SAN JOSE STATE AT FRESNO STATE
Records: San Jose State (4-1, 2-0 Mountain West); Fresno State (1-4, 0-1 MW)
Kickoff: 7:45 p.m., Valley Children’s Stadium, Fresno
TV: Fox Sports 2
Radio: KTRB (860 AM)
Series history: San Jose State trails 38-43-3 all-time, but has won five of the past nine meetings, most recently in 2019. Before this stretch, FSU had dominated the series, going 18-2, including 12 in a row from 1991-2005. SJSU lost at home to the Bulldogs in the final game of the 2021 season, costing the Spartans a chance to become bowl eligible in back-to-back years for the first time since 1986-87. The teams didn’t play in 2020 when the game was canceled days before kickoff because of COVID-19 contact-tracing protocols.
Storylines: San Jose State is on a roll, winning three in a row since its close loss at Auburn, and can cushion its lead in the West Division with its first win in Fresno since 2016. A win also would move the Spartans one away from the six required to become bowl eligible with six more games remaining. … Fresno State is banged up — former Monte Vista High QB Jake Haener,will miss this game — and struggling, but is the 1-4 record a little misleading? The offense obviously isn’t the same without Haener, one of the top QBs in the country, but the schedule hasn’t done the Bulldogs any favors. This is their first home game in more than a month and two of their losses are to Pac-12 teams (Oregon State and USC) and another was a road loss at MW favorite Boise State
Matchup to watch: SJSU’s offensive line vs. the Fresno State defense. A largely inexperienced group — tackles Fernando Carmona and James McNorton are both freshmen, guards Jaime Navarro and Tyler Ostrum, and center Anthony Pardue are seniors, but Navarro was the only one who started regularly last season — has come together in a big way during the winning streak. QB Chevan Cordeiro has had more time to pass (he’s been sacked 17 times, but seven came vs. Portland State in the opener) and helped the SJSU running game improve statistically each of the past three weeks, including a 200-yard effort last week against UNLV. Fresno State’s defense is allowing nearly 30 points and 400 yards per game (inflated by lopsided losses to USC and Boise State) but the Bulldogs will be without their best defensive player, safety Evan Williams, and has a number of key players ailing or coming off injury.
Stats that matter: The Spartans have outscored their opponents 107-29 over their past last three games. … SJSU is the only FBS school yet to have an offensive turnover. The Spartans’ lone turnover came off a muffed punt … On the other hand, the SJSU defense has created a turnover in every game. The Spartans’ +7 turnover margin is sixth-best in the nation. .. SJSU’s defense is ranked in the Top-10 nationally in scoring defense (14 points per game) and is 16th in total defense, and it’s been a group effort. Through five games, 19 Spartans have recorded a tackle for loss, and six players have an interception. … Fresno State hasn’t thrown a TD pass in two games without Haener. He has thrown 51 in 22 games with the Bulldogs. … Cordeiro has thrown 162 passes without an interception and leads the Mountain West with 1,308 passing yards. He’s accounted for 12 touchdowns in five games, six rushing and six passing. … Kyle Harmon has 41 tackles this season and 381 in his SJSU career. He’ll pass Christian Tago and move into fifth all-time in SJSU history with four against the Bulldogs.
— Bay Area News Group
Source: www.mercurynews.com