3 things we learned from San Diego State’s 53-20 win over Portland State

Aztecs loaded with playmakers on offense, have work to do on defense

San Diego State Aztecs football. | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

The San Diego State Aztecs opened their Pac-12 Conference era with a 53-20 blowout win over the Portland State Vikings of the Big Sky Conference on Saturday night. 

The Aztecs didn’t cover the 39.5-point spread and fell behind 6-0 late in the first quarter. 

But they came to life and scored 29 straight points en route to a 29-13 halftime lead. 

Here are three things we learned from SDSU’s season-opening win at Snapdragon Stadium. 

The Aztecs are loaded offensively

The Aztecs blended returning and new players to take control of the game.

Senior Lucky Sutton, the 2025 Mountain West rushing champion with 1,297 yards, didn’t hit 100 yards like he did in last season’s opener, but he did score a career-high three touchdowns, from 1, 13 and 5 yards. He carried 18 times for 58 yards.

Javion Kinnard, a versatile transfer from Colorado State, was the leading rusher with 79 yards on eight carries. He gave the offense the jolt it needed with a 55-yard run late in the first quarter that set up SDSU’s first touchdown, a 9-yard pass from Jayden Denegal to Nate Acevedo. 

Denegal, the returning starting quarterback, completed 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. Transfer Justius Lowe had the other TD catch, of 40 yards. 

Surprisingly, Bert Emanuel Jr. had just one catch for seven yards in his first game at wide receiver after backing up Denegal last year. 

Special teams are indeed special

SDSU prides itself on a long history of great special teams, and Saturday night was another example. 

After PSU scored early in the third quarter to pull to 29-13, redshirt freshman Jaylon Hawkins returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to push the lead to 36-13.

Additionally, SDSU blocked two punts. Jelani McLaughlin’s block set up Sutton’s 1-yard TD run and Oberhiri Eyafe’s block set up Sutton’s 5-yard score.

Cooper DiLeva, who is replacing record-setting kicker Gabe “Hefty Lefty” Plascencia, booted a 31-yard field goal.

Defense has some work to do

The Aztecs allowed the Vikings to gain 375 yards in total offense, including 280 yards passing by Gabe Downing, who replaced the injured Tyrese Smith. 

However, transfer Mike Lindsay had an interception to set up Sutton’s 13-yard scoring run. 

Junior EDGE Nate Henrich had SDSU’s first sack of the season, and the only one of the night for the Aztecs, who lost players who accounted for 31 of 32 sacks last fall. 

Linebacker Sione Hala, a transfer from Weber State of the Big Sky, had 10 tackles. Three-year captain Tano Letuli returned from knee surgery by notching five tackles.

Up next

The Aztecs head up the freeway to face former Pac-12 team UCLA at the Rose Bowl at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday.