Spartans’ perfect record put at risk
San Jose State will go to 50 for the first time since 1939 if it prevails at Boise State on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans and Broncos are both 40 in Mountain West Conference play, a halfgame behind Nevada. Fox will carry the Spartans-Broncos matchup, the first San Jose State game to receive an overtheair network telecast since 2006.
But after last Saturday’s San Jose StateFresno State game was canceled because of coronavirus issues in the Bulldogs’ program, San Jose State head coach Brent Brennan said he and his team appreciate the simple opportunity to compete.
“The biggest thing that we’re excited about is that we just get to play this week,” Brennan said during his weekly Zoom news conference Monday. “When you’re looking at a shortened season and then what happened last week with Fresno, you realize that every game is super valuable.”
Brennan said everybody in his program “was crushed” after the Fresno game was called off Thursday.
Said Brennan: “That game is such a fun game, the San Jose StateFresno State game: the Valley Trophy, the history of that game, that being the instate rivalry for us. It’s just such an epic game. Everyone was really disappointed we didn’t get to play, but we certainly understand it. Credit to Fresno State. They did the right thing with their process and protocol.”
This week’s San Diego StateFresno State game, scheduled for Friday, was canceled Sunday because of the Bulldogs’ virus troubles.
The Spartans, meanwhile, are “getting ready to play the perennial best team in the Mountain West Conference,” as Brennan put it. Over the past fourplus seasons, Boise
State has gone 4712 overall. Led by quarterback Hank Bachmeier ( 65.5 completion percentage) and wide receiver Khalil Shakir ( MWCbest 38 receptions for 529 yards and six touchdowns), the Broncos are averaging 40 points per game this season.
San Jose State and Boise State have met 14 times, and the Broncos have won all 14 matchups. Will that streak have any effect on Saturday’s game?
“Not for the players on the field,” Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin said in a phone interview. “I know people will be aware of it ... but that’s certainly not the focus. The focus is that we find a way to win the game.”
In San Jose last year, the Spartans led Boise State 3431 after three quarters before falling 5242.
“We remember we played
’ em a year ago, and we played ’ em pretty well,” Brennan said. “I think players tend to fall on more recent history than they do 1015 years of history.
“I remember all that stuff, but I don’t know if the players do.”