By Ernie Gonzalez — Editor
T minus 16 suns until a four-week fall camp and what follows is the beginning of San Jose State’s 126th season. Let’s go on a week-by-week walkthrough and check out all 12 appointments for the Spartans this year.
SJSU will begin its campaign hosting a game against a Big Sky opponent for the third consecutive season on Thursday, Aug. 29 versus the University of Northern Colorado. It will be the first ever matchup between the two teams.
The Spartans stay put in San Jose for a Week 2 showdown against Tulsa. It will be a rematch of the 2016 contest at Skelly Field in which the Golden Hurricane clobbered the Spartans, 45-10. It will be an early-season test for SJSU against an American Athletic Conference opponent.
Week 3 is a bye for the Spartans, as they will have Saturday, Sept. 14 off.
SJSU will continue to square off against teams from the central states, like Arkansas in Week 4 in Fayetteville. It will be the first matchup between the two squads. Although the Razorbacks finished last in the SEC Conference at 2-10, just one game better than the Spartans, this power-5 opponent on the road will undoubtedly be one of the tallest tasks all season to take down.
Another road trip follows in Week 5 for SJSU as it will take on the Air Force Falcons and its triple-option system in its Mountain West conference opener Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. The game will be in Colorado Springs — and that is important because the Spartans have never defeated the Falcons at Falcon Stadium and haven’t beaten Air Force at all since 1997.
Week 6 features a matchup against a team the Spartans have had plenty of success against in years past, including the 2006 New Mexico Bowl victory. The New Mexico Lobos and SJSU have met on the gridiron 17 times and the Spartans have won a dozen of them. It will be the start of a fresh month for both teams as they will kick off Friday, Oct. 4 and it’s for certain both teams will be desperate for a win around that time.
In Week 7, the Spartans will meet the Nevada Wolf Pack in Reno. Since 2002, these two teams have met every single year except 2012. Nevada has won 14 of the 16 games. Overall, the ‘Pack hold the all-time record 21-9-2 with the first ever game being played in 1899.
Onto Week 8, a date that is probably marked all over everyone’s calendar around CEFCU Stadium. The 19th of October — that’s when San Diego State comes into town. It will be the 43rd ever matchup against the Aztecs. San Diego State has a six-game win streak against SJSU and up until last season’s 16-13 loss, the Spartans were kept to seven or fewer points in four straight contests against the SoCal rival.
Week 9 will be a treat for the Spartans as they will visit Army West Point. It will be the first time the Spartans will fly to the east coast since the 2015 Cure Bowl against Georgia State in Orlando, Fla. There will also be a lot to prove once the whistles begin to blow, as last year’s 52-3 blowout the the Black Knights spoiled SJSU’s first ever game at Levi’s Stadium.
The first game of November will be back at CEFCU Stadium against the best in the Mountain West, the Boise State Broncos. The teams have met 13 times, the first being in 1978 and San Jose State has never won. It will also be the first time third-year head coach Brent Brennan and his coaching staff face this Broncos team, as the two squads haven’t competed since 2015.
SJSU will make the island trip this year and play the Rainbow Warriors on Nov. 9. The two teams played in that 44-41 5OT game last season, the highest-overtime game in SJSU history. The last three games between the two teams in Hawai’i have been high scoring: 37-27 SJSU in 2013, 42-23 UH in 2015, 37-26 UH in 2017. Overall, the Rainbow Warriors hold the all time record 21-19-1.
Week 12 will be another off week for the Spartans as they will heal up for their final two games of the season: UNLV and Fresno State. Last season, the Spartan’s lone win came against the UNLV Rebels after putting up a 50-burger in a 50-37 statement victory. Surprisingly, SJSU has always played really well against the Rebels winning 17 out of 22 games overall. Since 1995, the Spartans have only lost to the Rebels once.
Last season, the Spartan’s lone win came against the UNLV Rebels after putting up a 50-burger in a 50-37 statement victory. Surprisingly, SJSU has always played really well against the Rebels winning 17 out of 22 games overall. Since 1995, the Spartans have only lost to the Rebels once.
The season will come to a close at home against none other than the Fresno State Bulldogs, who have kept the Valley Trophy in central California for the past two years. It will be the 83rd meeting between the rivals. The Spartans have put up 16, 10 and 13 points in that order since 2016 so if they want that big ‘V’ back in the Bay, they’ve got to put up points on Nov. 30.
Follow Ernie on Twitter @superego1012
