By Niles Hall (@n23hall) – Content Editor | Spartans junior wide receiver Kyri Shoels basks in the celebration with teammates after punching in a touchdown versus the Vandals. (Photo by Taylor Cowhey – Spear photographer)
The San Jose State Spartans (1-2) go on the road to play the Stanford Cardinal (1-3) in the Bill Walsh legacy game.
SJSU will enter this week’s game with some momentum, having won 31-28 against the FCS’s Idaho Vandals.
The Spartans will have their work cut out for them playing an ACC power five opponent.
“They’re, besides Texas, the next best roster we will play,” said head coach Ken Niumatalolo after practice this past Tuesday.
SJSU’s offense seemed to find its rhythm through the run game last week after falling 14-0 in the second quarter. A 87-yard touchdown run by junior running back Jabari Bates gave the offense momentum, scoring on every drive after that.
The Spartans ran the ball 26 times, the most attempts during the Ken Niumatalolo era. Bates and senior running back Floyd Chalk split the workload with 11 carries each.
Bates finished the game with 131 rushing yards and a touchdown, and Chalk left his imprint on the game, rushing for two touchdowns.
Fans can expect to see more of Bates after SJSU’s game Saturday. Head coach Niumatalolo assured the media that Bates is no longer the team’s third-string running back, a role he held at the beginning of the season.
SJSU has faced defenses throughout the season that have emphasized limiting the Spartans dangerous passing attack, which has created opportunities in the run game.
The Cardinal defense has allowed 300-yard passers in back-to-back weeks. Additionally, on the ground, their defense is allowing a below-average 129 rushing yards.
Offensively, the Spartans are coming into this game with some unpredictability against a team that has shown they can struggle in run and pass defense.
“I mean, the run game has been spectacular, I think that’s gonna be a big part of our offense going forward,” senior quarterback Walker Eget said.“{Run Game}Opens up the pass, and you know, trying to air it out a lot, they’re going to drop eight [in coverage].”
Eget is coming off the best game of his young season, throwing for 222 yards and a touchdown.
Eget has relied heavily on sophomore wide receiver Danny Scudero, who is averaging 126 receiving yards a game. Junior wide receiver Kyri Shoels has also emerged as a top target for Eget, making big-time plays in each of the Spartans last two games.
Scudero is seventh in the country in receiving yards.
SJSU will continue to try to unlock junior wide receiver Leland Smith, who has yet to show his full potential with the Spartans.
Stanford is led by senior quarterback Ben Gulbranson, who is averaging 181 passing yards and has been steadily improving as he adjusts to the Cardinal offense.
Gulbranson is known as a game-managing gritty quarterback who’s willing to put his body on the line to see his team win.
The Spartans are familiar with Gulbranson, having beaten him last season when he was at Oregon State.
The Cardinal’s best offensive weapon is sophomore running back Micah Ford, who has rushed for 335 yards along with three touchdowns on the season.
The Spartans run defense, which looked to be a strength in the first two games of the season, struggled in the team’s most recent game against the Vandals’ dual-threat sophomore quarterback Joshua Wood.
Be on the lookout for Stanford sixth-year deep threat wide receiver Bryce Farrell, who is coming off a standout performance against the University of Virginia, having four receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown.
On Saturday at 4:30 p.m., the Spartans will look to secure their second straight win in the Santa Clara County rivalry when they face the Cardinal at Stanford Stadium, following last season’s 34-31 victory.
