Pac-12 · #86 of 138

San Diego State

Implied Strength-5.5vs. FBS average · ±2.6
Record4–5through completed games
Bowl Eligibility3%reach six wins
Strength of Schedule70thof 138 FBS teams

Schedule lens

What matters next

The headline numbers are above. Here is where the season starts to take shape.

Team identity

Where the strength lives

Defense projects as the stronger unit by 4.4 rating points.

Offense#105
-4.9vs. FBS average
-4.9
2025 PPA/play0.12 #95 FBSSuccess rate41.2% #82 FBS
Defense#72
-0.6vs. FBS average
-0.6
2025 PPA/play allowed-0.02 #3 FBSSuccess rate allowed35.4% #9 FBS

2025 PPA (predicted points added per play) and success rate. How this split works →

Season outlook · 50,000 simulations

How San Diego State's 2026 could unfold

The current projection is 5–6 (4.5 expected wins), with a <0.01% chance to reach the playoff. The distribution below shows how often each regular-season win total appeared across the schedule-aware simulations.

Range of outcomes

Projected win distribution

50,000 simulated seasons
Most common 4 winsMedian 5 winsCentral 80% 4–5 winsBowl eligible 3.4%
0%48%48%Market 7.1<44567891011
Simulated (schedule-aware)Central 80% rangeMarket win total

Postseason path

2026 playoff outlook

50,000 simulations
<0.01%Make the 12-team field

Still outside the median outcome across the schedule-aware simulations.

How the field is reached<0.01% total
Auto-bid<0.01%
At-large<0.01%
Outside field>99.9%

What could move the outlook

Biggest questions

Unresolved does not mean negative. A point estimate appears only when the historical evidence supports one.

No major preseason uncertainty signals currently clear the display threshold for San Diego State. We will update this view as matchup and in-season evidence develops.
Projection contextRoster, continuity, and market inputsView details

The market win total, returning production, coaching continuity, transfer talent, and recent NFL production help explain the evidence surrounding this projection.

Returning Production98.7%share of prior-year PPA returning for 2026
2026 Transfer Class82ndof 138 FBS teams by combined portal talent
Recent NFL Draft Production46thof 138 FBS teams by NFL talent produced
Market win total7.1Consensus preseason line
Final · Sep 5Suggested side did not cover
Portland StateFCS
OV Win<0.01%20
Spread:SDSU -40.5vs.SDSU -38.5
1 Factor
Portland State at San Diego State · San Diego, CA · Snapdragon Stadium
Final · Sep 12Suggested side did not cover
OV Win72%28
Spread:UCLA -7.5vs.UCLA -13.5
San Diego State at UCLA · Pasadena, CA · Rose Bowl
Final · Sep 19Suggested side did not cover
Spread:SDSU -6.5vs.SDSU -2.5
James Madison at San Diego State · San Diego, CA · Snapdragon Stadium
Final · Sep 26Suggested side did not cover
OV Win34%41
Spread:SDSU -5vs.TOL -2.5
San Diego State at Toledo · Toledo, OH · Glass Bowl
Final · Oct 3Suggested side covered
Spread:SDSU -1vs.TXST -9.5
Texas State at San Diego State · San Diego, CA · Snapdragon Stadium
Final · Oct 10Suggested side did not cover
Spread:ORST -8.5vs.ORST -16.5
San Diego State at Oregon State · Corvallis, OR · Reser Stadium
Final · Oct 17Suggested side did not cover
Spread:FRES -8.5vs.FRES -7.5
Fresno State at San Diego State · San Diego, CA · Snapdragon Stadium
Final · Oct 24Suggested side did not cover
Spread:SDSU -2vs.SDSU -1
San Diego State at Colorado State · Fort Collins, CO · Canvas Stadium
Final · Oct 31Suggested side did not cover
Spread:PKvs.SDSU -2.5
Washington State at San Diego State · San Diego, CA · Snapdragon Stadium
6:30 PM · Nov 14
Spread:USU -0.5vs.—
Utah State at San Diego State · San Diego, CA · Snapdragon Stadium
7:30 PM · Nov 21
Spread:BOIS -20.5vs.—
San Diego State at Boise State · Boise, ID · Albertsons Stadium

