For three years, Lucky Sutton waited for this moment. On Thursday night at Snapdragon Stadium, the junior running back made his first collegiate start, and he didn’t waste it.
Sutton rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, powering San Diego State to a 42-0 rout of Stony Brook in the 2025 season opener. To put it simply, his early poise helped set the tempo for an Aztecs offense that looked balanced and confident from the first snap.
“Definitely proud,” Sutton said in a postgame interview. “I’m happy for the O-line. Because without them playing extremely well, I wouldn’t have got that. So I’m really grateful for them. Just very blessed today.”
A fast start
Sutton had just five carries all of last season. Against Stony Brook, he matched that workload on the first drive alone. He churned out 41 yards, including a 20-yard burst that fired up the student section. The series ended with Sutton punching it in from one yard out — his first career touchdown as a starter.
“We talked about running the ball in this game, and that just really set the tone for the offense as a whole, and just the game in general,” Sutton said. “We drove down, ran the ball, and that was our whole game plan. It just set the tone for the team.”
By halftime, Sutton had already piled up 89 yards, helping SDSU build a 20-0 cushion. His second score came late in the third quarter on a 2-yard run that extended the lead to 28-0.
A new confidence
Head coach Sean Lewis praised the offensive and defensive lines for controlling the game, allowing the Aztecs to run for 226 yards as a team, limiting Stony Brook to just 49 on the ground.
“Anytime that you can turn around and run it efficiently — 53 attempts for 226 yards — and win the line of scrimmage, it’s a testament to our staff, to the recruiting department, and to all the hard work that the kids did,” Lewis said. “It was a good start.”
For Sutton, Thursday’s performance reflected a shift in the Aztecs’ overall mentality.
“This year, we’re coming in with confidence on offense,” Sutton said. “We are locked into each other, and we have a real brotherhood. We really focused on our relationships this year off the field. We’re playing right next to our brothers, and everyone has each other’s back this year. There is confidence in the offense in general.”
Depth in the backfield
Sutton wasn’t alone in the backfield production. Christian Washington added 38 yards and a touchdown, while Byron Cardwell picked up 29 on seven carries. Sutton emphasized the competition and camaraderie within the group.
“We have our three guys, three San Diego locals, and I feel like anybody that comes in, we’re all feeding off each other,” Sutton said. “It’s a brotherly competition, and every single day we’re just working to push each other … If any one of us goes in, I feel like we’re going to have each other’s back.”
Setting the tone for what’s next
The 42-point shutout marked SDSU’s first at Snapdragon Stadium and largest margin since 2017. More importantly, it showed glimpses of an Aztecs offense that can start fast — a change from last season’s struggles.
“We talked about that a lot going into this game,” Sutton said of avoiding another slow start. “I feel like we had a really, really good start. Just got to keep on trending up. And can’t wait for the next game.”
Lewis was equally clear about his expectations.
“I’m proud of the effort from the guys tonight,” he said. “It’s just the first step. I’m excited about how much better we can get as we go forward, which will be really cool to see.”
San Diego State (1-0) will travel to Pullman, Washington, next weekend to face Washington State on Sept. 6.
