SDSU Football vs. Oregon State

September 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium

Watch: CBS Sports Network

Since they were down 6-3 at halftime to Texas A&M-Commerce, a team in the lower Football Championship Subdivision, it would be understandable if the Aztecs felt discouraged during last weekend’s season opener. But first-year coach Sean Lewis rallied his team to a dominant second half and a comfortable 45-14 win. Star Marquez Cooper led the way with 223 rushing yards and two touchdowns. “My [offensive line] did amazing, especially in the second half,” the senior running back said after the game. “They showed perseverance and they didn’t doubt themselves because of the rough first half.” It will be more important for San Diego State to get off to a better start in its second game against Oregon State, a team that’s made three consecutive bowl games. It’s the Aztecs’ only home game in September, and it will indicate whether they themselves can be perennial bowl game contenders.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Closing Day

Sunday, September 8 | 11:30 a.m. | Del Mar Fairgrounds

For the rest of the country, Labor Day signals the end of summer. For San Diegans, it’s Closing Day at the Del Mar Racetrack. On Sunday, September 8, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club concludes its summer racing season with 11 scheduled races, with first post at 1:30 p.m. But there’s much more to do than simply watch horses thunder around one of the most beautiful tracks in the world. Early risers can get breakfast with complimentary coffee, and tickets are available for Taste of the Turf Club, where attendees can enjoy a three-course brunch and bottomless adult beverages. There will even be a Red Cross blood drive onsite.

Gold Over America Tour

September 16-17 | 7:30 p.m. | Frontwave Arena

Simone Biles. That’s all you need to know about the Gold Over America Tour stop at Oceanside’s brand new Frontwave Arena. The most decorated gymnast in history (and one of the greatest Olympians ever) brings her athleticism and choreography to San Diego County in something of a victory lap. Biles and the United States’ gymnastics delegation dominated at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning 10 medals, three of them gold. Now, Biles and a team of world-class gymnasts are touring arenas around the country. “We’ve worked on this event for over a year. We thought, ‘Who do we want to open our venue with? Who do we want to be as a venue?’” says Frontwave Arena CEO Josh Elias. Response for the event was so enthusiastic that Elias’ team was able to add a second night on September 17. “What Simone Biles has accomplished this summer is tremendous,” he adds. It seems like no coincidence that the tour’s acronym, GOAT, also stands for the “greatest of all time.”

San Diego Padres vs. Chicago White Sox

Sunday, September 22 | 1:10 p.m. | Petco Park

Watch: Padres.TV

It’s fitting that the Padres’ final home game of the regular season is against the Chicago White Sox, the team that traded star pitcher Dylan Cease to San Diego. In June, Cease threw the franchise’s second no-hitter, and he’s been a consistent, steadying presence for a rotation that has lost Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish to injury for long stretches. The Padres enter the season’s final month on a 91-win pace thanks in large part to Cease’s 3.62 earned run average and his elite ability to keep runners off the bases. If Cease and the Pads maintain form, then postseason baseball is all but assured.

Average Joe Run

Sunday, September 29 | 8:00 a.m. | Crown Point Park

Running is hard. The Average Joe Run makes it easier. In fact, the organizers bill it as “The World’s Easiest 5K.” To prove the point, the top award goes to the middle finishers, the runners who are perfectly average. (Don’t worry, tryhards. The fastest finishers also get recognition.) There’s unlimited coffee and donuts available to participants, too. Other freebies include a race bib, t-shirt, medal, and certificate. With registration ranging from $28.50 to $38.50, it might be the best deal in town this month. The hard part is waking up for the early start time.