebacker Jalen Woods.
FIRST CAREER INT FOR J-9! 💪

📺: BigTenNetwork
📲: https://t.co/rVIspx5dud pic.twitter.com/4ODHkrh5SV

#aztecs #opener #ucla #bowl

UCLA football looks to build on a strong showing from their Week 1 rout of Cal in their home opener when they host San Diego State at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The Bob Chesney era in Westwood couldn't have started on a better note as the Bruins rode dominant performances from their run game and defense -- their two biggest weaknesses last season -- to pull away late from what had been a shootout with the Golden Bears through the first three quarters.
Senior running back Anthony Woods led the way on the ground with 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while JMU transfer Wayne Knight added three more scores on 71 yards. That opened up some opportunities for Nico Iamaleava to take shots downfield, which the quarterback converted for some big plays late in the first half.
The Aztecs -- now a member of the new-look Pac-12 -- are coming off a strong season debut of their own, a 53-20 blowout over Portland State.
Follow along for live coverage from USA TODAY Sports on UCLA vs. San Diego State:

#state #diego

No 10 Williams Field (Arizona Republic rankings) overcame some early penalties and turnovers to remain undefeated, downing Corona del Sol 33-23 on Friday, Sept. 11, in a 6A matchup.
The Blackhawks were able to flip the script after the first half missteps, which led to an early 10-6 Corona lead.
In the second half, the Black Hawks started gashing the Aztec defense for chunk plays that led to 27 points. Williams Field improved to 3-0, while Corona is 2-1.
Key Plays
After the Blackhawks went down the field on 11 plays, they were forced to turn the ball over on downs at the Corona 9-yard line. Corona then drove 91-yards on 12 plays, capped with Aztecs senior QB Luke Farrell's 34-yard touchdown pass to give the Aztecs a 7-0 lead at the 2:10 mark of the first quarter.

#lead

It's not just game day, it's the first home game for Bob Chesney as head coach of the UCLA Bruins. UCLA will be taking on San Diego State at the Rose Bowl, with both teams eyeing a 2-0 start to the 2026 season.
We'll get our first look at how Chesney has his team looking in Pasadena, with the program looking to keep the ball rolling after an offseason filled with positive momentum. UCLA passed their first test, knocking off Cal on the road in Week 1.
Here are five questions for the Bruins entering Week 2 versus the Aztecs.
The UCLA offensive line dominated up front, allowing for major games from running backs Anthony Woods and Wayne Knight. While it'll be tough for UCLA to match their 277 yards they got in Week 1, a successful rushing offense will make everything else much easier for the Bruins.
There were many highlights from UCLA's Week 1 victory. One thing that wasn't great from the Bruins was their penalties. UCLA committed 12 penalties, giving away 110 yards. That isn't sustainable and will be something to improve upon in Week 2.

#first #penalties #diego

It's already a tired storyline, but we'll get through it together until it becomes totally exhausted. San Diego State is the Pac-12 team here, UCLA is the Big Ten team, and even if it doesn't quite feel right, it's a big game for both.

The Aztecs want to be a player in the hunt for a College Football Playoff spot, but this is the one shot to take down a Power Four program. Coming off a good 53-20 warm-up win over Portland State, SDSU is as ready as it's going to be.
UCLA is the big story, though. Bob Chesney's first game as the new head coach was close to perfect, with the ground game pounding away through Cal in a 45-24 win.
It seems like these two should've played more than 17 times. UCLA won the last meeting in 2023 and is 16-1 all-time in the series.
San Diego State can lose this and still be alive for the CFP, but it would need to beat James Madison next week. The Pac-12 season starts against Texas State in early October.
UCLA starts the Big Ten season next week when Purdue comes to Los Angeles. It gets Maryland after that before going to Oregon.

#diego #next #week #starts

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State Aztecs defeated Portland State 53-20 and The Sporting Tribune's Ardie Crenshaw was there to capture the following TST Images.
SDSU wide receiver Will Cianfrini (16 ) during warmups for an NCAA football game against Portland State Saturday September 5, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
Ardie Crenshaw - The Sporting Tribune
SDSU wide receiver Will Cianfrini (16 ) during warmups for an NCAA football game against Portland State Saturday September 5, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
SDSU wide receiver Jordan Napier during warmups for an NCAA football game against Portland State Saturday September 5, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.

#wide #receiver

How does a University of Wisconsin grad from Illinois, who spent a huge chunk of his coaching life in Ohio, end up looking like the next big thing coach at a place like San Diego State?

