SDSU - Better Days Behind

There is so much despairing and lack of caring surrounding San Diego State football these days that I thought it would be fun to dip into the archives for a look back at the biggest wins in school history. One of my worries, though a nice one to have to consider, is that this year's Aztecs would have knocked off one of the BCS schools on the schedule and have someone proclaim it as the biggest win in school history. It would not have been, not even close. And it turned out I needn't have worried, not even close.

Here then, a list of the biggest wins in the Division 1 history of San Diego State football.

10. SDSU 42 Arizona 10 (Nov. 10, 1979) - A stunner in the margin of victory at home, the Aztecs dominated a Pac-10 team that would go bowling. Part of a 4-game winning steak for the best team in school history.

9. SDSU 10 Fresno State 0 (Nov. 7, 1998) - Brilliant defensive effort limited the Bulldogs to just 136 total yards and launched a winning streak that led to a Las Vegas Bowl berth. Jonas Lewis carried 37 times for 142 yards.

8. SDSU 52 Iowa State 31 (Oct. 10, 1981) - Signaled recovery from disastrous 1980. Cyclones came in ranked 12th after beating Oklahoma the previous week. Aztecs have not beaten a higher-ranked team. Alan Dale had still-standing record of 21 tackles and Matt Kofler threw for 444 yards.

7. SDSU 41 Kansas 13 (Sept. 25, 1999) - Dominant road performance. Last Aztecs win over a BCS conference team. Jack Hawley passed for 343 yards. Jayhawks rushed for 0 yards.

6. SDSU 51 Oklahoma 31 (Sept. 21, 1995) - Sooners were in mid-swoon, but still, it was OKLAHOMA, and all that entails, getting absolutely ripped at The Murph. Ricky Parker's INT return for a TD, oh yeah!

5. SDSU 28 Wyoming 24 (Nov. 7, 1996) - Cowboys came in undefeated and ranked in the Top 25, but the Aztecs rallied on the strength of two scrambles by QB Billy Blanton and "The Block" by Leandrew Childs.

4. SDSU 17 Oregon State 8 (Sept. 8, 1972) - The Aztecs first modern-era victory over a power-conference team.

3. SDSU 45 BYU 38 (Sept. 10, 1992) - Following the 31-31 tie with USC, Marshall Faulk and David Lowery ran and passed through BYU like a knife through warm butter, and the defense held on this time. Marshall had 299 yards rushing. Second-best block in school history by Lowery on a reverse.

2. SDSU 41 Florida State 16 (Nov. 19, 1977) - Seminoles ranked 13th and on upswing under coach Bobby Bowden, but were taken apart in the game that still ranks as the Gold Standard for upsets against ranked non-conference opponents.

1. SDSU 10 BYU 3 (Nov. 29, 1986) - Outstanding defensive effort bottled up a struggling Cougar passing attack, holding BYU to 167 yards total, as the Aztecs clinched their first and only bid to the Holiday Bowl.

Several other victories were close, including a 1981 home finale rout of Oklahoma State that clinched a winning season, and two comeback victories over Air Force. But that those ten listed above are the ones that warm the hearts of longtime Aztecs fans, and make us long for another conquest over a top team, or a win in a truly meaningful contest, that can be added to SDSU lore.