Novo Brazil Brewery in Mission Valley hosted SDSU’s EA Sports 2025 Launch Event on Thursday evening. The occasion marked another milestone that the college football season is around the corner. 

“It’s awesome,” head coach Sean Lewis said about the release of the video game. “I remember this day as a player where you’re waiting for the game to drop and all the excitement … that went with it. … For these guys to download the game and for them to be in it, it’s one of those cool moments where it used to be when you saw yourself on tv for the first time. Their dream has become a reality.” 

Flexing Novo’s viewing experience prowess, five-game stations were displayed prominently inside and outside the restaurant. QBs AJ Duffy and Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson competed at “Game Station 1” as the event began.  

In addition to the main display where the PlayStation 5 version of EA Sports College Football 2025 was projected, Duffy and Tupou’ata-Johnson’s game was shown on three large screens above the bar. 

“It’s kind of a deep breath,” Duffy said when asked how the event builds team chemistry. “We see each other every day at workouts and football settings. It’s cool to hang out with the guys, just play video games, meet a bunch of new people. It’s just a really good time for us to take a deep breath before a hard workout tomorrow.”

If EA Sports’ former motto, “If it’s in the game, it’s in the game” proves true, SDSU will be in for an exciting season. Duffy dominated Tupou’ata-Johnson with a passing clinic that featured multiple deep passes to RB Kenan Christon. 

Cornerbacks Bryce Phillips and Chris Johnson watched their teammates play. Every time Christon broke deep for a long scoring reception, Tupou’ata-Johnson would turn to the real-life versions of the corners and shake his head.

“I can’t recreate coach Lew’s offense (in a video game),” Duffy said. “That’s a little too much of a cheat code, but with what we have on there, Kenan is a monster. He’s super fast, so I took advantage of it.” 

EA Sports rated Duffy 78 overall. SDSU’s leading candidate to start at QB said he was pleased with the rating “for now” but looked forward to forcing the game to raise his status as he performed in the fall. Duffy was a fan of the franchise’s last version of the game in 2013 and was excited about the fortuitous timing of the 2025 version.

“I’m just super happy to be a part of it,” Duffy explained. “It’s something that you play as a little kid growing up and your goal is to be in it. For them to come out with it while I’m still in college is super cool for me.”

The launch party came two weeks to the day before the first practice of fall camp. On August 1, the team will begin the main process of preparing for the season. With one week left in summer workouts, the relationships the players have formed since the start of the year were evident. As each Aztec entered the brewery, they warmly greeted their teammates. 

“It’s been great building that chemistry, that bond, doing hard stuff together day-in-and-day-out,” Duffy said when asked about SDSU’s progress this summer. “Actually, before our July 4th break, we had a beach workout, like a Navy Seal type. It was a great moment to bring the team together and look to where we want to go.”

Duffy and Tupou’ata-Johnson’s game ended when virtual safety Joshua Hunter intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown to extend Duffy’s lead to 35-7. Tupou’ata-Johnson did not wait for the clock to run out. He paused the game and allowed the next players to take a turn. 

“When you build those relationships, and you build those connections, you got to do it outside of the facility,” Lewis said on the importance of Thursday’s event in the scope of preparing for the fall. “There’s got to be that shared time and that shared experiences together with everything. This is one of those opportunities not only for our team to collectively come together and for them to get to know one another but also for the community to really get to know who’s underneath the helmet.”

Quick Notes:

• Myles Murao was the star of the offense, with an 85 rating. 
• Ja’Shaun Poke was a favorite on deep routes for a lot of players. RB Marquez Cooper found a unique way to utilize Poke’s speed by using him as a Wildcat QB.
• Among the teams SDSU played virtually on Thursday were Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, and UCF. The players did not like it when Mountain West rivals were chosen.
• Oddly, Logan Tanner is the only tight end on the team in the game. Jude Wolfe was at the event but he is currently not in the game.
• During the event, Lewis announced an NIL collaboration with Blenders Eyewear. A limited number of “Be The Alpha Edition” sunglasses should be available by Homecoming. 

Paul Garrison

My earliest sport’s memory involve tailgating at the Murph, running down the circular exit ramps, and seeing the Padres, Chargers and Aztecs play. As a second generation Aztec, I am passionate about all things SDSU. Other interests include raising my four children, being a great husband and teaching high school.