Pregame evidence · 2022–25

San Diego State through the lens

The OV Line is the aggregate-rating baseline. The market gap shows where the game-level consensus differed, while identified Factors show how much of that difference our research may explain. ATS records are descriptive context—not a claim that OV should outperform the market.

Market ATS75%9–3 against consensus
Average line gap4.4 pts50% inside 3 points · 6 of 12
Factor coverage25%3 of 12 games
Factor signals33% aligned1 of 3 individual observations · 0 neutral
Historical sample12 gamesmarket-covered games from 2022–25

Explanatory history

Factors present in San Diego State games

FactorGamesAverage estimateAligned with marketResearch status
Rest Differential20.3 pts toward opponents0%0 of 2 directional casesSupported
Season-Opening Quarterback Experience10.8 pts toward San Diego State100%1 of 1 directional casesResearch candidate
Underlying recordInspect all 12 historical gamesView games
SeasonGameOV baselineMarketMarket gapIdentified adjustmentRemaining gapResultMarket ATSFactors
2025 · W14at New MexicoAwaySan Diego State +1San Diego State -1.52.4 pts toward San Diego StateNone identified2.4 pts toward San Diego StateL 17–23LNone identified
2025 · W13vs. San José StateHomeSan Diego State -11San Diego State -101.0 pts toward opponentsNone identified1.0 pts toward opponentsW 25–3WNone identified
2025 · W12vs. Boise StateHomeSan Diego State +5.5San Diego State -27.7 pts toward San Diego State1.8 pts toward opponents9.4 pts toward San Diego StateW 17–7WRest Differential
2025 · W11at Hawai'iAwaySan Diego State -3.5San Diego State -6.53.1 pts toward San Diego StateNone identified3.1 pts toward San Diego StateL 6–38LNone identified
2025 · W10vs. WyomingHomeSan Diego State -9San Diego State -101.0 pts toward San Diego StateNone identified1.0 pts toward San Diego StateW 24–7WNone identified
2025 · W9at Fresno StateAwaySan Diego State +3San Diego State -36.1 pts toward San Diego StateNone identified6.1 pts toward San Diego StateW 23–0WNone identified
2025 · W7at NevadaAwaySan Diego State -4San Diego State -6.52.3 pts toward San Diego StateNone identified2.3 pts toward San Diego StateW 44–10WNone identified
2025 · W6vs. Colorado StateHomeSan Diego State -6San Diego State -4.51.4 pts toward opponentsNone identified1.4 pts toward opponentsW 45–24WNone identified
2025 · W5at Northern IllinoisAwaySan Diego State -4San Diego State -1.52.5 pts toward opponentsNone identified2.5 pts toward opponentsW 6–3WNone identified
2025 · W4vs. CaliforniaHomeSan Diego State +9San Diego State +144.8 pts toward opponents1.1 pts toward San Diego State5.9 pts toward opponentsW 34–0WRest Differential
2025 · W2at Washington StateAwaySan Diego State -13San Diego State +2.515.1 pts toward opponentsNone identified15.1 pts toward opponentsL 13–36LNone identified
2025 · W1vs. Stony BrookHomeSan Diego State -14San Diego State -19.55.5 pts toward San Diego State0.8 pts toward San Diego State4.7 pts toward San Diego StateW 42–0WSeason-Opening Quarterback Experience

Sample: 12 market-covered games from 2022–25. Identified adjustments are rough sums of the Factors shown and are not a replacement betting line. Remaining gap is market consensus minus the OV baseline and identified adjustments. A push means the team’s scoring margin exactly matched the market line.