San Diego State football returned to Snapdragon Stadium on Thursday night for the first time in the 2025 season at Fan Fest. This was the first opportunity for fans to watch and support the Scarlet and Black ahead of their season opener in less than two weeks.

Head coach Sean Lewis made it clear that tonight’s scrimmage would be four quarters of real football — aside from the tackling, of course.

“We’re going to simulate all kinds of different positions [and] situations, and we want it to feel like a second NFL preseason game,” Lewis stated on Wednesday before Fan Fest. “It’s going to be football.”

One highly anticipated factor coming into the scrimmage was junior quarterback Jayden Denegal’s first snaps as the starting quarterback in the Aztecs’ home stadium. Despite not seeing the field much, he still got some reps in throwing for 50 yards on 6-for-13 attempts.

The standout play of the first quarter came from senior safety Deshawn McCuin, who brought back a 42-yard pick-6, which brought the defense’s energy to its peak.

“It was so good to get out there and be back with the guys and play the games I love,” McCuin said. “As people know, this is my senior year. This is my last one, so to rock it out at Snapdragon and rack up some more picks this season, it’s a good thing.”

Junior quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. shared snaps with Denegal throughout the first half, being the close second in the quarterback race this offseason. And it didn’t take long before creating the highlight of the scrimmage early in the second quarter.

After starting their drive on the 5-yard line, Emanuel Jr. found senior wide receiver Myles Kitt-Denton in stride over the middle of the field with no defender in sight. Kitt-Denton treated this play as if it were the regular season, as he left everyone behind him on his way to an 87-yard touchdown reception, the first of the scrimmage.

“When the call came in, I had a feeling that I’d be able to do something with it,” Kitt-Denton said. “Bert [Emanuel Jr.] made a great pass, and the offensive line held up. I just did what I was trained to do, took the ball and tried to hit my head on the goal post.”

Coming into the second half, the third and fourth string quarterbacks got some significant snaps — most notably, junior quarterback Kyle Crum, who led the Aztecs to their second touchdown of the scrimmage.

Crum had two accurate connections to freshman tight end Jack Lua, who brought in a first-down reception on the 20-yard line. He found himself wide open again two plays later with an easy lane to the endzone, resulting in the entire offense celebrating the freshman’s first touchdown in SnapDragon Stadium.

The fourth quarter rolled around quickly, but not before Lewis announced to the crowd their new tradition. “Fourth Quarter Danger Zone” will allow fans to back up their team when they need it most. He encouraged everyone to put their fist up as Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins played over the speakers, which were loud enough for all of Mission Valley to hear.

“That really ties the community and ties to the fan base into the importance of the fourth quarter,” Lewis said. “It’s one of our goals as a program is that we are going to win the danger zone. We need the community. We need everyone at SnapDragon to help us win this.”

After a few more possessions, the 2025 Fan Fest came to a close. 

But before the players left the field, Lewis brought the team to midfield and announced that junior wide receiver Mikey Welsh earned himself a scholarship. With the whole team chasing him and showing their pride, it displayed a genuine sense of camaraderie and brotherhood within the football team. 

“He was one of the first people I met when I first got to San Diego State and he’s my best friend,” McCuin said regarding Welsh’s scholarship. “And when I’ve seen his face on that big screen, I could cry for him…He’s more than deserving of a scholarship.”

With the combination of some well-executed drives, a handful of high-level defensive plays and a group that truly loves one another, the Aztecs’ 2025 season appears to be trending in the right direction.

However, that will formally be put to the test at their season opener on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. against Stony Brook at Snapdragon Stadium.