SJSU wins first Mountain West title
When the final seconds of the Mountain West championship ticked away Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, San Jose State’s ensuing celebration wasn’t just an exhibition of joy.
It was catharsis.
San Jose State held off Boise State’s late second- half push, winning 34-20 to claim the first Mountain West championship in program history.
As the Mountain West champions, San Jose State (7- 0) will have a chance to pin a bow on its perfect season. The Spartans are slotted to play Ball State in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson on New Year’s Eve.
Nick Starkel, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, threw for 453 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense held Boise State to 12 yards rushing and 233 yards total in a dominant display in front of a national TV audience.
When the Spartans got back to their jubilant locker room, they cut loose with a rendition of Bill Withers’ classic “Lean on Me.”
“That celebration was everything,” Starkel said. “It was the culmination of just this whole season. We sang ‘ Lean on Me.’ That’s how this team fights. We lean on each other.”
For the Spartans, Saturday wasn’t just about the conference title. It wasn’t just about defeating Boise State for the first time in 15 attempts. It wasn’t just about winning its first conference title in nearly three decades.
San Jose State probably shouldn’t have been here.
Not after traveling more than 300 miles north to Humboldt State to practice in the middle of a semester to prepare for the season because of Santa Clara County COVID-19 restrictions.
Not after missing games in back-to-back weeks last month because of opponents’ coronavirus issues.
Not after setting up its home base in Las Vegas the past two weeks because of more coronavirus orders.
Not after being picked to finish near the Mountain West’s cellar.
But, the Spartans, in defiance
of logic, climbed the mountain.
“What a night for San Jose State University,” coach Brent Brennan said. “What a night for our players and our fans. It’s just been a beautiful journey. It’s been magical.”
Against Boise State (52), a team that was making its fourth consecutive appearance in the Mountain West championship game, it wasn’t easy.
Behind a stout defense and four field goals from Matt Mercurio, the Spartans had a double-digit lead late into the third quarter.
But the Broncos, being the experienced team that they are, didn’t bow out.
Avery Williams, the Mountain West special teams player of the year, returned a punt 69 yards to the house, cutting San Jose State’s lead to 19-13 and triggering a heavyweight back-and-forth between the two titans.
Starkel answered Williams’ score, connecting with Isaiah Hamilton on a beautiful 30-yard touchdown. After Starkel found Sam Olson on the two-point conversion, San Jose State led 27-13.
On the following drive, Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier scrambled for a score of his own, cutting the deficit back to one touchdown.
But San Jose State soon delivered the final knockout. Starkel found Derrick Deese Jr. on a beautifully-executed play action at the 1-yard line, putting the Spartans up 14 points with four minutes left, the nail in the coffin.
T he Mountain West championship game was a microcosm of what San Jose State has done well all season.
Last year, San Jose State’s defense was among the conference’s worst. But Cade Hall, Viliami Fehoko, Kyle Harmon and Co. have gotten a chance to grow up, and on Saturday, they dominated.
San Jose State held Boise State, which entered play leading the conference in points per game, to one offensive touchdown. When the Spartans offense couldn’t score touchdowns in the red zone and settled for field goals, the defense came up with stop after stop
“Our defense was lights out,” Brennan said. “I can’t get over our defense. I couldn’t be more proud of this football team.”
During one stretch in the second quarter, San Jose State’s defense forced a three-and-out, a turnover on downs, then two consecutive three-and-outs.
Leading the charge was none other than Hall, the Mountain West defensive player of the year.
Hall had back-to-back sacks of Bachmeier in the first half. The sequence was a bit of deja vu, for Hall sacked Nevada quarterback Carson Strong on two consecutive plays last weekend as well.
“We’ve been through more than any team in this conference,” Hall said. “We’ve had more adversity and more challenges that we’ve had to make it through. We knew that coming in. I think that’s what gave us an edge tonight.”
The Spartans have leaned on each other all season.
Now they are undefeated champions.