The San Diego State Aztecs will officially leave the Mountain West for the new-look Pac-12 on July 1, along with Fresno State, Colorado State, Utah State and Boise State. They’ll join fellow newcomer Texas State as well as holdovers Washington State and Oregon State. 

It’s not the Pac-12 that fans wanted to join years ago, the one that included USC and UCLA up the freeway in Los Angeles, but it’s considered to be a step up nonetheless. The Aztecs primed themselves for the jump by finishing 9-4 last fall and reaching a bowl game for the first time in three seasons. 

Here are three reasons to be optimistic about San Diego State’s chances of contending for the Pac-12 title and playing in consecutive bowl games for the first time since 2021-22.

1. Running game led by Lucky Sutton

San Diego State is back to being Running Back U thanks to Sutton, who had a career year in 2025 and announced he’ll return to his hometown school for his senior season. 

Sutton sounds motivated after rushing for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns on 254 carries, all career highs and good enough to be named First Team All-Mountain West.

He hit a benchmark that’s important on Montezuma Mesa in becoming the 20th player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season — that plateau has been reached a total of 28 times — and taking over No. 16 on the single-season list. 

Sutton played at local powerhouse Cathedral Catholic High and said it was always his dream to play for the Aztecs. 

“Knowing the legacy that was set in the past and the legacy I can continue, I intend on taking the next steps in this climb. With that being said, I am an Aztec for life,” he said. 

Sutton will be backed up by another local player, senior Christian Washington, who went from Helix High to New Mexico and Coastal Carolina before returning home to SDSU. He had 563 yards and four touchdowns on 98 carries last year. Sophomore Javion Kinnard transferred from Colorado State, where he saw limited time at running back but was good enough as a punt returner to be named Second Team All-MW.

2. Quarterback Jayden Denegal

Denegal played in all 12 regular-season games last year in his first season as a college starter, but was limited due to shoulder injuries. He chose to have surgery on his non-throwing left shoulder a few days before the New Mexico Bowl so that he’d be ready for spring practice. 

He’s motivated to put up better numbers than last year, when he completed 143 of 243 passes (58.8%) for 1,807 yards and nine touchdowns, with eight interceptions. He said during spring drills that he wants to double last year’s passing yards and improve the touchdown-to-turnover margin. Of course, staying healthy will be the key for Denegal.

One of his main targets is expected to be Bert Emanuel Jr., who was Dengal’s backup last year but switched to wideout during spring. He showed what he can do when he has the ball in his hands when he started the New Mexico Bowl and rushed for 170 yards on just 11 carries, including two touchdowns, before getting hurt in the second quarter. 

3. Defensive mindset

This might be a bit of a stretch because of all the talent the Aztecs lost on defense, but if the Aztecs play with the same ballhawking attitude they did last year, they could overcome all the attrition. 

Losing so much production — including players who accounted for 31 of the Aztecs’ 32 sacks — means there are starting jobs and playing time up for grabs, which can be a huge motivating factor. The Aztecs worked the transfer portal hard for linemen, linebackers and defensive backs, so the coaches will certainly earn their paychecks as they work to meld a unit that had three shutouts last year in setting the overall tone for the bounceback season. 

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SAN DIEGO (FOX) — With several fires sparking up throughout San Diego in just the last week, it underscores the importance of making sure crews have what they need.

“It’s a very stressful time right now for our first responders, and I know that there are so many things going on with the budget,” said Wendy Moore, executive director of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation.

On Monday, the San Diego Fire and Lifeguard unions went before the City Council, citing challenges with pay, staffing and recruitment.

On Tuesday, the council passed a budget that included impacts to the department.

“Funding for the fire department is life-saving. It’s critical, and we are reminded of that with these fires that have happened this week,” Moore said. “It’s a very stressful time right now for our first responders, and I know that there are so many things going on with the budget.”

Enter the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation. The nonprofit has been around for more than two decades, offering its support.

While it does not directly supplement incomes, the foundation provides critical upgrades to equipment, training and other resources.

“We have done everything from vehicles, extrication tools and thermal imaging cameras to our community outreach and education programs,” Moore said. “That position was just cut in the budget, so being able to support community risk reduction and community education is going to be really critical for the foundation moving forward.”

The foundation also supports San Diego lifeguards.

“We recently were able to buy five boats for the lifeguards, dry suits and a lot of equipment,” Moore said.

While speaking with Moore, we also got a glimpse of the new wellness center, a place providing medical assessments, physical therapy and other services.

As tough financial times loom, Moore said she is receiving an increase in requests.

In turn, to keep doing the work, the foundation is launching a citywide call to action, inviting local corporations and donors to pledge their support for first responders.

“The foundation obviously is going to have to take a look at where our resources are going to go and how we are going to continue to increase our resources,” Moore said.

A San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson says the department has a wonderful partnership with the foundation and could not do the work they do without its support.

Phil Mickelson has been kicked out of a San Diego golf club over allegations he made unwanted physical contact with a female employee, Golf Digest reported Thursday.

Golf Digest cited multiple sources as saying Mickelson is no longer welcome at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, where the six-time major champion has played and practiced for decades. The unwanted contact was said to have happened earlier this spring.

Mickelson, the chief recruiter in the launching of LIV Golf, has only played once this year because of a serious family health matter that has not been disclosed. He did not play the Masters and PGA Championship, and is no longer exempt for the U.S. Open.

Golf Digest said it verified the identity of The Farms employee and was withholding her name to protect her privacy. It said she declined to participate in the reporting of the story.

A spokesperson for Mickelson told Golf Digest, “Any misunderstanding has been cleared up. Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.”

Golf Digest cited sources in reporting Mickelson approached the woman in the clubhouse and made nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with her. The woman rejected his advances and reported it to her supervisors.

Officials at The Farms reviewed and investigated, Golf Digest reported, and then confronted Mickelson on the course. Mickelson, 55, was told to leave the premises.

The Farms said in a statement to Golf Digest, “Following a staff member report of member misconduct, the club provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member, conducted a thorough independent investigation of the incident and took decisive action. This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.”

“To protect the safety and privacy of our staff and member, we are unable to speak further on the matter.”

Golf Digest cited multiple sources in confirming the member was Mickelson.

The Farms, located about 10 miles from Torrey Pines, is a private club where several top players are members such as Annika Sorenstam and Xander Schauffele, both of whom have primary residences in Florida.

The development adds to what has become a dark chapter for Mickelson, who is married with three children and was once one of the most beloved public figures in golf for his bold and creative game, and for the time he spent after rounds signing autographs.

Mickelson was a relief defendant in an insider trading scheme in 2016 in which he was not criminally charged but agreed to repay nearly $1 million he made in a single trade. Noted gambler Billy Walters was involved in that case and sentenced to five years in prison.

Walters wrote an autobiography in 2023 in which he claims Mickelson has wagered more than $1 billion over the last 30 years, including one day in 2011 in which Mickelson was said to have placed 43 bets on Major League Baseball that resulted in $143,500 in losses.

Mickelson became the oldest major champion in golf history when he won the 2021 PGA Championship. A year later, he was a central figure in helping to launch Saudi-funded LIV Golf. He lost major sponsorships when he was quoted in early 2022 as calling the Saudis “scary mother (expletives)” and that he was only thinking of joining the league to gain leverage over the PGA Tour.

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia is ending its financial support of LIV after this year.