San Diego, CA -- (Sports Network) - With the Mountain West Conference title already securely in-house, the 21st-ranked BYU Cougars will travel to southern California to take on the San Diego State Aztecs in the regular-season finale for both squads.

Winners of eight straight games, the Cougars are now 9-2 on the season and a perfect 7-0 in MWC action. Although the team has already won the conference crown, there is still plenty to play for. Ranked 19th in the last BCS standings, a win this week along with some outside help, could land Bronco Mendenhall's team in the top-12 in the BCS, giving the Cougars a shot at one of the five BCS Bowl games.

The Aztecs have no postseason in their immediate future, as they have struggled to a 4-7 record thus far, including a mere 3-4 record in-conference. The team has played a bit better in the month of November, splitting four games. However, Chuck Long's squad has dropped its last two, including a 45-33 decision to TCU last weekend.

BYU leads the all-time series with SDSU, 23-7-1 and has won five of the last six meetings.

Behind one of the nation's best passing attacks, the Cougars have been able to win nine of their first 11 games this season. The team is averaging a healthy 450.3 yards of total offense this year, with 311.0 of that coming via the pass, to rank 11th nationally. The offensive line has done a solid job in protecting QB Max Hall, allowing just 17 sacks thus far. The protection has given Hall the time to complete almost 60 percent of his passes this year, for 3,390 yards, with 21 TDs. Hall enjoys spreading the ball around, with as many as four different receivers hauling in 35 balls or more. Leading the way is sophomore tight end Dennis Pitta, who has 50 receptions, for 728 yards and four TDs. Sophomore WR Austin Collie is another top producer in the vertical game, with 47 receptions, for 804 yards and five scores. The ground game, which generates 139.3 yards per game, is highlighted by freshman RB Harvey Unga, who has rushed for 1,050 yards and 10 TDs. Junior RB Manase Tonga has a quarter of Unga's yards (248), but has scored an additional eight rushing TDs.

BYU has certainly been one of the top defensive squads in not only the Mountain West this year, but the entire nation for that matter. The team is ninth in the nation in scoring defense (18.0 ppg), rush defense (94.3 ypg) and total defense (302.7 ypg). In addition, the team is limiting foes to just a 32 percent success rate on third down, while recording 27 sacks and 14 interceptions. Sophomore Jan Jorgensen (6-3, 260) has been a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive line. He has 66 total tackles (third on the team) and paces the Cougars in TFLs (17.0) and sacks (11). Senior LB Kelly Poppinga leads the team in tackles with 94 stops, with 7.0 TFLs and one INT. Fellow senior LB Bryan Kehl has been unstoppable as well, with 78 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks and three interceptions.

Much like the Cougars, the Aztecs rely heavily on a dangerous passing attack to move the chains. The team is averaging 378.5 yards of total offense and of that, 271.3 yards come courtesy of the vertical game. Senior QB Kevin O'Connell has taken the majority of the snaps under center in 2007 and has played well for the most part, completing 58.3 percent of his passes, for 2,775 yards, with 14 TDs and seven INTs. Senior WR Brett Swain has clearly been the top target downfield, leading the team in receptions (48), receiving yards (875) and TD catches (5). The ground game doesn't provide much balance at just 107.2 yards per game. The problem is that there is no real workhorse in the backfield. Senior RB Brandon Bornes currently leads the team in rushing, but with just 348 yards. O'Connell is just one yard behind Bornes in rushing, but has been much more dangerous, accounting for nine of the team's 17 rushing scored to date.

Defensively is where the Aztecs have come up way short this season. The team is allowing a generous 33.2 ppg in 2007 and has not found a way to stop the run (235.2 ypg) or the pass (259.4 ypg) with any consistency. Getting off the field has been problematic as well, with opponents converting nearly half of their third down opportunities (46 percent). Junior LB Russell Allen has been the most active defender on the roster and is among the league leaders in terms of tackles with 110 stops. Senior safety Ray Bass is also closing in on the century mark, with 93 total tackles, followed by sophomore LB Luke Laolagi (89 tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks).