Kind of hard to get a date, huh? So the thinking goes these days at San Diego State, which might next be ready to try Match.com to further seduce the Pac-12, which to this point has yet to extend the invitation that many on Montezuma Mesa have been expecting.  We're not sure how much more the Aztecs can do after reaching the title game of March Madness, and on the gridiron now comfortably moved into 35,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium (easily expandable to 50,000 or more) in Mission Valley.

So expectant has SDSU been of an invitation to the Pac-12 that it recently informed the Mountain West of its intention to "explore" other possibilities, though it would eventually rescind that notice in the wake of prohibitive near-term exit fees while the Pac-12 continues to drag its feet on any expansion plans in the wake of USC and UCLA's imminent departures. That's not to mention a new TV contract, which might come in handy for the Aztecs as they provide an entrée back into at least part of the SoCal market. Stay tuned... 

Bruce Marshall's full breakdown of San Diego State's 2023 outlook, which includes how he's playing their win total, can be found below as part of SportsLine's preview of the Mountain West season.

Mountain West preview: Conference winner | Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming

2023 San Diego State at a glance

• Last Year: 7-6 SU, 5-8 ATS, 6-7 O/U
• Returning starters: Offense 5; Defense 4
• Win total: 7 (Over -105, Under -125)

What do you need to know about San Diego State before locking in your Mountain West futures bets? And which side of their win total makes for the best play? ... Join SportsLine right now to see Mountain West futures betting strategy from a veteran college football expert!