And how does he do it by going against what made him a hot name in the first place?

Lewis didn't do much as a tight end for the Badgers, but he quickly grew into a rising star coach with an offensive style that went fast, fast, fast.
At just 31, he took over a woeful Kent State program and turned it into a winner with a bowl victory in 2019. His offense went 1000 miles per hour, made everyone adjust, and it was what Deion Sanders wanted at Colorado.

Lewis was in Boulder for just one season, left to become the head coach at San Diego State, and the results weren't great in a 3-9 season. Last year, though, his offense was okay, but the defense was one of the best in the nation.

Now, at 40, he's one more great season away from getting a long look from the big programs. Here's our interview with the Aztec head coach going into the 2026 season.
– 2026 San Diego State Preview
CFN: How outside of the box is San Diego State football-wise compared to Wisconsin, Kent State, and everywhere else you've been?

Sean Lewis: It was certainly different.

Yeah, I mean, it's funny. The first year, you think it's going to be wildly different and probably try to be more West Coast than Midwest in some ways, and then you realize that, no, we all do the same thing. Like, these guys just need discipline, some structure, and be good to go.
You, the FlashFast-turned-AztecFast offensive coach – where did that defense come from last year? (The Aztecs finished sixth in the nation in scoring defense and 11th in total defense, but those numbers are a bit skewed with almost all of its stars gone before the wild bowl loss to North Texas.)

It's San Diego, you think, groovy and surfers, but Rocky Long had some amazing defenses in his era. And there's what (Brian) Dutcher does with the hoops side – they're at a whole other level. This is a hard-nosed place. I think that's what we are; it's something we learned, and it's kind of this double-edged sword.

You can recruit anywhere because of how amazing this place is. But you better make sure the person you're bringing in is wired the right way so that they're not distracted by the temptations. And so having a hard-nosed, focused individual is really important to us.

Having great discipline, being a physical team, and doing hard things in the offseason the way that we do does have a balance. This past Friday we went to the beach – we always do the things San Diego has to offer to balance out the hard stuff, but I think how we go about it to do things in a way that's uniquely special.

And then the individuals that we get to rub shoulders with are also very unique. So, yeah, it's a special place.
At the time, it was easy to see exactly why you were the hire. New stadium, new developments, new plan to make this San Diego's

SAN DIEGO – Certain sounds are unmistakable signs that football season is back on The Mesa. The hoots and hollers while going through stretching. The cracking of helmets and crunching of pads. Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" blaring while the San Diego State Aztecs all raise their fists before practicing their two minute drill.
Hot off the heels of a 9-4 season where the Scarlet and Black finished in a four-way tie atop the Mountain West Conference and competed in a bowl game, there is an unmistakable energy surrounding the SDSU program as they embark on their first season as a member of the reconstituted eight team Pac-12.
"We're still trying to prove ourselves. The success of it all, the external noise, it's all well and good and I'm really proud of what we did, but this team this year has got to forge their own identity, so having day one energy, day one enthusiasm, it's Christmas morning…that's what it feels like this morning. I rolled over at 3 a.m. and I didn't need my alarm…that excitement is there," head coach Sean Lewis said.
"All the preseason accolades and where we're picked…none of that noise matters, and that's the beauty of camp, we're going to get to put that bubble up and live in our little bubble (and) tune all that other stuff out."
Picked to finish second and receiving one first place vote in the preseason Pac-12 media poll organized by the Denver Gazette, as well as receiving a pair of votes in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll — their first time receiving votes since 2022 — there are plenty of expectations, as well as questions to be answered before opening the season against Portland State on Sept. 5.

#well #preseason #diego

Jul. 24—GRAND FORKS — Matti Kwarta had just seven at-bats as a freshman at San Diego State this year.
On July 11, she won the Northwoods League's home run derby, beating out the likes of Wisconsin's Hilary Blomberg and Washington's Ava Carroll.
Kwarta was primarily a pitcher for the Aztecs. This summer with the Grand Forks Spitfires, though, Kwarta is proving she's still a major threat at the plate.
"I hope to bring what I've been doing here back to SDSU to help my team," Kwarta said. "It gives me more confidence knowing that I can do this at this level, going against great pitchers. So hopefully when I go back, this carries over. ... I would love to be able to hit more and be able to pitch."
Kwarta leads the Spitfires with 13 home runs, and her .475 batting average ranks fourth in the Northwoods League.

