Bowl projection season is heating up, and there’s a doozy of a matchup that should wet the postseason appetites of two fan bases heading into Week 7.
On Monday, Projection Sports and Pro Football Network joined Mark Schlabach of ESPN in predicting that San Diego State (4-1) will play Texas State (3-2) in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 27 in Albuquerque.
That’s a delicious projection for two reasons.
The first is that San Diego State and Texas State will become conference rivals next fall when they both move into the new-look Pac-12. A preview showdown would make it more than a run-of-the-mill bowl game.
The second is that the New Mexico Bowl is played at University Stadium, home of the New Mexico Lobos. The Aztecs will be making their final regular-season trip to Albuquerque on Nov. 28.
The Lobos will be remaining in the MW as SDSU, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and Utah State leave for the Pac-12, where they’ll merge with Texas State and holdovers Washington State and Oregon State. Gonzaga will join in basketball only.
San Diego State is showing a strong turnaround in Sean Lewis’ second season as coach. At 4-1, they’ve eclipsed the win total from last year, when they lost their final six games and finished 3-9 overall and 2-5 in the Mountain West.
The Aztecs have won three in a row heading into Saturday night’s game at Nevada (1-4), which is also staying behind in the MW.
They’re just two wins away from becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2022.
Oct 3, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs linebacker Tano Letuli (21) celebrates after a tackle during the first half against the Colorado State Rams at Snapdragon Stadium. / David Frerker-Imagn Images
Texas State is 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Sun Belt Conference after a 31-30 to Arkansas State.
The Bobcats were courted for months by the Pac-12 before the conference announced on July 1 that it would be an expansion member. The Bobcats were seen as a viable member in all sports, as well as opening up Texas to the rest of the members of the rejuvenated conference.
The New Mexico Bowl lines up perfectly for these two teams, as its conference tie-ins are with the MW, Sun Belt, AAC, CUSA and MAC.
College Football News
New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico State vs. San Diego State.
College Football News also projects the Aztecs to head to Albuquerque, but with a different opponent, the New Mexico State Aggies.
Kyle Bonagura, ESPN
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Buffalo vs. San Diego State
Bonagura has these one-time bowl opponents in a rematch on Saturday, Dec. 27. San Diego State beat Buffalo 49-24 in the 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise.
The Aztecs played in the New Mexico Bowl in 2019, beating Central Michigan 48-11.
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 against the Central Michigan Chippewas. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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.
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