By Navin Sunjay Krishnan – (@NavinKthespear) Spear Opinions Columnist
SJSU football was able to pull off their 501st victory with a score of 34-6, in a blowout at home versus the Western Michigan Broncos Saturday night at CEFCU stadium.
However, much to the dismay of the Spartan faithful, it wasn’t the shiny new black-and-silver uniforms the Spartans wore in recognition of San Jose nor was it the presence of musician M.C. Hammer in the stands that won the game.
First Responders Night had a nuance of return to the top of the hill of dominance that head coach Brent Brennan is best known for.
“This was an awesome win for us against a really good, tough football team,” said Brennan. “I’m excited about what this team is doing right now.”
But the dynamics of the win can be broken down into three categories.
Patience, Execution, and Readiness
The Spartans’ success was refined by their willingness to wait and sniff out the defense and orchestrate their offense like a fighter jet cutting through air.
Defensive coordinator Derrick Odom helped SJSU football prepare for the tight moments that studded this game.
“I thought coach Odom and the staff did a great job of getting ready to play what they were going to play,” said Brennan.
The Spartans are now 4-5 all time against teams from the Mid-American Conference. The last victory SJSU football had against a MAC opponent came in 2012 against Bowling Green in the Military Bowl.
Junior quarterback Chevan Cordeiro showed off his versatility in this thriller and his experience lead the offense past the Bronco’s hasty defense.
Cordeiro ended the night with 17-of-28 on passes and had no interceptions.
“He’s incredibly dangerous that way,” said Brennan. “He can keep his eyes downfield, he can play downfield. Or he can scramble and get first downs like he did tonight.”
Senior running back Kairee Robinson added 13 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns to boost SJSU.
Robinson scored on a 5-yard run in the second quarter. After the Broncos failed to convert on the fourth down from their own 25-yard line, Robinson completed a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“I thought [Robinson] ran with physicality and intensity and determination,” Brennan said.
Cordeiro wove his way into the seams of the Broncos defense, picking them apart with his astounding decision making and one-of-a-kind passing game.
Graduate wide receiver Elijah Cooks caught a 13-yard touchdown with ten seconds left in the second quarter to give the Spartans a 17-0 lead entering halftime.
“I thought Chevan did a great job hitting the throws he had to make,” Brennan said. “Being creative when he had to.”
Sophomore wide receiver Justin Lockhart caught an 82-yard reception from Cordeiro, the longest reception of his career.
He finished the night with a game-high 116 receiving yards.
Cordeiro’s ability to execute overshadowed SJSU’s offensive miscues and in doing so brought the team closer together.
SJSU’s transfer quarterback showed that merely a bye week could make him dominate and that the Spartans should never be overlooked, even when the odds were stacked against them such as the loss against Auburn.
Keeping an even-keel mentality will pay dividends when matching up with Wyoming and UNLV in SJSU football’s remaining schedule.
If the Spartans want to continue their dominant play and make this season a memorable one, they must understand patience is even more important than courage.
On the other side of the ball, the Spartans played with vigor and heart.
The SJSU defense allowed only 206 yards for Western Michigan the entire game.
They gave up 71 passing yards, the fewest since Cal Poly recorded 37 passing yards against SJSU in 2017.
The blue-and-gold allowed the fewest completions in a game since 2017, when they allowed San Diego State to have seven completions.
Saturday night was more than just another home game — the way they dominated on both sides of the ball reminisces of their Mountain West championship in 2020.
The Element of Surprise
When watching the Spartans play football, two things stand out to their spectators: their drive to win and their energy.
Taking a closer look at the Spartans while on the field, every few minutes they make a play that surprises the crowd, the opponent and even Brennan.
Their entertainment and ‘wow factor’ are products of their energy.
“If you play really hard and you play with effort, those big plays show up,” said Brennan. “Those physical moments show up.”
If one were to put this into football terminology, it would be ‘the element of surprise.’
As Western Michigan tried to climb the highland of the Spartans defense and the mountain of their momentum, SJSU retorted with incredible energy.
Out of nowhere, the Spartans’ intensity blared painfully loud until the Broncos just seemed drained and frustrated.
Cordeiro and his squad had the advantage of ‘surprise’ because they played with something that could never be scouted — heart.
“I call myself an athlete, I feel I can do everything,” said Cordeiro. “My confidence is always high. I’m ready for it next week.”
“I believe in every receiver, every tight end, every running back, I can throw them the ball and they can go get it,” said Cordeiro.
Although the Spartans had a minor breakdown by allowing junior running back Sean Tyler to return a 90-yard kickoff with a touchdown, their pride really showed out in this victory.
Spartan nation should be on the lookout to expect the unexpected.
The Clutch Factor
The term ‘clutch’ is commonly affiliated with last-minute, game-deciding plays.
However, this word refers to any type of intense situation that ranks the guts and will of a player or team to perform under pressure.
Making the right play when it counts is clutch. Coming off the bench and shutting down the opposing offense is clutch. What the Spartans did against Western Michigan was absolutely clutch.
Cooks showed he was clutch by catching a 13-yard touchdown pass from Hawai’i transfer quarterback Cordeiro with only 10 seconds left in the first half.
SJSU football had a number of clutch stops against the Broncos on fourth down that helped keep the game out of reach.
The first of these stops occurred with 4:03 left in the first quarter at the six-yard line.
The second took place with 2:55 left in the half at the 23-yard line on fourth down and two.
The final stop was recorded at the 23-yard line on fourth down and one just 11 seconds into the final quarter.
“I thought our defensive line and our linebackers were outstanding,” said Brennan. “Our defense all day today was excellent. We’re going to celebrate tonight and get ready for Wyoming tomorrow.”
The Spartans decimated a formidable opponent, but they are leaps and bounds away from returning to their dominant form established in their 2020 championship campaign.
The SJSU Spartans will play host to the UNLV Rebels on Oct. 7 at CEFCU stadium at 7:30 p.m.