San Diego State opened the season last week with one of its most dominant performances in recent history.
The Aztecs (1-0) cruised to a 42-0 win over FCS program Stony Brook. It was the first time San Diego State shut out an opponent since 2019. The defense allowed just six first downs, and it held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards of offense for just the fourth time in program history.
“Those guys, all summer long and all spring long, have been in the defensive staff room and been stressing us offensively,” San Diego State head coach Sean Lewis said during his weekly press conference on Monday. “They’ve been in there cooking it up like they’re wizards, and they did a great job.”
Offensively, it was the Aztecs’ largest margin of victory since 2017. It was also a successful debut for former Michigan quarterback Jayden Denegal and veteran running back Lucky Sutton.
Denegal, who was a backup on the Wolverines’ national title team in 2023, completed 13 of 25 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. Sutton carried the ball 23 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. They will lead the Aztecs in a road game at Washington State on Saturday (10:15 p.m. ET, The CW).
The Cougars (1-0) had to hit a field goal with three seconds left to beat FCS Idaho 13-10 last week.
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Washington State is in rebuild mode this year after losing a ton of starters to the transfer portal, including quarterback John Mateer, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate who is now playing for Oklahoma. The Cougars also lost head coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest. He was replaced by Jimmy Rogers, who spent the past two seasons as head coach at South Dakota State.
Quarterback Jaxon Potter was efficient in his debut as the Cougars’ starter, completing 23 of 30 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown. His favorite target was wide receiver Tony Freeman, who caught seven passes for 64 yards, but Washington State struggled to run the ball against an FCS defense, finishing with a net of just three yards on the ground.
San Diego State At Washington State Betting Odds
Washington State is a 1.5-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM, and the Over/Under is 45 points. The moneyline is at +100 for San Diego State and -120 for Washington State.
San Diego State is 4-16 overall and 12-8 against the spread in its past 20 games as an underdog on the road. Washington State is 16-4 and 10-10 ATS in its past 20 games as the favorite at home.
San Diego State At Washington State On TV
The de facto Pac-12 game between San Diego State and Washington State will be televised Saturday on The CW. The Aztecs and Cougars will join Oregon State, Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, Utah State, Texas State, and Gonzaga (basketball and Olympic sports) in the rebuilt Pac-12 next season.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game in Pullman, Washington, is set for 10:15 p.m. ET.
San Diego State At Washington State Prediction
I predict San Diego State wins 17-10 and covers the spread.
The Aztecs’ defense looks like it’s back to its old dominant ways, but we still need to see what it can do against an FBS offense. San Diego State held Stony Brook to 49 rushing yards and harassed its quarterback all day, even though one of the best pass rushers in the Mountain West, Trey White, is still looking for his first sack of the year.
Washington State is a shell of its former self, especially in the running game, where Mateer made a serious impact last season. I expect San Diego State to lean heavily on Sutton again in what could be a low-scoring affair.
