Spartans setting sights on history
SJSU needs two wins for its most as major program
SAN JOSE — When it comes to building a legacy at San Jose State, coach Mike MacIntyre and the Spartans can look to Saturday’s game against Louisiana Tech as a big start.
SJSU ( 9- 2, 4- 1 Western Athletic Conference) hosts the Bulldogs ( 9- 2, 4- 1) at 7: 30 p. m. with a chance to reach the 10- win mark for the just the seventh time in school history and third time as a major college football program.
“We want to get to double- digit wins,” junior receiver Noel Grigsby said after San Jose State beat BYU 20- 14 last Saturday. “10- 2 sounds way better than 9- 3. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
The Spartans
haven’t won 10 games since 1987, when they went 10- 2 for the second straight season.
San Jose State has won 11 or more games four times. Those seasons all occurred from 1937- 40 — when the Spartans were a combined 46- 4- 1 — and included a record 13- 0 season in 1939.
But that was before San Jose State declared itself a major college football participant in 1950. Two more wins would give the Spartans the most in their 63 years of playing at the highest level.
“Our kids want to go down having won the most football games in the history of San Jose State University,” MacIntyre said. “That’s pretty special.”
Hopes of winning a WAC title are slim ( it would require Idaho to upset Utah State), but SJSU feels it has plenty to play for this week.
The Spartans are eyeing a national ranking. For the first time this season, they received votes in both The Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.
“It’s a great acknowledgment for our coaching staff and our kids, and they deserve that,” MacIntyre said. “If we keep winning, it’d be fun to be there permanently. That’s one of our goals.”
MacIntyre was named one of 16 semifi nalists for the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year. Louisiana Tech’s Sonny Dykes also made the list.
“I’m humbled by it,” MacIntyre said. “The interesting thing is the head coach gets all the credit, and he also gets all the blame. The credit really goes to all of the players and the coaching staff.”
Linebacker Keith Smith, whose strip sack of BYU quarterback Riley Nelson with 1: 16 to play sealed the Spartans’ victory, was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week.
He’s the fi fth Spartan to win the conference’s defensive award, joining defensive end Travis Johnson, linebacker Vince Buhagiar and defensive backs Bené Benwikere and Cullen Newsome. Johnson and Benwikere have won the award twice.
Smith fi nished with a careerhigh- tying 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and two forced fumbles. He was also named the National Linebacker Performer of the Week by College Football Performance Awards.
“He’s really played well,” MacIntyre said of Smith. “He’s a big key in our defense. I’m really excited for Keith and how he’s doing.”