COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT : WEEKDAY UPDATE : SAN DIEGO STATE : Luginbill Adds New Goal for Aztecs

Taking things one step at a time:

After getting off to a 2-4 start this season, San Diego State’s first goal was to finish the season with a winning record. Now, riding a two-game winning streak, Coach Al Luginbill added a new goal Tuesday.

“We have a very realistic goal right now of ending up second in the (Western Athletic Conference),” Luginbill said.

The Aztecs (4-4, 3-2 in the WAC) trail Brigham Young, Colorado State and Wyoming in the conference race. To finish second, the Aztecs would have to defeat their final two WAC opponents, New Mexico and Texas El Paso, and Colorado State and Wyoming would have to stumble down the stretch. Both Colorado State and Wyoming finish their conference schedules with a trip to Hawaii, which is never an easy place to play. If Hawaii wins both of those games, SDSU would tie Colorado State for second with a 5-2 conference record. Wyoming would finish 5-3.

A few hours after Luginbill talked about finishing second in the WAC, though, the Aztecs had what Luginbill called their worst practice of the season.

“It was just bad,” Luginbill said. “The mental part was horrible. There wasn’t anything good except that they were breathing.”

A little overconfident, maybe, with 2-9 New Mexico coming up?

“I don’t know how this football team can overlook anybody,” Luginbill said. “But if that’s their problem, they’re in for a rude awakening.”

Luginbill’s sour mood didn’t stop his 44th birthday celebration after practice. Jason Swaney and Morey Paul sneaked up from behind and drenched Luginbill with a Gatorade jug full of ice water. Luginbill, in shorts and a T-shirt, paused for a minute and then broke into a wide grin.

Luginbill has a problem with the national polls. “BYU (ranked fifth) is probably playing as good a football as anybody in the country,” Luginbill said. “I don’t understand how they can rank Miami (third) ahead of them. They’ve played the same number of games, and BYU beat Miami. I have a tremendous amount of respect for this BYU club. I think if it’s not the best, it’s one of the best (Coach LaVell Edwards) has ever had.” Actually, BYU (8-1) has played one more game than Miami (6-2). . . . The biggest problem SDSU may have with Saturday’s game is that it’s on the road, where the Aztecs have yet to win this season. . . . SDSU should be healthy for Saturday’s game at New Mexico. Offensive tackle Nick Subis (thoracic sprain), who missed most of the Hawaii game, and defensive back John Louis (shoulder sprain), who was out the entire game, are both probable.