Aztecs Focus on a Winning Season : College football: SDSU, no longer dreaming of bowl games, will try to win three in a row, starting with Hawaii tonight.

It happens more often than San Diego State cares to think about.

The Aztecs welcome November like a hit from an Outland Trophy candidate, while dozens of universities across the nation are gleefully putting together their bowl plans. San Diego State, however, is left out in the cold, doing little more than trying to put together a winning season.

Once again, a winning season is the goal of the Aztecs, a bunch dreaming of bowls as recently as a couple of months ago. They play visiting Hawaii at 7:05 tonight in a Western Athletic Conference game they desperately need to win to post their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1981-82.

The stakes are simple. If the Aztecs (3-4, 2-2 in the WAC) can win three games in a row--against Hawaii (5-3, 2-2), New Mexico and Texas El Paso--they will be assured of a winning season no matter how they fare Dec. 1 against No. 5 Miami.

The focus tonight will be on defense. SDSU must pick up where it left off against Utah. Hawaii’s defense is ranked first in the WAC.

The Aztec defense spent four weeks this year ranked 106th--last--in the country and is currently 103rd. But it is coming off its best game of the year, a game in which it held Utah to 14 points and 200 yards in total offense. SDSU defensive coordinator Barry Lamb said the Aztecs still missed 14 tackles, but the good news was that they lined up wrong only once. That was a big problem earlier in the year, especially in the season opener against Oregon, when Duck tight end Jeff Thomason was left uncovered on at least seven occasions.

Since the Aztecs are still in a building stage, they would also like to see continued improvement in the defense as they start looking at players for next year.

“If we play well this week on defense, and make it two games back to back, I think we’re on our way and the program is on its way,” Coach Al Luginbill said.

SDSU’s defense will face an option attack. Hawaii fullback Jamal Farmer, who scored three touchdowns in a 31-24 victory over SDSU last season, is hitting his stride after being suspended a game earlier in the season for missing two practices. He has 476 yards rushing this season, including a season-high 115 during Hawaii’s 43-16 victory over New Mexico last week.

“If you don’t stop their fullback, you won’t see anyone else,” Luginbill said. “He’s the one who beat us a year ago.”

The Aztecs have been hurt on the perimeter at times this season. If they let a running back get to the outside, toward the sideline, chances are the back will be running for quite a while.

“We’ve worked real hard this week on turning it back in,” Luginbill said.

A key for the SDSU defense could be how well it can control the line of scrimmage. Hawaii quarterback Garrett Gabriel is quick and he can throw. He is rated third in the WAC in passing efficiency (135.2), having completed 95 of 181 passes for 1,462 yards. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

“I’m concerned with their ability to throw the football,” Luginbill said. “If you don’t get some heat on Gabriel and he gets in sync, he can really hurt you.”

On the other side, Hawaii’s defense, led by outside linebacker Mark Odom, has held opponents to an average of 306 total yards a game. That may not be stunning, but it’s good enough to lead the conference. Of course, the Rainbow Warriors have yet to face any of the WAC’s top four offenses--SDSU, Brigham Young, Colorado State and Wyoming.

“They’re kind of a big-play defense,” said Dave Lay, SDSU offensive coordinator. “They count a lot on sacking you and hurrying your quarterback and trying to make a big play, like an interception.

“On the other hand, if (the offense makes) plays, you’re going to get some big plays, too.”

The Aztecs certainly have the personnel to do that. Quarterback Dan McGwire is ranked third in the nation in passing efficiency (148.2), receiver Patrick Rowe leads the nation with an average of 120.4 receiving yards per game and receiver Dennis Arey is No. 6 with a 106-yard average.

In addition, The Aztecs have a plus-nine in turnover margin. They have lost only three fumbles and four interceptions, an average of one turnover a game. That leads the WAC.

“The No. 1 thing that concerns me is the fact that they have hardly turned the ball over,” Hawaii Coach Bob Wagner said. “That and their explosiveness. If we lose the turnover battle, even by one or two, we’re going to have a hard time winning.”

Aztec Notes

Earlier this week, Hawaii Coach Bob Wagner said that in order for Hawaii to win tonight’s game, it must be low-scoring contest. “We’re not going to win if it’s in the mid-30s or higher,” he said. That’s low-scoring? . . . SDSU freshman John Louis (shoulder) is the only Aztec who has been ruled out tonight. . . . Hawaii’s injury update: Slotback Jeff Newman (bruised right knee) is questionable. . . . SDSU expects a crowd of about 22,000 tonight.