PHILADELPHIA -- San Diego State senior running back Lucky Sutton has been named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award. Sutton is one of four players from the Pac-12 and one of 81 overall on the initial Maxwell Award watch list, which goes out to the college player of the year.
Sutton is coming off a fantastic junior season where he rushed for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. Sutton, who was named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist for the nation’s top running back and a first-team all-conference selection, had six 100-yard games to become the 20th different Aztec with a 1,000-yard rushing season in program history (28th time overall).
Sutton’s 1,297 yards were the 13th most in SDSU single-season history and most since Rashaad Penny ran for a school-record 2,248 yards in 2017. Sutton ranked among the NCAA FBS leaders in rushing attempts (fifth, 254), rushing yards (13th, 1,297) and rushing yards per game (14th, 99.77).
Sutton has been named a preseason All-Pac-12 first-team selection by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Lindy’s Sports.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Last year’s winner was Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Nov. 10, while the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 24. The winner of the 90th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 10. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta.
Season tickets and single-game tickets are currently on sale for the San Diego State football team’s 2026 campaign, its first in the Pac-12 Conference.
SDSU’s home slate includes non-conference home games on Sept. 5 vs. Portland State (6:30 p.m. PT) and Sept. 19 against James Madison (7 p.m. PT), and Pac-12 home matchups with Texas State (Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. PT), Fresno State (Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. PT), Washington State (Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. PT) and Utah State (Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. PT). The Pac-12 Championship will take place on Friday, Dec. 4 with the host being the team with the best conference record.
Season tickets remain the best value for Aztec football at Snapdragon Stadium. Season ticket pricing has been lowered across the board to make tickets more affordable and accessible for the loyal fans and community. Fans are encouraged to purchase season tickets through San Diego State, which start as low as $175 ($150 plus $25 Aztec Club Membership), only $29.17 per game. This shift supports SDSU’s focus on strengthening local connections and building a gameday atmosphere worthy of the program’s next chapter.
Single-game tickets start as low as $23, which includes all fees.
After going 3-9 in the first season under Sean Lewis in 2024, SDSU improved to 9-4 in 2025, including a perfect 6-0 record at home. It was San Diego State’s first undefeated home campaign since 1996 and just the sixth in its Division I history. The Aztecs outscored the opposition, 187-41, at Snapdragon Stadium, including shutouts over Stony Brook (42-0) and California (34-0).
Lucky Sutton Named to Maxwell Award Watch List
Sutton one of just four players from the Pac-12 to make the initial list for the college player of the year.
