For the first time in history, the San Jose State football team is the Mountain West Conference champion.
The Spartans (7-0, 6-0 MWC) won the 2020 Mountain West Conference title after defeating Boise State (5-2, 5-0 MWC) 34-20 Saturday afternoon at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
“Wow, what a night,” head coach Brent Brennan said in the Zoom post-game conference. “What a night for San Jose State University.”
In their first win against the Broncos, who were four time championship contenders, the undefeated Spartans dominated,never giving up the lead throughout the game.
Quarterback Nick Starkel, who won the championship game Offensive MVP, led the charge for the Spartans throwing 453 yards and 3 touchdown passes to three different receivers. It was Starkel’s fourth 400-yard game of his collegiate career and second one this season.
One of those receivers was Tre Walker who made 7 catches for 137 yards and scored on a 50-yard play to give SJSU an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
“That gives me supreme confidence as a quarterback,” Starkel said in the Zoom post-game conference. “Knowing that whoever's in the game is going to be able to go up and make a play.”
SJSU jumped to a 19-6 to end the first half, courtesy of a historic performance from kicker Matt Mercurio.
Mercurio matched the NCAA record for field goals made in a quarter by going 4-for-4 in the second quarter to help the SJSU offense which struggled with reaching the end zone.
“I actually had a premonition before this game,” Mercurio said in the Zoom post-game conference. “I just had a feeling there's gonna be a lot of field goals I was going to have to kick.”
After scoring only 6 points in the first half, Boise State cut into SJSU’s lead twice after returning from halftime.
A 69-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter and a 2-yard run from quarterback Hank Bachmeier in the fourth quarter gave the Broncos a spark in the second half.
However, the undefeated Spartans responded. For every Broncos touchdown, the Spartans came back the other way to score to keep the lead and halt the Broncos momentum.
Starkel threw a 30-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to receiver Isaiah Hamilton and then connected with tight end Derrick Deese, Jr. on a 1-yard touchdown at the end of the game.
“It's about us how we handle the ups and downs, how we respond to the good things and the bad things that happened in the game,” Brennan said. “I thought our response tonight, on so many occasions, was fantastic.”
The SJSU defense also gave the Boise State offense problems all game.
Defensive lineman Cade Hall, the Defensive MVP of the game, led a suffocating SJSU defense by finishing with 2 sacks and 3 tackles for loss of yards.
Boise State was held to 12 rushing yards, 233 yards of total offense and to 20 points or less for the third time this season.
“Man, it's amazing in the locker room and it's just that much sweeter because of everything we've been through it because no one thought we could do it,” Hall said in the Zoom post-game conference.
SJSU’s season is not over yet as the team plans to travel to Tucson, Arizona to face Ball State University in the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 31.
This marks the 11th bowl game for SJSU since 1946 and the first as an undefeated team.
“This is why we play college football,” Starkel said. “To be playing meaningful games at the end of seasons. And so that means championships, that means bowl games and maybe one day, the College Playoffs.”
