College Football: San Diego State at hawaii

San Diego State heads to the islands with the inside track in the Mountain West, and the formula remains familiar: defense first, then a methodical, run-led offense that controls tempo. At 4-0 in league play and 7-1 overall, the Aztecs have thrived by winning early downs, staying ahead of the sticks, and letting their front seven squeeze life out of opponents’ drives. Offensively, SDSU establishes the ground game to set up efficient throws off play-action, limiting negative plays and protecting...

Hawai‘i, meanwhile, is trending up under Timmy Chang. Quarterback Micah Alejado has the offense humming with rhythm throws, quick perimeter touches, and enough vertical shots to keep safeties honest. The question is sustainability against this caliber of defense. Can the Rainbow Warriors finish red-zone trips with touchdowns and avoid the drive-killing sacks and penalties SDSU feasts upon?

Key battlegrounds: third-down distance, turnover margin, and explosive plays. The travel edge and island energy are real, but so is San Diego State’s ability to mute noise by stacking first downs and dictating pace. If Hawai‘i keeps the chains moving with early-down success and tempo, we’ve got a coin flip. If not, the Aztecs’ blueprint travels—and usually closes in crunch time on defense.

Pick:
San Diego State 26
Hawaii 20