It’s that time of summer when preseason honors are doled out and “watch lists” pop up amid the anticipation of a new college football season. San Diego State senior running back Lucky Sutton made the first cut for the Maxwell Award when he was named to the preseason watch list on Monday. The Maxwell Award goes to the college player of the year. Sutton is one of four players from the rebuilt Pac-12 and 81 nationally to make the preseason list.Why this mattersThis is recognition for Sutton’s breakout junior season, as well as a nod to what he’s capable of doing this season. Congratulations to @KingSutton7 from @AztecFB on being named to the legendary Maxwell Award Watch List!#MaxwellAward #MaxwellWatchList #CollegeFootball #CFB #CFBNews #NCAAFootball #Playmaker pic.twitter.com/BLjOfxX0h9— Maxwell Football (@MaxwellFootball) August 3, 2026SDSU has a proud tradition of running the ball — thus the moniker “Running Back U” — and Sutton added his name to the list of standout backs with his breakout junior season. After waiting his turn to be the starter, Sutton responded by rushing for a Mountain West-leading 1,297 yards as well as 10 touchdowns last fall to help the Aztecs to a 9-4 record and a New Mexico Bowl berth. He had six 100-yard games en route to becoming the 20th different Aztecs back to hit the 1,000-yard plateau. He was honored by being named to the All-MW first team as well as being a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, which honors the country’s top running back.Fans and observers expect more this season from Sutton, who played at San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic High and announced in December that he would finish his career with his hometown Aztecs. Sutton is the first Doak Walker semifinalist from SDSU since Rashaad Penny during his big season of 2017. Three Aztecs were finalists for the award: Marshall Faulk in 1993, George Jones in 1995 and Donnell Pumphrey in 2016.Sutton has also been named to the preseason All-Pac-12 first teams by Athlon Sports, Lindy’s Sports and Phil Steele magazine. In some preseason fun facts, Phil Steele Magazine has him pegged as the No. 22 draft-eligible running back, while Lindy’s considers him the Pac-12’s Toughest to Bring Down, a Player to Watch and the Pac-12’s No. 6 NFL Talent.What is the Maxwell Award?The Maxwell Award has been awarded since 1937 to the college player of the year. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza won it last year after quarterbacking the Hoosiers to an improbable national championship. The timeline for the award will have semifinalists announced on Nov. 10, the three finalists on Nov. 24 and the winner announced on Dec. 10 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show.What’s nextThe Aztecs open fall camp on Wednesday. The season opener is Sept. 5 at Snapdragon Stadium against Portland State. The new Pac-12 era begins Oct. 3, also at home, in the Aztecs’ first-ever game against the Texas State Bobcats.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow