The University of New Mexico has competed in 1,178 football games; just 24 have come the same week as a presidential election. With news of Donald Trump’s victory behind it, America’s Finest City can turn its attention to Friday night’s clash between the Aztecs and Lobos.

San Diego State and New Mexico will compete in a battle of three-win teams. Fittingly, the oddsmakers put a field goal as the spread between them. 

Following last week’s 49-45 barn-burning loss to Wyoming, the Lobos need a three-game winning streak to end its season to reach bowl eligibility. A loss to the Aztecs would end UNM’s chances of a .500 season.

SDSU must win three out of its final four games to reach six on the year. While that number might not guarantee a spot in the postseason, a defeat against New Mexico likely means 2024 will end after the Aztecs’ final contest against Air Force. The Red and Black would be in the same position the Lobos are in, needing to match their win total for the year in the final three contests of the season. 

Must-win games are trite declarations television advertisements utilize to increase interest in an upcoming contest. The moniker actually applies to Friday’s game. If SDSU cannot find a way to defeat a 3-6 opponent, it is doubtful they can pull an upset against UNLV next week, at which point they will be officially eliminated from bowl contention. 

Below are ten storylines to follow for Friday’s contest.

10. Domination continues

Every team on New Mexico’s 2024 schedule except in-state rival New Mexico State owns the all-time series record over the Lobos. SDSU is 29-15 against UNM and has won nine straight in the series. George W. Bush was President the last time New Mexico defeated the Aztecs.

On October 18, 2008, the Lobos, under head coach Rocky Long, obliterated SDSU 70-7. It was possibly the lowest point in program history. That contest proved the Aztecs needed to part ways with head coach Chuck Long, which they did a month later. Brady Hoke was hired in December, and the rest is history.

Since that fateful October, the programs have taken divergent paths. They came together this offseason when they hired new head coaches. Attempting to recapture their former glory under Rocky Long, New Mexico hired Bronco Mendenhall, Long’s former UNM defensive coordinator. SDSU deviated from the success Long created with the Aztecs by hiring Sean Lewis. 

Friday’s matchup is a helpful comparison for measuring SDSU’s program. The Red and Black have had a recruiting advantage over New Mexico for the past decade. While SDSU lost a lot from the top of its 2023 depth chart to the transfer portal, if Mendenhall has closed the gap through scheme and better player acquisition, that will speak volumes. It will be a good sign for his program if Lewis continues the Aztecs’ dominance in the series.  

9. Parting is such sweet sorrow

From 1978 to 2011, SDSU and UNM competed every season as members of the Western Athletic Conference and the Mountain West. Friday will be the 45th meeting between the schools. It will be the first and possibly last time they play at Snapdragon Stadium. 

SDSU holds a narrow 10-9 advantage during the Mountain West era. Rocky Long, currently a defensive analyst at Fort Lewis College, was the head coach for 15 of those matchups. He had a 14-1 record. His lone loss came three days before America cast their ballots in the 2000 Presidential election. The Aztecs’ 17-16 triumph foreshadowed the outcome between Bush and Al Gore. 

Both programs’ DI peaks were reached with Long as the head coach. This shared history connected SDSU and UNM. As SDSU departs for the Pac-12 in 2026, they leave the Lobos behind. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

8. First Year Head Coaches

Lewis’ reputation is that of an innovative offensive mind. Mendenhall is known for his prowess in building defenses. They have not lived up to their past in the first year of their tenures. 

New Mexico’s defense is among the worst in the country. Out of 133 teams, they rank near the bottom in total defense (no. 130), rushing yards allowed (130), passing yards allowed (110), and scoring defense (131). The Lobos counter that with one of the best offenses in America. They are near the top in total offense (7), rushing offense (8), passing offense (50), and scoring offense (26). New Mexico’s sub-.500 record has been caused by the disparity between their phases. 

The gap between UNM’s offense and defense was one of the projected worst-case scenarios for SDSU when Lewis was hired. Instead, the Aztecs have been bad on offense, ranking low in rushing offense (106), passing offense (84), total offense (115), and scoring offense (106). Defensively, they have been below average across the board. 

Comparing head coaches hired in the same season is normal. Lewis and Mendenhall have built their rosters through the portal. SDSU and UNM rank seventh and third, respectively, in the country for the largest number of transfers. Friday will also be an opportunity to gauge the intangible impact of Lewis and Mendenhall. 

7. Pastula’s Punting Prowess

Matt Araiza is with the Kanas City Chiefs. He is one of nine punters in the league averaging at least 50 yards per punt. Jack Browning is on the Tampa Bay practice squad. Statistically, the Buccaneers’ punters are among the worst in the league. Perhaps that will create an opportunity for the former Aztec.   

The changes that have occurred this year with Lewis’ hire are vast. That the quality of the punting has not dropped significantly is amazing. Tyler Pastula has been sensational. 

His 45.61 punt per game average is 13th in the FBS and first in the Mountain West. If the season ended today, it would be the fourth-highest in program history. Araiza’s 51.19 in 2021, when he won the Ray Guy Award on display in football offices at the Fowler Athletic Center, is first in program history. Browning’s 46.10 in 2022 is third. Pastula is ahead of what Browning did last season. 

Like his predecessors, Pastula has kicked for an offensively challenged team. His exploits and opportunity to flip the field have abounded. SDSU’s punter crushed a career-long 79-yard kick last week against Boise. It was the sixth-longest in program history and tied for the longest in the FBS this year. 

