SDSU's Sean Lewis is ready to take on Bob Chesney and UCLA

There's not much of a rivalry between the San Diego State Aztecs and the UCLA Bruins, but perhaps all that is about to change.

The two programs meet in Week 2 of the college football season and both boast a 1-0 record.

UCLA is trying to turn over a new leaf under new head coach Bob Chesney, who started his era in Los Angeles off with a massive 45-24 victory over California.

To be competitive in the Big Ten, UCLA is going to have to come up big again and again in big moments, as the Bruins did against Cal.

In the meantime, San Diego State enters year three under Sean Lewis after beating Portland State, 53-20.

The Aztecs want to become the program to beat in the new-look Pac-12, and Lewis is talking like the type of head coach who can pull that off. 

He's talking with a lot of confidence, and he's not worried about the fact that UCLA has a 22-1-1 record all-time against SDSU.

“Plenty of experience where there’s a galaxy of stars and talents on the other sideline, and I’ll take me and mine against theirs (UCLA)… All their polos, all their khakis, all their resources, and that,” Lewis said, according to Brian Jones of On3. “Put the ball down. Let’s go play.”

Sean Lewis and San Diego State confident heading into UCLA game 

UCLA and San Diego State haven't matched up since 2023. Then, SDSU was coached by former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke, and UCLA pulled off a 35-10 win.

The Aztecs will have to take on the confidence of their head coach to win this game, but it's not impossible. After going 3-9 in his first season, Lewis led San Diego State to a 9-4 record last year, and that included a 34-0 win over Cal and a 17-7 win over Boise State.

This is a program that could be on the rise under Lewis. At the very least, they're walking into this game against UCLA with confidence.