SAN DIEGO — It wasn't the prettiest of sights at Snapdragon stadium over the weekend as the San Diego State Aztecs lost to Washington State 29-26, leaving the Aztecs 3-4 overall for the season. The team continued to commit penalties, and the field was in less than satisfactory condition.
The team will play on Friday against Boise State in Idaho with both teams currently 2-0 in conference play.
"We'll continue to be very disciplined in our process," Aztecs Head Coach Sean Lewis said in reference to the ongoing tendency of his team to commit penalties.
The field at Snapdragon was nearly as bad as the Aztecs' penalties. It was discolored, and the players looked like the FTD man with wings of sand flying from their shoes at every step. The last time I saw a football field this bad, the Chargers were playing on the Padres infield at Qualcomm Stadium.
Coach Sean Lewis wasn't happy with it either, but declined to throw anyone under the bus about it.
"The biggest thing that I want to make sure is that we have for our kids and the experience that they have, that everything that they interact with is at a championship level." When asked if the field was at championship level on Saturday night, Lewis said, "We're all looking to get better."
Despite the loss, I want to commend Sean Lewis. Let's not forget how unwatchable this team was over the past three years. Saturday night, the Aztecs ran a fake punt good for 21 yards on a first down. They ran a reverse pass for a touchdown, thrown by a freshman receiver by the way, and the defense kept Washington State in check for most of the game in a contest where the team was a 14-point underdog.
The Aztecs played to within three points of a team that is now ranked 22nd in the nation.
In a nutshell, Saturday's game was an Aztec classic from the 80s and 90s. Entertaining football, they were in the game until the end, only to come up short. It was not a moral victory, it was a loss. But I would far rather watch what I saw Saturday night than what I've had to watch on Saturdays the past three seasons.
As for the here and now, the Aztecs are 2-0 in conference play, they control their destiny to the Mountain West Conference Championship, and it all starts Friday at Boise State, which is currently ranked 15th in the nation.
Let's hope the team can come back to Snapdragon Stadium with a victory after Friday's game on the Smurf Turf in Boise.