those guys had schedules lined with UTEP, New Mexico, Wyoming, UNLV et al.

In those days, ASU and K State type power conference games were 2-3 a season. Then we went back to playing Rice and company for the rest of the year.

Even in Independence it was a lot when we faced (in 2016) Baylor, Utah, WVU in the same year - now we have 8-9 games like that built in to the schedule.

So it's not entirely apples to apples when you don't get UTEP and UNM in October and November, and when SDSU isn't your toughest opponent in those months.