SDSU Football Names 2026 Team Captains

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State football team has named its captains for the 2026 season. The five captains chosen in a team vote include quarterback Jayden Denegal (Apple Valley, Calif.), defensive tackle Malachi Finau (Los Angeles), safety Max Garrison (Pasadena, Calif.), linebacker Tano Letuli (San Diego/Cathedral Catholic High) and running back Lucky Sutton (San Diego/Cathedral Catholic High).

Letuli becomes the first three-time Aztec captain since current Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was a four-time captain from 2004-07.

A captain last year in his first season at SDSU, Denegal went 9-3 as the starting quarterback, completing 143 of 243 passes (58.8 pct.) for nine touchdowns and a 126.9 pass efficiency rating. Denegal has been named a preseason third-team all-Pac-12 selection by Pro Football Network and a fourth-team pick by Athlon Sports. Lindy’s Sports has him as the “Pac-12’s Strongest Arm” and a “Player of Watch.”

Finau, meanwhile, is coming off impressive spring and fall camps. One of just two returning starters on the defense with nine starts and 13 games played, Finau totaled 21 tackles in his first season on The Mesa in 2025 to go along with 0.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. He’s been named to the Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List (Polynesian ancestry), a preseason second-team all-Pac-12 selection by Athlon Sports and a “Player to Watch” by Lindy’s Sports.

Garrison is in his fifth season at San Diego State, appearing in 42 career games. Garrison has excelled on special teams, totaling 11 tackles and returning three kicks. He was recently named a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete for the 2025-26 season.

Letuli captained a defense last year that ranked among the top 25 in the country in multiple categories. Letuli totaled 30 tackles with a 31-yard interception, two pass breakups and four quarterback hurries in parts of six games last year before an injury sidelined him for the season. Letuli, who earned all-MW honorable mention each of the last two years, has been named to the Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List (Polynesian ancestry), the Pac-12 Preseason Impact List, a preseason first-team all-Pac-12 selection by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Lindy’s Sports.

Sutton is coming off a fantastic junior season where he rushed for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. Sutton, who was named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist for the nation’s top running back and a first-team all-conference selection, had the 13th-most rushing yards in SDSU single-season history and most since Rashaad Penny ran for a school-record 2,248 yards in 2017. Sutton has been named to three preseason NFCAA watch lists, including the Maxwell Award (college player of the year), Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Doak Walker Award (most outstanding college running back), and also a preseason first-team all-Pac-12 selection by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports, Lindy’s Sports and Pro Football Network.

Season tickets, single-game tickets and family four-packs are currently on sale for the San Diego State football team’s 2026 campaign, its first in the Pac-12 Conference.

SDSU’s home slate includes non-conference home games on Sept. 5 vs. Portland State (6:30 p.m. PT) and Sept. 19 against James Madison (7 p.m. PT), and Pac-12 home matchups with Texas State (Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. PT), Fresno State (Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. PT), Washington State (Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. PT) and Utah State (Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. PT). The Pac-12 Championship will take place on Friday, Dec. 4 with the host being the team with the best conference record.

Season tickets remain the best value for Aztec football at Snapdragon Stadium. Season ticket pricing has been lowered across the board to make tickets more affordable and accessible for the loyal fans and community. Fans are encouraged to purchase season tickets through San Diego State, which start as low as $175 ($150 plus $25 Aztec Club Membership), only $29.17 per game. This shift supports SDSU’s focus on strengthening local connections and building a gameday atmosphere worthy of the program’s next chapter.

Single-game tickets start as low as $23, which includes all fees.

After going 3-9 in the first season under Sean Lewis in 2024, SDSU improved to 9-4 in 2025, including a perfect 6-0 record at home. It was San Diego State’s first undefeated home campaign since 1996 and just the sixth in its Division I history. The Aztecs outscored the opposition, 187-41, at Snapdragon Stadium, including shutouts over Stony Brook (42-0) and California (34-0).