In head coach Sean Lewis’s first game in charge of the Aztecs last season, his team trailed 6-3 at halftime against FCS Texas A&M-Commerce. 

Before the first quarter ran out Thursday night, the Aztecs already led 14-0 over FCS Stony Brook. 

New year. New Aztecs, possibly. 

Transfer QB Jayden Denegal and RB Lucky Sutton led the San Diego State Aztecs (1-0) to a dominant victory over Stony Brook Seawolves (0-1), 42-0, at Snapdragon Stadium. 

Denegal (13/25, 208yds, 1 TD, 0 INT) was in complete control of the offense and played mistake-free football. 

“He missed a couple throws, missed a couple reads, but all in all, he made the majority of the right decisions,” said Lewis about his starting QB. “He executed, made the majority of the throws and lots to learn from as he continues to have this volume of plays and have this time on task with this collection of talent and I feel good about where we’re at and him leading us going forward.” 

Sutton was the workhorse, carrying 22 times for 100 yards and two scores. It was the local star’s first career 100-yard game.  

“Definitely exciting and definitely proud of the team,” Sutton remarked when asked his thoughts on his performance. “Definitely happy for the o-line because without the o-linemen today, they played extremely well, I wouldn’t have got that, so very grateful for them and just very blessed.”

Transfer WR Jacob Bostik started in place of Myles Kitt-Denton and caught three passes for 56 yards. His 25-yd TD grab in the end zone capped off a perfect first quarter for the SDSU offense. 

Four plays into his first game as an Aztec, Denegal was taken down on a keeper and came off the field with an injury. Backup QB Bert Emanuel Jr. entered and took the next four snaps until Denegal returned to finish the drive. 

Sutton ran it in the end zone from one yard out on 3rd and Goal to cap off a 13-play, 75-yd drive. Earlier, Sutton converted a 4th and 1 to keep the drive alive and accounted for 51 of the 75 yards. The Aztecs also did not commit a penalty on the drive.  

“We talked about running the ball this game, and that just really set the tone for the offense as a whole,” said Sutton postgame about the fast start on the ground.  

While the first drive featured Sutton and the running game, the second one featured Denegal through the air. He converted a 3rd and 11 with a beautiful high pass to Bostik over the middle of the field for 23 yards and followed it up with a 25-yard pass into the end zone on a similar route on a 3rd and 14 to make it 14-0.  

After two drives, the Aztecs’ balanced offense was in full swing, recording 81 passing yards and 82 rushing yards. 

Gabriel Plascencia knocked in field goals from 42 and 35 in the second quarter to extend the lead to 20-0 at halftime. Plascencia has made 14 consecutive attempts dating back to last season. 

The Aztecs held a 270-49 total yardage advantage and converted 7 of 10 3rd down attempts in the first half. Overall, they outgained the Seawolves 453 to 95 and won the time of possession 36:05 to 23:55.

Stony Brook QB Chris Zellous completed 5 of 11 passes for 21 yards before giving way to backup QB Casey Case late in the first half. Case did not fare any better, completing 4 of 10 for 25 yards before Zellous returned in the fourth quarter and threw four more incomplete passes. Preseason FCS All-American RB Roland Dempster rushed for 49 yards on 12 carries. 

Captain LB Tano Letuli led the Aztecs with five tackles as the defense completely shut down anything the Seawolves’ offense tried to do. EDGE August Salvati recorded his first 1.5 sacks (led team) as an Aztec. 

“He cannot be blocked, so I was not really surprised,” LB Owen Chambliss (4 tackles, 0.5 TFL) said postgame about Salvati’s breakthrough performance. Chambliss spoke about the defense’s elite communication and trust in each other for pitching the team’s first shutout win since beating Weber State 6-0 in 2019.

The Aztecs’ offense sputtered in its first few drives of the third quarter before reconnecting. Denegal found Donovan Brown deep down the right sideline for a 44-yard catch inside the ten. Three plays later, Sutton ran it in from two yards out on a 4th and Goal. 

Emanuel Jr. (3/4, 19yds, 24 rushing yds) replaced Denegal at the start of the fourth quarter and finished the game. Christian Washington capped off the first drive of the final quarter with a 1-yard TD run on a 4th and Goal. 

WR Parker Threatt ran in for the final score of the game from five yards out in the final two minutes. 

Quick Notes

• Bill Hammett (WR from 1999-2000) was the first Honor Warrior of the season and led the “I Believe” chant pregame
• Jordan Napier held the Warrior Shield and led the team’s entrance onto the field
• The announced attendance was 20,624
• Christian Jones started at LT, while Joe Borjon started at RT; Monday’s depth chart listed both as “OR” at the positions
• Mikey Welsh’s 44-yard catch and run set up a score for the Aztecs in the second quarter; it was the new scholarship athlete’s first career catch
• Down 14-0, Stony Brook went for it on their own 30 on a 4th and one situation in the second quarter; they converted, but the drive ended four plays later on a punt
• Stony Brook began the first offensive possession of their season with a delay of game penalty
• Transfer P Hunter Green booted a 67-yd punt in the third quarter; he finished with a 54.8 avg 
• Aztecs ran a trick play for a 2-point conversion consisting of a sideways snap to LB DJ Herman, who ran to the left sideline and tossed it to fellow LB Brady Anderson in the end zone
• Anderson and S Josiah Cox were flagged for unsportsmanlike penalties on successive plays in the third quarter; the team finished with seven penalties for 65 yards
• Neither team turned the ball over

The Aztecs hit the road to Pullman, WA, in nine days to face the Washington State Cougars on September 6. Kickoff is at 7:15 pm on The CW.

Andre Haghverdian

Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. UC San Diego and San Diego State alumni living in America’s Finest City. Diverse team following across multiple sports leagues, but Aztecs come first in college athletics.