Football

San Diego State Heads to Washington State for Battle with Future Pac-12 Foe

Aztecs travel to Washington State in matchup of 1-0 teams.

Weekly Notes Media Central
San Diego State Heads to Washington State for Battle with Future Pac-12 FoeSan Diego State Heads to Washington State for Battle with Future Pac-12 Foe
Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State
  • Following a dominating season-opening 42-0 victory over Stony Brook last Thursday night, San Diego State hits the road for the first time of the season to take on Washington State Saturday night in Pullman. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. PT and will air nationally on The CW, while also being on San Diego Sports 760, the flagship radio station of San Diego State athletics.
  • The Aztecs (1-0) controlled the game and dominated in all three phases against a FCS team that was 8-4 a year ago, snapping a six-game losing streak to close the 2025 campaign.
  • SDSU outgained the Seawolves, 464-95, including a 236-46 advantage through the air and a 228-49 lead on the ground. San Diego State had 18 more first downs than SB (24-6) and had a decisive advantage in time of possession, holding the ball for 37 minutes, 25 seconds of the 60-minute game.
  • More notes on the 42-0 win over Stony Brook:
    - San Diego State shut out Stony Brook, 42-0, in the opener on Aug. 28. It was its first shutout since beating Weber State, 6-0, on Aug. 31, 2019.
    - The 42 points were the fourth-most points the Aztecs have scored in a shutout in their Division I history (since 1969).
    - SDSU outgained Stony Brook by 369 yards, its largest margin in a game since a DI school-record 448-yard advantage vs. San Jose State on Nov. 4, 2017. It was the largest margin in Snapdragon Stadium history.
    - The Aztecs outpassed Stony Brook by 190 yards in the opener on Aug. 28, their largest margin since a 199-yard edge at New Mexico on Nov. 3, 2018 and their largest in a game at Snapdragon Stadium.
    - SDSU allowed just one passing first down vs. Stony Brook in the opener on Aug. 28, tied for the fewest allowed against a non-option team in San Diego State’s DI history (also one vs. UNLV on Oct. 8, 2016).
    - Stony Brook did not run a play inside the Aztecs’ side of the field.
  • Because of the Stony Brook effort, SDSU leads the nation in scoring defense (0.00, tied), pass efficiency defense (51.46), red zone offense (100.00, tied) and red zone defense (0.00, tied). Other impressive rankings for San Diego State include total defense (3rd, 95.00), opponent first downs (3rd, 6), passing defense (4th, 46.00), time of possession (6th, 37:25), third down defense (9th, 13.33) and rushing defense (18th, 49.00).
  • Lucky Sutton ran for his first career 100-yard game, rushing 23 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Making his first career start like Sutton, Michigan transfer quarterback Jayden Denegal was 13-for-25 for 207 yards and a touchdown. Denegal, who spent three seasons at Michigan from 2022-24 and was the backup quarterback to J.J. McCarthy for the Wolverines’ national championship season in 2023, appeared in seven games at Michigan, completing 4 of 5 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.
  • Denegal became the fourth straight quarterback to start at San Diego State having never started at another institution. The others were Jalen Mayden, who went 9-11 from 2022-23, Danny O’Neil (3-8 in 2024) and Javance Tupou'ata-Johnson (0-1 in 2024). The previous three quarterbacks went a combined 12-20 for a .375 winning percentage.
  • Jacob Bostick hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Denegal, and Parker Threatt (5 yards) and Christian Washington (1 yard) added rushing scores.
  • Gabe Plascencia extended his streak to 14 consecutive field goals without a miss with a 42-yarder and 35-yarder in the second quarter to round out the scoring.
  • Tano Letuli had a game-high nine tackles, Owen Chambliss had seven tackles, including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss, and August Salvati added 1.5 sacks in limited snaps off the bench.
  • Saturday night will be a battle between long-time Pac-12 member Washington State and San Diego State, which will be joining the league next year. On July 1, 2026, SDSU officially becomes a member of the new Pac-12 along with league stalwarts Oregon State and Washington State, as well as Boise State, Colorado State, Gonzaga (for men’s basketball only), Fresno State, Texas State and Utah State.
  • The Aztecs are 62-34 (.646) in league play since the current 12-team Mountain West conference began play in 2013 (includes championship and bowl games), which ranks as the second-best mark in the league behind Boise State (82-18, .800). Utah State (third, .590), Fresno State (fourth, .582) and Colorado State (sixth, .500) each will join SDSU and BS in the new Pac-12 next season.
  • San Diego State and Washington State have met three times with the Cougars edging the Aztecs, 29-26, last year at Snapdragon Stadium.
  • In last year’s meeting, SDSU led, 26-14, after Marquez Cooper scored his second touchdown of the game with 13:39 remaining. WSU needed just three plays to respond, as John Mateer hit Carlos Hernandez for a 34-yard touchdown strike, narrowing the gap to 26-21 with 12:09 remaining in the contest. San Diego got all the way to the Cougar 17, however, three plays later Taariq Al-Uqdah stepped in front of a Danny O’Neil pass and returned the ball 20 yards to the WSU 37. Mateer later scored on a 2-yard touchdown run and, adding insult to injury, caught the ensuing two-point conversion from receiver Kris Hutson on a fumbled reverse. SDSU reached the Cougar 47 on its next drive, but a personal-foul penalty thwarted the advance, and San Diego State had to punt. WSU gained one first down, forcing the Aztecs to use their final two timeouts. With just 28 seconds left, the Cougars punted, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the visitors an automatic first down to seal the game. San Diego State outgained the high-powered Washington State offense, 414-371, and battled through numerous injuries in the game.
  • Saturday will be SDSU’s first time playing at Washington State’s Martin Stadium. San Diego State played what was deemed a neutral game with the Cougars on Sept. 8, 2007 at Qwest Field in Seattle (now Lumen Field), home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. The Aztecs lost that game, 45-17, then beat the Cougars, 42-24, at Qualcomm Stadium on Sept. 17, 2011 before falling in last season’s heartbreaker.
  • Following Saturday’s clash at Washington State, the Aztecs have an off-week before returning to San Diego to face California on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. PT.