Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 53-20vs Portland State | 12/17 | 137 | 2 | 1 | 8.1 | — | Season-high 137 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 10-28@ UCLA | 6/17 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 2.6 | 35.7 | |
| Total | 18/34 | 182 | 3 | 2 | 5.3 | 35.7 |
#4
Jayden Denegal
Senior quarterback for San Diego State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 230 lb · Apple Valley, CA · Apple Valley High
CFB Index 31 · #118 of 146 QBsHigh confidenceReturning to San Diego State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
182
passing yards · 2026
3 TD · 2 INT · 5.4 per attempt
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 137 pass yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, vs Portland State
The play that turned itSwung San Diego State from 28% to 66% to win.Wyoming at San Diego State · 24-7
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 quarterback for San Diego State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Michigan in 2022.
- Transferred from Michigan to San Diego State in 2025.
In Their Words
41 windows · 2025 fan posts
ints×310.5wolverine×2794.5jayden×99.8tds×28.8
Jayden Denegal
Operates within the system without forcing anything. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Jim Harbaugh and Sean Lewis. One game to point at: 137 pass yds, 21 rush yds against Portland State — Week 1, 2026.
182 PASS YDS · 3 PASS TD · 21 RUSH YDS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with Michigan3-star out of Apple Valley
202512 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
San Diego State
Coaching transition mid-career: Brady Hoke → Sean Lewis. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Michigan15-0HC: Jim Harbaugh · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025San Diego State9-4HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy
2026San Diego State1-1HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: pass yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 91.0 YDS/g, 1.5 TD/g, 5.3 YPA, 1.0 INT/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Sean Lewis
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Pac-12
Based on 2025: #9 of 14 Mountain West QBs — his program moves to the Pac-12 for 2026
How the All-Pac-12 estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Pac-12.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | San Diego State | 18 | 34 | 52.9% | 182 | 5.4 | 3 | 2 | 115.3 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | San Diego State | 143 | 244 | 58.6% | 1,810 | 7.4 | 9 | 8 | 126.5 | 49 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Michigan | 4 | 5 | 80.0% | 50 | 10.0 | 1 | 0 | 230.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 165 | 283 | 58.3% | 2,042 | 7.2 | 13 | 10 | 127.0 | 49 | -- | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | San Diego State | 6 | 15 | 2.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | San Diego State | 67 | 103 | 1.5 | 4 | -- |
| 2023 | Michigan | 4 | 10 | 2.5 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 77 | 128 | 1.7 | 4 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 53–20
137 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · 21 rush yds (3 car)
Dominant 33-point win at home against Portland State.
With J. Hawkins — 1 TD · 47 AVG · 100 LONG · T. Dorje — 47 AVG · 48 LONG · 2 NO
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Portland State · 3&12 · Q2 · EPA +3.88(09:09) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete deep middle to #3 N.Acevedo caught at PSU42, for 29 yards to the PSU40 (#5 M.Ryan), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Portland State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +3.19(08:43) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete deep left to #85 J.Lowe caught at PSU03, for 40 yards to the PSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 08:40, 1ST DOWN #5 B.Emanuel, Jr. rush attempt Successful
- Week 1 · Portland State · 2&9 · Q1 · EPA +2.74(00:39) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete short middle to #3 N.Acevedo caught at PSU13, for 9 yards to the PSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:33 #96 C.DiLeva kick attempt good (H: #89 T.Dorje, LS: #64 C.Poulson)
- Week 2 · UCLA · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +2.60(02:33) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete short right to #15 J.Ford caught at UCLA00, for 19 yards to the UCLA00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 02:28, 1ST DOWN #96 C.DiLeva kick attempt good (H: #89 T.Dorje, LS: #64 C.Poulson)
- Week 1 · Portland State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -2.53(05:11) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass intercepted by #4 I.Redford at PSU38, End Of Play
- Week 1 · Portland State · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.59(09:51) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete short right to #14 D.Brown caught at SDSU28, for 16 yards to the SDSU33 (#31 L.Lisherness; #13 L.Stephens), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · UCLA · 2&11 · Q3 · EPA -1.57(06:12) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal sacked for loss of 7 yards to the SDSU43 (#20 S.Taylor, #27 T.James)
- Week 1 · Portland State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.38(02:02) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete short left to #85 J.Lowe caught at SDSU50, for 16 yards to the PSU45 (#26 S.Melson), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Portland State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -1.23(09:25) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete short right to #2 J.Napier caught at SDSU30, for 2 yards loss to the SDSU31 (#44 K.Cosma)
- Week 2 · UCLA · 1&19 · Q2 · EPA +1.16(00:57) No Huddle-Shotgun #4 J.Denegal pass complete short left to #21 J.Kinnard caught at SDSU35, for 10 yards to the SDSU50 (#97 A.Gobaira; #27 T.James)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Balanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
San Diego State
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Quarterback · San Diego State
Returning around him
- 99% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- 1 San Diego State player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (26 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
San Diego State · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #89 · 2026 recruiting class #83
DNA match
Player DNA
Pocket Passer
Balanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile.
QB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jack Turner’s 2023 season.
Matches Jack on
Weight
Yards / attempt
Rush usage
Differs from Jack on
Class year (higher)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to N'Kosi Perry’s path through Florida Atlantic.
Matches N'Kosi on
Completion %
Yards per attempt
Height
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Jack Turner's sophomore season at Louisiana Tech (2023).
74%match
Matches Jack on
Total pass EPA (college ability)
Completion %
Yards / attempt
Differs from Jack on
EPA / dropback (adj) (lower)
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #119
Peaked at #119 this season.
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology