By Christian Vieyra (@thecvieyra) – Managing Editor | Photo by Christian Vieyra – The Spear
San Jose State football’s 2024 schedule released Thursday and thankfully for Spartan fans it doesn’t feature a week zero matchup against a reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
But SJSU’s first matchup of 2024 will be against another in-state and out-of-conference opponent. But this time it’s Sacramento State, an FCS team.
This is a stark contrast from SJSU’s 2023 schedule beginnings. A start which featured back-to-back ranked opponents in No. 6 USC and No. 8 Oregon State.
Although SJSU didn’t avoid tough competition, with trips to Washington State and Oregon State slated for Sept. 21 and Nov. 9 respectively.
That’s thanks to the scheduling agreement between the Mountain West and the Pac-12 announced in December 2023 after the mass exodus from the conference left the Beavers and Cougars without a new conference for 2024.
The most notable game for fans in the South Bay is the final matchup of the 2024 regular season. Stanford will trot into CEFCU Stadium on Nov. 30 in a renewal of the Bill Walsh Legacy Game.
This is the first of six scheduled games in the next 12 seasons between the Spartans and Cardinal.
“We think it is a very competitive schedule and a great measuring stick for our football program,” Director of Athletics Jeff Konya said, according to SJSU athletics.
The week three contest against Kennesaw State on Sept. 14 in San Jose is the only other non-conference game for SJSU in 2024.
The Spartans will host seven of their 12 games at CEFCU stadium.
Meanwhile for Mountain West opponents, SJSU will continue its long standing rivalry with Fresno State. The Battle for the Valley will take place on Oct. 26 at Valley Children’s Stadium.
SJSU’s and Hawaii’s Dick Tomey Legacy game will take a pause this regular season as the teams aren’t scheduled to face off in 2024.
Colorado State and Nevada are the two MW schools SJSU did not face last season that appear on the 2024 schedule.
Fans will get their first glimpse of the 2024 Spartans when they kickoff their annual Spring Game scrimmage at 1 p.m. on April 27 at CEFCU Stadium.