2013 Mountain West football schedule released
The San Diego State football team will play host to fellow Mountain West champions Boise State and Fresno State, along with Nevada, which has played in eight consecutive bowl games, and New Mexico, the league announced Tuesday.
Additionally, the Aztecs will play road contests at Air Force, Hawai'i, San Jose State and UNLV in the first season of the two-division Mountain West. The dates and game times of SDSU's games will be announced in the coming weeks.
Advertisement
With non-conference games already set for Oregon State and Eastern Illinois at home and Ohio State and New Mexico State on the road, the 2013 schedule could be one of San Diego State's toughest in program history.
Six of the Aztecs' 12 opponents made a bowl game last year and seven advanced to the postseason, including five of SDSU's six opponents at home - Boise State (Las Vegas Bowl vs. Washington), Fresno State (Hawai'i Bowl vs. SMU), Nevada (New Mexico Bowl vs. Arizona), Oregon State (Alamo Bowl vs. Texas) and Eastern Illinois (FCS playoffs). Air Force (Armed Forces Bowl vs. Rice) and San Jose State (Military Bowl vs. Bowling Green) are the road teams which made a bowl game in 2012 and will face San Diego State in 2013, while Ohio State went 12-0 in the regular season, but was unable to participate in postseason play.
Altogether, the Aztecs' 2013 opponents went a combined 82-70 (.539) in 2012 and 52-40 (.565) in league play. SDSU's home opponents (Eastern Illinois, Oregon State, Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada and New Mexico), meanwhile, have been even better, posting a combined 47-30 (.610) mark overall and 31-17 (.646) record in league action.
The scheduling format for the new 12-member football lineup was computer-generated and consists of five intra-divisional games and three cross-divisional contests annually. Each institution will play four home and four road conference games each season, and will play every Mountain West opponent home and away during each four-year cycle. The first four-year cycle is set until 2016.
Intra-divisional opponents will alternate sites annually (three home/two away or two home/three away). The three cross-divisional opponents will be the same in each two-year period, with the site alternating from year one to year two. The three cross-divisional opponents who are missed initially will appear on the schedule in the second two years of the cycle, again alternating sites from year three to year four. The entire four-year sequence repeats beginning in 2017 and will continue thereafter.
The divisional champion of the West Division, which includes San Diego State, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Nevada, San Jose State and UNLV, will meet the winner of the Mountain Division (Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State and Wyoming) in the inaugural Mountain West Football Championship on Dec. 7, 2013 at the home stadium of the divisional champion with the highest BCS ranking.
SDSU is already accepting new account deposits on 2013 season tickets through the Aztec Ticket Office. Fans can purchase tickets through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.
2013 Season Schedule
Aug. 31 -- Eastern Illinois
Sept. 7 -- at Ohio State
Sept. 21 -- Oregon State
Sept. 28 -- at New Mexico State
TBA -- Boise State*
TBA -- Fresno State*
TBA -- Nevada*
TBA -- New Mexico*
TBA -- at Air Force*
TBA -- at Hawai'i*
TBA -- at San Jose State*
TBA -- at UNLV*
*Mountain West opponent, dates and times will be announced at a later date