6. Toeing the Turnover Line

New Mexico is aggressive with the football. They rank 124th in the FBS with 18 turnovers and 126th in passes intercepted. UNM’s defense gives up an average of 40.8 points per game. Offensively, there is not much to lose throwing into tight windows. The Lobos have given up 367 points this year, 15.3% (56) have come off turnovers. By comparison, SDSU has given up 221 points, 13.1 % (29) have come from poor ball security by its offense. 

Potentially, the Aztecs’ offensive struggles could be best summarized by how dependant they are on turnovers to generate points compared to New Mexico. Nearly a quarter (24.4%) of the Red and Black’s 180 total points have come when its defense has given the offense the ball back. Only eight percent of the Lobos 318 points have come from the same avenue. 

Lewis has risked more in the previous two weeks because he needed to against better competition. This week, if SDSU’s defense cannot contain the Lobos, he might need to open up the offense again. How the Aztecs toe the line between aggressiveness and putting the ball in harm’s way is worth watching. 

5. Multiple Looks

Aside from the seventeen they gave up against Colorado State, New Mexico has allowed over 30 points in every contest. The Lobos cannot line up and win, so they try to rely on deception to gain an advantage. 

On a practical level, this means they will present SDSU with multiple fronts aiming to confuse the Aztecs. The defensive line alternates between putting their hand in the ground and standing up. They move their linebackers and safeties around the formation. 

New Mexico has only three interceptions but has been good at forcing fumbles. It has punched the ball out 16 times but only recovered seven. The Aztecs have lost only one fumble all year. 

Opposing defenses have had success taking advantage of SDSU’s youth under center. Following how New Mexico tries to veil its intentions is a storyline to follow. 

4. Devon Dampier

Sophomore quarterback Devon Dampier is sixth in the country in total yards, averaging 332 yards per game. He is the only athlete in the Mountain West and one of only a dozen nationally to average over 300 per contest. 

Dampier is a record-setter. He is on pace to pass Stoney Case’s 3,649-yard program record set in 1994. With 77 yards against the Aztecs, he will move into the top three in Lobo history in total yards, supplanting Barry Garrison. 

Dampier’s skills have prevented opposing defenses from recording sacks. UNM has thrown 310 passes but has only allowed five sacks. Defenses have had success pressuring him. He is the team’s leading rusher but was not before last week’s 207-yard explosion against Wyoming.   

Dampier brings excitement to the game. The signal caller’s ability to extend plays, create situations not typically seen in modern football, and execute UNM’s unique system makes him someone to watch. A fun fact is that Dampier and SDSU long snapper Ryan Wintermeyer were teammates in Pop Warner. They won a state championship together in 2011. 

3. Shoot Out

Except for its contest against Colorado State, in which the Rams’ offense only scored ten points and its special teams added a punt return touchdown, New Mexico’s opponents have worn out the scoreboard. Montana State’s 35 in the season opener was the lowest a team has scored outside of CSU.

Throughout the year, SDSU’s offense has been the balm to heal struggling defenses. The Aztecs failed to seize opportunities for a breakout performance against defenses like Central Michigan, Hawai’i, and Wyoming. Will Friday be the day Lewis’ offense finally breaks 30 points against an FBS opponent?

With the Lobos’ production on offense this season, winning will likely require SDSU to score more against the top level of college football than they have mustered this year. The Aztecs have done their best work vertically but have yet to stretch defenses well horizontally. The Lobos have had trouble guarding sideline to sideline. Jet sweeps, crossing routes, stretch plays, and misdirection could prove lethal for the Red and Black.  

2. Turf Wars

Like long snapper Ryan Wintermeyer, attention on Snapdragon Stadium’s grass means something went wrong. During the Aztecs’ clash against Washington State two weeks ago, the players’ kickup resembled a golf sand trap at times. Last week, the SD Wave elected to move its home matchup away from San Diego due to concerns about the playing surface. 

At his weekly press conference, Lewis steered the conversation away from questions about the surface. He said he is not an expert at growing grass but trusts the people in charge. Lewis was briefed on the plan and accepted the experts’ recommendations.

Players slipping and how it impacts the cutting is a storyline to follow. The bigger issue is evaluating SDSU as a landowner. Snapdragon Stadium has received high marks since opening. Learning how to manage the facility and the volume of events it hosts is a question right now. Progress on the conditions on Friday would help make the issue a minor hiccup.  

1. Lessons to learn

Lewis has spoken about his affection for a “Growth Mindset.” Popularized by Carol Dweck and rooted in B.F. Skinner’s behavioral psychology, it views life as a technical experience of skill acquisition. Each moment is seen as a data point that an individual incorporates into his pursuit of improvement. Ideally, an athlete would be even-keeled, viewing positive or negative results only in light of growth.

Leaving aside the replication issues the system’s tenants were built upon and its uneasy relationship with freedom and dignity, applying this belief to football is an experiment currently playing out on The Mesa. From a sociological perspective, watching it unfold is fascinating. 

Lewis’ philosophy diverges from a few of sports’ commonplaces. Many coaches seek to build momentum, knowing that people’s performances fluctuate. A Growth Mindset attempts to eliminate swings in effort due to results. Toughness, the ability to withstand harsh conditions for a set period, is not as important as grit, the ability to consistently pursue a long-term goal, which, practically speaking, is never attained because it expands as an individual moves towards it.  

There are only four games left in the 2024 season. If Lewis’ method is to bear fruit this season, the time is now. SDSU can’t afford too many more hard lessons.   

Paul Garrison

My earliest sport’s memory involve tailgating at the Murph, running down the circular exit ramps, and seeing the Padres, Chargers and Aztecs play. As a second generation Aztec, I am passionate about all things SDSU. Other interests include raising my four children, being a great husband and teaching high school.