Academic power house - it is NOT. But, consider that it is harder to get into SDSU than to the U when you hear the Utes talking about their academic prestige. The U is a fallback school for non-member Californians that cannot get into a California state university (UC or Cal State). That is the type of kid going there. Good kids, but not your academic superstars by any stretch.
For most the U or SDSU are perfectly fine choices for an undergraduate school. However, they are so completely different from BYU in terms of the overall environment and experience, not to mention academics. Night and day difference