{"id":455833,"date":"2026-09-07T00:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T00:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/455833\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T00:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T00:40:09","slug":"3-thoughts-after-the-aztecs-53-20-win-over-portland-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/455833\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Thoughts … after the Aztecs’ 53-20 win over Portland State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three thoughts after San Diego State\u2019s 53-20 win over Portland State on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium.<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Diego State Aztecs quarterback Jayden Denegal (4) passes during the first half of a football game against the the Portland State Vikings Sept. 5, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
\n1. Denegal\u2019s season debut<\/p>\n

San Diego State quarterback Jayden Denegal went 3 1\/2 games \u2014 85 passes \u2014 before throwing his first interception last season.<\/p>\n

Denegal got his first pick out of the way on his fifth throw this season.<\/p>\n

Vikings defensive back Isaac Redford stepped in front of a pass intended for SDSU wide receiver Jordan Napier to end the Aztecs\u2019 second drive.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe, obviously, started slow,\u201d head coach Sean Lewis said of his senior quarterback. \u201cI thought the free safety made a heck of a play \u2026 The true testament is how you respond to adversity. We talk a lot about being the thermostat, not a thermometer, as a quarterback. You\u2019ve got to set the temperature, and I thought he did a really good job of responding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis particularly noted a second-quarter drive that included a 16-yard completion to Donovan Brown, a third-down conversion for 29 yards to Nathan Acevedo and then a 40-yard strike in stride to Justius Lowe for a touchdown and a 22-6 lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat really gave him some confidence and he settled in,\u201d Lewis said.<\/p>\n

The ball to Lowe was the best throw of the night for Denegal, who excels at the deep sideline passes. The focus over the summer, he said, was improving his mid-range throws. Denegal also showed confidence tucking the ball and running against the Vikings when something wasn\u2019t there through the air. He carried three times for 21 yards.<\/p>\n

Denegal completed 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. He was not sacked. He threw a 9-yard TD pass to Acevedo to get SDSU on the board in the first quarter. Denegal was 3-for-3 in the second half. He didn\u2019t need to throw with the game well in hand, and backup Stone Saunders took over in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

A truer test will come Saturday at UCLA. The Bruins won 45-24 at Cal late Saturday night. The UCLA defense had two interceptions and two sacks against Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Diego State players come onto the field before a college football game against the Portland State Vikings Sept. 5, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
\n2. Players getting to play<\/p>\n

Travel rosters have been expanded from 74 to 80 players this season in the Pac-12. For home games, teams can suit up an unlimited number of players.<\/p>\n

In this day and age of player movement, younger players, particularly freshmen, can get on the field and participate. Combined with the NCAA\u2019s new five-for-five eligibility rule, which does away with redshirting and allows five years of eligibility, there\u2019s every reason to let players play.<\/p>\n

It means that maybe, just maybe, they will be satisfied with their surroundings and not be so quick to search out greener pastures.<\/p>\n

The Aztecs suited up 94 players against Portland State and 82 of them got into the game. That included 17 redshirt freshmen or true freshmen.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s huge,\u201d Lewis said. \u201cAs much as we try to (engage in) practice and craziness and music and different things, to be in this environment, this first-class stadium, the fans showing up and just the energy of it all, getting guys to have the competitive maturity to stay present, to stay focused and to do their job in the midst of all that\u2019s going on, It\u2019s invaluable to to get those guys to to be able to play some game reps and learn to mature from those opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

True freshmen who contributed included running back Josiah Lucas (four carries, 30 yards) and wide receivers Daishaun Davis (two catches, 18 yards) and Carson Diehl (8-yard catch). True freshman wide receiver Derek Stevenson, offensive lineman Harlem Nellum and tight end Elijah Muliufi also played. On defense, true freshmen safeties Tainoa Lave and Cammeron Purnell and linebacker Alijah Lash got into the game as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we continue to build this program, build this Aztecs empire, we want to get as many opportunities for guys to get game reps,\u201d Lewis said. \u201cWe got over 80 guys into that game, which is great. That\u2019s invaluable. \u2026 The young players really get to understand that the job\u2019s not done until the job\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Diego State Aztecs head coach Sean Lewis looks on after the Aztecs scored during the second half of a football game Sept. 5, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
\n3. Mic drop<\/p>\n

Lewis was mic\u2019d up throughout the game. It\u2019s something called \u201cPac-12 Field Pass,\u201d where the conference intends to bring fans inside the action by putting a microphone on players and coaches.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s exciting, what they\u2019re doing, allowing that kind of access,\u201d Lewis said.<\/p>\n

The content is not broadcast in real time. It\u2019s reviewed to make sure no all the words are appropriate for all the viewers at home.<\/p>\n

Particularly notable was at halftime when Lewis was handing out Uncrustables, prepackaged crustless sandwiches, to some of the players.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat kind of fuels AztecFAST football. Uncrustables,\u201d said Lewis, noting a staple of his that has been shared with the players. \u201cI eat far too many Uncrustables. I wish we had more strawberry jam (flavor). We\u2019ve got too many grape jelly. I\u2019m a strawberry jam guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Did they have to bleep anything in the first quarter, when Portland State took a 6-0 lead?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ll be some things, not just in the first quarter,\u201d Lewis said. \u201cSome people work out so they can enjoy ice cream. I\u2019m going to go to church tomorrow to ask for forgiveness for some of the four-letter words that I used. It just comes from being a Southside Irish cat from Chicago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Colorado \ud83e\uddac OC Sean Lewis gets his first Pac12 victory. Congratulations on your first Pac12 Win @TheHC_CoachLew<\/a> from Buff Nation pic.twitter.com\/Z6hs6gBgLf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 COLLEGE SATURDAY (FORMLY TRAXINPOWER5) (@CollegeSaturday) September 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

One moment captured on the mic came three minutes into the third quarter while Jaylon Hawkins was returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.<\/p>\n

The coach followed for several yards along the SDSU sideline as the play unfolded.<\/p>\n

\u201cPick your feet up. Pick your feet up. Pick your feet up,\u201d Lewis advised as Hawkins raced the final 25 yards to the end zone.<\/p>\n

Then Lewis glanced back across the field while exclaiming: \u201cNo flag. No flag. No flag. No flag. No flag. No flag.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were no flags.<\/p>\n

And Lewis smiled.<\/p>\n

In was a rare moment where he was speechless.<\/p>\n

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