SDSU turnaround on display with 5-game win streak heading into homecoming

At this time last year, San Diego State’s football team suffered a three-point loss that became the launch point for a six-game losing streak that derailed the entire season.

But when the Aztecs enter Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday for this year’s homecoming game, they’ll do so with a 6-1 record and on a five-game winning streak that includes three wins against Mountain West opponents.

With five games still left in the 2025 season, the Aztecs already have won twice as many games as they did in 2024, when they went 3-9 with only two conference wins.

This year’s won-loss record – including three wins in conference play – represents a dramatic turnaround from the first to second year of head coach Sean Lewis’ tenure.

And their winning streak seems likely to continue, considering that this weekend’s opponent, the conference rival Wyoming Cowboys, have a middling 4-4 record, while going 2-2 against Mountain West opponents.

SDSU’s one-season transformation has been amazing, and something that perhaps only diehard supporters of the program – and maybe not even many of them – saw coming.

So how did it happen?

First, there’s Lewis himself. The coach, who was the offensive coordinator for Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes before being hired by SDSU, is known as an innovative offensive mind. During his one season with Colorado, the team increased its points-per-game average by 12.75 and yards per game by 82.31.

Previously, during five years as head coach at Kent State (2018-2022), Lewis transformed the Golden Flashes into an offensive juggernaut, with his 2021 team setting school records for plays (1,052), total yards (6,907), rushing yards (3,482), passing yards (3,425) and first downs (362). He also led the team to its first-ever bowl game victory.

Now, after a disappointing first season with San Diego State, Lewis’ up-tempo, no huddle, spread offensive system, which emphasizes balance between the passing and run games, is paying dividends.

And the on-field general leading the offensive attack is another key component in the Aztecs’ turnaround. Starting quarterback Jayden Denegal is a San Bernardino County native who spent three years with the Michigan Wolverines before transferring to SDSU last December.

So far this season, the redshirt junior has completed almost 65% of his passes for 1,221 yards, with an average of 8.4 yards per completion. He has eight passing TDs (one rushing) and just three interceptions in 145 pass attempts, according to SportSource Analytics.

Also on offense, junior running back Lucky Sutton, a San Diego native, has three 100-yard rushing games so far this season, including a career-high 131 yards last weekend in a 23-0 win over arch rival Fresno State.

“These moments have never been too big for him because he just keeps stepping up,” Lewis said of Sutton during a Monday press conference launching SDSU’s Homecoming Week. “He’s got a special set of skills. As the game goes on, he gets stronger.”

The Aztecs are averaging 29.6 points per game, compared with 10.4 for its opponents, but the team isn’t offense-only. So far, SDSU has seven interceptions, which have been returned for 176 yards, including three touchdowns. At the same time, the team has only given up three interceptions, for 11 yards and zero TDs.

The team’s most prominent defensive standout is senior cornerback Chris Johnson, a Riverside County native who’s ranked as the top cornerback in the country this year with a 91.0 defensive grade, according to analytics outlet Pro Football Focus.

Johnson is also a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s best defensive back. So far this season, he has 38 tackles (24 solo), three interceptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns, six pass breakups, a forced fumble and 1.5 tackles for loss, according to SDSU.

Numerous outlets, including the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Network and Athlon Sports have lauded him as one of the best college players in the country.

Also on defense, sophomore linebacker Owen Chambliss, a Corona native, leads SDSU with 58 tackles, including six tackles for loss and two sacks.

The team also has a special teams standout, left-footed senior kicker Gabe Plascencia. The Oakland native was named the Mountain West Conference special teams player of the week on Monday based on his performance against the Bulldogs last weekend, when he had three field goals – including a 50-yarder – and two point-after attempts, accounting for 11 of the team’s points during the 23-0 victory.

This season, Plascencia has made all 13 field goal attempts and all 21 PATs, putting him in a tie, at 100%, for the lead in field goal percentage and PAT percentage in all of FBS (Division 1) football.

“It’s uncommon what he’s doing – his results are undeniable,” Lewis said of the kicker.

All the above components – offense, defense, special teams, aggressive coaching and a middling opponent – could result in a lopsided game on Saturday, which would likely please the alumni in town for Homecoming Week.

Tickets are currently still available, but Lewis said he’s expecting the game to sell out before kickoff.

“I know our community’s going to show up and show out for us,” he said.