San Diego State returns to AP Top 25 and Coaches Polls!

It’s about damn time. The NCAA football team with the longest active conference win streak in the FBS has been conspicuously absent from the Top 25. The team with a running back on the cusp of breaking Ron Dayne’s all-time NCAA career rushing record has not even been a regular national talk point. The team ranked 7th in the nation in defense, which has also led the nation in interceptions has remained on the outside looking in. Yes, the team that has won 19 of its last 20 games is San Diego State.

Being an Aztec isn’t easy. Most sports journalists are fast asleep in their beds, with visions of Clemson and LSU dancing in their heads, while San Diego State is just suiting up for Friday and Saturday evening games, before going on to outscore conference opponents at a ratio above 5:1.

Through six games San Diego State has outscored its in-conference opponents 226-42. Still, the Western NCAA football Cliff’s Notes written for East Coast journalists only provides analysis of the Pac-12 teams, with a mere footnote for MW leaders San Diego State summarized by two words: “Donnel” and “Pumphrey.”

Pumphrey is easily tracking to become the most prolific career rushing leader in the history of the NCAA. Yet there is so much more to this program.

The Aztecs offense, defense, special teams, along with a lengthy cadre of standout individuals, like Damontae Kazee, Rashad Penny, Calvin Munson, Nico Siragusa, John Baron, Christian Chapman and Quest Truxton and others- pull it together week after week to win regardless.

Sports journalists may enjoy analyzing the “why” and the “how” behind San Diego State’s success. The Aztecs have a program that is clearly on the rise.