Momentum Carries Aztecs Right Into Seventh-Ranked Miami

Miami is next.

The San Diego State football team, having defeated Wyoming Saturday, 27-17, has a five-game winning streak, the longest streak in a single season for the Aztecs since one of seven games in 1977. The Aztecs (6-3-1) have clinched their first winning season since their 1986 Western Athletic Conference championship. They are loose and confident.

And Miami is next.

That Miami. Rated seventh in the nation, winners of eight of nine games this season and 31 of its past 33 overall, including bowl games, and 50 of its past 52 regular-season games.

SDSU gets an up-close look at Miami Saturday at 1 p.m. PST in the Orange Bowl. SDSU has never beaten a team ranked in the top 10. The best they have done is defeat No. 12 Iowa State at home in 1981, 52-31.

“I don’t consider it different from any other game,” SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said Sunday. “I don’t get wrapped up in that kind of stuff. I’m more concerned with our own football team, that we go down there and play hard and execute.”

The Aztecs have executed well enough during the past five weeks, but Cal State Long Beach is not Miami. Neither are Pacific, Texas El Paso, New Mexico or Wyoming--SDSU’s other recent victims. The combined record of the six teams the Aztecs have beaten this year is 15-49.

Of course, Miami’s schedule isn’t exactly the toughest in the nation, either, but the Hurricanes have defeated Michigan State and No. 14 Pittsburgh Saturday (24-3).

“There are only a few guys who think we can win Saturday,” Luginbill said. “And most of them are the coaches. Nobody else does.”

Well, one thing Luginbill shouldn’t have to worry about is a fiery pep talk.

“Any time you have a chance to play a nationally ranked opponent, there’s excitement,” Luginbill said. “It gives us national exposure. We want to be where Miami is now. A decade ago, nobody believed Miami would be in the position they are now.”

Luginbill on the progress of junior quarterback Dan McGwire through 10 games: “Better than expected. . . . He’s played against good defenses.”

Air Force had eight defensive starters back, UTEP seven, Hawaii nine and Wyoming six.

“He’s played against some players who had been out on the field, and he hasn’t (been),” Luginbill said. “He just has to take advantage of what the offense gives him. He doesn’t work the offense as well as he can--he has a ways to go in that area.”

McGwire completed 18 of 36 passes for a season-low 256 yards and one touchdown Saturday. For the season, McGwire has completed 226 passes (tied for fourth with Todd Santos, 1985, for a single SDSU season and tied for 10th on the career list) for 3,273 yards (third on the single-season list and and tied for 10th on the career list).

Aztec Notes

SDSU drew 20,564 against Wyoming, several thousand below what athletic department officials said was needed to meet was needed to meet preseason ticket projections for the game. “I feel good about the progress we’ve made,” SDSU Athletic Director Fred Miller said. “Are we satisfied? Heavens, no, but we’ll take the upswing.” The progress Miller noted? The crowd was the third-largest of the season in six home games. Only the UCLA and Pacific (homecoming) crowds were larger. . . . Offensive tackle Tony Nichols is questionable for Miami. . . . Receiver Monty Gilbreath is second on SDSU’s all-time career reception list with 175 and third on the all-time career receiving yardage list with 2,135. . . . Kicker Andy Trakas has converted eight of his past nine field goal attempts after missing six of his first 10. . . . The Aztecs are 2-2 on the road this season. . . . The Aztecs shut out Wyoming in the second half, the second time they have accomplished that this season. The first was against New Mexico.

WAC STANDINGS

Team Conf. Overall W L T W L T PF PA BYU 5 1 0 8 2 0 366 261 Air Force 4 1 0 7 3 0 369 243 Hawaii 5 2 0 8 2 0 399 192 SDSU 4 2 0 6 3 1 335 288 Wyoming 4 3 0 4 6 0 240 289 Colorado St. 4 3 0 5 5 1 350 304 Utah 2 4 0 4 6 0 296 412 UTEP 1 7 0 2 9 0 228 371 New Mexico 0 7 0 1 10 0 253 356

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

San Diego State 27, Wyoming 17

Brigham Young 44, Air Force 35

Utah 41, New Mexico 39

Colorado State 52, Texas El Paso 0

Hawaii 34, Pacific 26

NEXT SATURDAY’S GAMES

San Diego State at Miami

Utah at Brigham Young

Texas El Paso at Wyoming

Fresno State at New Mexico