A weekly look at what Aztecs football stock is up and which is trending downward
Throughout the 2026 San Diego State football season the Sons of Montezuma will take stock of the team’s recent performance.
After each game, we’ll provide an assessment of what position group or unit seems to be trending upward. They’ll be in the “Stock Up” category. Converserly, the team’s area that might need some tweaking to better maximize outcomes will be listed as “Stock Down.”
Stock Up
Last week in this weekly space we wondered if backup quarterback Stone Saunders might be the key to unlocking Coach Sean Lewis’ offensive game plan. The redshirt freshman flashed solid decision making and a capable arm from the pocket in San Diego State’s Homecoming win over Fresno State.
The outing earned the Kentucky transfer the starting nod for Saturday’s contest on the road against Colorado State. Saunders responded to his first collegiate start with an offensive outburst Aztecs fans have not seen for several years, though in the end it was not enough as SDSU fell to the Rams 56 to 49 in a Pac-12 league game.
Reversing a frustrating trend, Saunders directed the Aztecs’ offense to two touchdowns in the first quarter as San Diego State fought to keep up with Colorado State’s potent attack. The quarter ended with the score tied at 14 and served as a precursor to the offensive fireworks to come.
On the night, Saunders finished with 23 completions on 33 passing attempts for two touchdowns. The Harrisburg, PA native did throw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown for the Rams, shifting momentum to the home side.
His favorite target on the evening was emerging talent Jaylon Hawkins. The fellow redshirt freshman, who has been outstanding as a kick returner, sparkled at receiver hauling in six receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown. Hawkins has now scored a touchdown in five consecutive games.
But the great sign from Saunders was his willingness to spread around his passes to a multitude of pass catchers.
The quarterback connected on four passes each to Nathan Acevedo and Bert Emanuel Jr. and three more to Jacob Bostick. He found Jordan Napier for a 24-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that brought the Aztecs to within a touchdown of tying the game (49-42).
Even running back Javion Kinnard, the CSU transfer, and tight end Ryan Wolfer added two receptions a piece. That is what you call keeping the team’s playmakers involved.
Saunders handled his nerves fairly well for a first-time starting quarterback, crediting lots of practice reps for helping him get ready to lead the Aztecs’ offense.
“It felt good; it was nice being back out there,” Saunders shared in the team’s Monday press conference. “Obviously, you know, I’ve been waiting to play a little bit, but yeah, it felt good through a week of practice; I got a lot of reps at practice during the week. I felt comfortable when I was out there through the preparation, so it felt like just another day.”
For the game, the SDSU offense racked up 569 yards of total offense, also aided by strong running games from Lucky Sutton and Kinnard, finishing with an average of just over eight yards per offensive play.
With that outstanding performance, Sons of Montezuma’s “Stock Up” designation for this week goes out to the passing game. This group may have found a spark to help ignite the offense moving forward.
Stock Down
When a team scores 49 points, no matter where the game is being played, one feels confident in coming out with a win.
Alas, the 2026 SDSU defense once again saw opposing players run over, around, and by them for much of the game.
The Rams put up 549 yards of offense going 9-for12 on third down conversions and 2-for-2 on fourth downs. When a defense can’t find a way to force a stop and get off the field, the result is a long night at the office.
Aztecs fans have seen this defense step up and be competitive even as the offense has struggled to find its footing. But against Colorado State, and Oregon State in the last road outing, the unit’s tackling and pursuit angles left a ton to be desired.
A long-time football season ticket holder and Aztec for Life alumnus texted during the game and shared that he’s seen security guards with better tackling form. Ouch.
Therefore, the Sons of Montezuma Week 8 “Stock Down” designation is awarded to the San Diego State defense.
Players like senior linebacker Sione Hala (12 tackles) and sophomore Mike Lindsay (an interception against CSU, his third of the season) continue to show up each week. Consistency from more defensive players needs to be developed if the Aztecs are to find a win or two in their three remaining games.
San Diego State hosts Washington State on Saturday, October 31. The Halloween kick-off is set for 4:00 P.M. and the game can be seen on the CBS Sports Network.
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