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# Washington State, Rebuilt Pac-12 Welcome New Opponent in San Diego State
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-state-cougars-rebuilt-pac-12-san-diego-state-aztecs/
- Published: 2026-07-28T06:31:14.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-28T06:31:14.000Z
- Author: Jacob Stevenson
- Tags: News, Cougars Football, Cougars Men's Basketball

A familiar foe for many of its new rivals, including the Washington State Cougars, the San Diego State Aztecs enter the rebuilt Pac-12 as one of the conference's top additions.

While the Aztecs are best known for their basketball success, they have consistently fielded competitive programs in both football and men's basketball, immediately raising the profile of the new-look conference.

For Washington State fans, San Diego State is hardly an unfamiliar opponent. The Cougars and Aztecs have faced each other several times in football over the years, including as recently as last season when Washington State emerged victorious, but those matchups will now carry much more significance as conference games.

San Diego State football has been one of the Mountain West's model programs for more than a decade. Since the mid-2010s, the Aztecs have won multiple conference championships and become regular participants in bowl games.

Longtime head coach Rocky Long helped establish that winning culture, and Brady Hoke continued the program's success, leading San Diego State to another Mountain West championship in 2021\. Now, under head coach Sean Lewis, the Aztecs enter the Pac-12 looking to build on that foundation. Last season, San Diego State exceeded expectations, finishing 9-3 in the regular season behind one of the nation's strongest defenses.

The Aztecs appeared in a bowl game every season from 2010 through 2019 and have reached three bowl games over the last five seasons, further proving the program's consistency.

But while the football program has enjoyed sustained success, men's basketball has elevated San Diego State into the national spotlight.

Few programs outside the traditional power conferences have been as consistently successful over the last decade. Under longtime head coach Brian Dutcher, the Aztecs have become a perennial NCAA Tournament team while regularly competing for Mountain West championships. Their breakthrough came during the 2022-23 season when San Diego State made a historic run to the NCAA National Championship game.

Last season, the Aztecs finished 22-11 and narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament, ending a streak of five consecutive tournament appearances. Even so, San Diego State has reached 12 of the last 16 NCAA Tournaments, underscoring the program's sustained success.

Much of that success has come inside Viejas Arena, one of the premier home-court environments in the western United States. The Aztecs consistently rank among the nation's leaders in attendance and winning in San Diego has long been one of the toughest challenges for visiting teams.

The move to the Pac-12 gives San Diego State another opportunity to showcase its consistency on an even bigger stage. Alongside Gonzaga, Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State, and Washington State, the conference has the potential to become one of the nation's strongest basketball leagues. The Aztecs enter the Pac-12 as a tough out in both football and men's basketball, adding another proven program that strengthens the conference's overall competitiveness.