#grand #home

It’s Monday, and we have made it to Mountain West Media Days week! Take a look at all our content coming out this week. As always, check out our original coverage and what we can find on the World Wide Web below.
Obviously, it’s too early for bowl projections, but Athlon released them to gear up for the season. The new FBS team NDSU is slated to compete in the Potato Bowl, while UNLV will be in the Armed Forces Bowl. Utah State competes in the Frisco Bowl and the New Mexico Bowl will see the Lobos and Washington State Cougars face off against one another. Hawaii is in the Hawaii Bowl and Fresno State is in the First Responder Bowl. Then, the Air Force is going to Arizona, and San Diego State will play in the new Poinsettia Bowl. If that all wasn’t enough, they place Boise State in the CFP,
College Football Network looks at the Aztecs in this preview post, as they aspire to win the Pac-12 this season. On offense, they are leaning on a heavy dose of the run game, and to great effect. Plus, they return their starting quarterback and top wide receivers, but the passing attack will need to find a way to be more effective, and the OL will need to take steps forward to help that. Over on defense, the strength is the interior defensive line and the veteran safeties in the back. They will need to replace most of the tacklers from last year and get better at stopping the run. CFN thinks that San Diego State will end up in the neighborhood of 7 wins, which is a bit disappointing after last year’s campaign.
The Aggies are seeing big jumps in their ticket sales, with their MBB already surpassing last year’s season ticket totals. They have also seen an increase in donations and corporate sponsorships, meaning the money is coming in at an all-time high for Utah State athletics. In the past fiscal year, they’ve actually increased their reported revenue from $55.8 to $75.4 million, and that 35.3% growth is the third-highest increase in the Pac-12. However, that doesn’t mean they are a major financial player in the conference, according to their AD. But they are keeping up, which is important.
Today: A new Recruiting Roundup featuring July Mountain West Recruiting Rankings.

This post is brought to you by FanDuel, proud partner of SBNation.
Apologies, as we were limited to one question this week; otherwise, we would have asked about the Mountain West and Pac-12 separately. That being said, about half of the voters believe that the Broncos are the best bet to get to nine wins or more in 2026. That's how many they got last year, for the record. About a quarter of fans gave the Lobos a chance to get to 9 wins as well, with the Rebels, Aztecs, and Bulldogs also getting votes, It's likely a few teams will reach that mark and we will see who gets there this year.

Anaheim (Calif.) Western athlete Ayden Payne flipped his commitment from San Diego State to Oregon State earlier today and broke down why he chose the Beavers.
Payne originally committed to the Aztecs back in May following his first official visit. It was a bit of a surprise, only because he had four other trips set and we didn’t think he was going to pull the trigger so early in the process.
Payne decided to take one last visit after all, and checked out the Beavers this past weekend. The talented two-way standout decided to flip his commitment and will now play his college ball in Corvallis.
“The biggest reason why I chose Oregon State is because they have the number one Forestry class in the country,” Payne said. “That’s what I plan to major in and and will set me up later in life to become a firefighter.
“Going in to the visit, I was pretty open minded but wouldn’t say I was leaning to Oregon State. I really didn’t know what to expect but I already I liked them a lot and had a good unofficial visit back in March. Once I was there, it just felt right and I decided I wanted to be a Beaver.”

SAN DIEGO: San Diego State running back Kenan Christon runs the ball during a college football game between the Boise State Broncos and the San Diego State Aztecs on September 22, 2023, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Though crates, boxes and moving vans will not be present, the first day of July is like moving day in college football. That is when teams changing conferences and/or subdivisions are officially given the keys to their new home. In the case of Sacramento State, neighbors are not exactly close.
Here is a look at conference realignment that becomes official July 1. Changes for 2026 do not include power conferences, though a former power conference has been revamped and may immediately have a seat at the playoff table.
The Mountain West will have a much different look (see below) for the 2026 season, including the addition of FCS behemoth North Dakota State for football only. Beginning in 2011, the Bison collected 10 national ******* les, including eight in a nine-season stretch. Among teams they defeated on the championship stage were James Madison, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State, each of which elevated to the FBS. The Bison went 12-1 in 2025 with the lone defeat to Illinois State in the second round of the playoff.
Each of the coaches who led the Bison to ******* les left to take over an FBS program: Craig Bohl (Wyoming), Chris Klieman (Kansas State) and Matt Entz (Fresno State). Bohl and Klieman have since retired.