San Diego St. football dealing with mumps outbreak ahead of Pac-12 opener

• 

  Mark SchlabachOct 1, 2026, 09:05 AM ET

  Close

  • Senior college football writer
  • Author of seven books on college football
  • Graduate of the University of Georgia

San Diego State's football team is dealing with a mumps outbreak as it prepares for Saturday's Pac-12 opener against Texas State.

A bulletin to San Diego State students from the university on Wednesday said San Diego County Public Health Series had confirmed 14 cases and that the outbreak remained within a single athletic team.

The university hasn't identified the team; the San Diego Union-Tribune previously reported that it is the football team.

The Aztecs' initial availability report Wednesday included nearly three dozen players, including 17 who were listed as doubtful or out. Among the nine players who were listed as unavailable to play Saturday are running back Lucky Sutton (high ankle sprain) and guard Michael Leville Watkins.

Backup running back Javion Kinnard, who hurt his knee in last week's 41-16 loss at Toledo, is among the eight players who are doubtful.

"The football gods have not really favored us with the injury luck," San Diego State coach Sean Lewis told reporters Wednesday. "Guys have got to be ready to step into the light when the time comes. ... We've been given a nice storm here. But this too shall pass, and we've got to be able to see our way through it."

Earlier this week, Lewis declined to identify the players who were part of the mumps outbreak, citing federal privacy laws.

The university had confirmed three cases of mumps and two probable cases on Sept. 18, and all five of the students were connected to a single team. The university said the players were no longer contagious.

The university's email on Wednesday from Dr. T. Ghosh, medical director of San Diego State Student Health Services, said that "because mumps symptoms can develop 12 to 25 days after exposure, these new cases reflect spread within the team and potential exposure to additional close contacts. The university continues to take a number of daily actions."

The email said mumps is best known for causing puffy cheeks and a tender, swollen jaw, along with fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite and pain or tenderness near the ears or jaw.

In rare cases, mumps can cause inflammation of the testicles, ovaries, brain and surrounding tissues, ears, breasts and pancreas.

Ghosh encouraged students not to share drinks, food, smoking or vaping devices, cover coughs and sneezes, washing hands frequently, cleaning touched surfaces, and staying home when sick.