A majority of San Jose State athletics programs have struggled at the Division I level.
Some teams’ seasons have been dreadful to watch, but that does not mean SJSU should ever consider dropping its standards down to a Division II university.
The SJSU men’s basketball team finished in last place in the Mountain West Conference last season and the football team ended this season 5-7 following a dismal 1-11
season last year.
Although coming up short season after season is difficult, the value that comes from being a DI school is that it helps student-athletes make it to the professional level.
In the NBA, there are 15 current players who played in the Mountain West, which is a direct benefit of playing for a Division I school.
When colleges play higher-level competition, there will be more eyes on the games and more scouts ready to scope out who is playing well.
SJSU football is a great example of this.
Even though the team only had one win, former SJSU tight end Josh Oliver was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars prior to the 2019 season.
Oliver played on an awful team, but because the team plays schools that are more well known, his play on the field was recognized and an NFL team took a chance on him. The Jaguars even used a relatively high pick on him, taking him in the third round of the draft.
If Oliver had played for a DII school there may be a stronger possibility that he would not have been drafted, not because of his talent, but because he wouldn’t have had the exposure.
On top of player recognition, having big game matchups is a way to bring in crowds to CEFCU Stadium to watch Spartan football and cause a buzz around campus.
SJSU played Boise State Nov. 2 and although they lost by 10, the game was close; considering the fact that the Broncos were ranked No. 21 at the time.
It is a big deal to be able to compete at this high of a collegiate level even though the outcome is not always consistent.
When SJSU football made history for beating the University of Arkansas on Sept. 21 it was because they were in a situation where being a DI school gave them the chance and experience to compete.
Beating its first-ever Southeastern Conference team was celebrated by the campus and showed SJSU what the football team was capable of achieving.
It might be easy to disregard games like this as a fluke or a lucky win, but it happened. If San Jose State wasn’t a DI school, it would never have happened. On top of better competition, higher chances of scholarships are also at stake.
According to the NCAA website, DI football schools are allowed to award 85 scholarships a year to student-athletes, compared to a mere 36 for DII schools.
The number of scholarship opportunities are more than doubled for DI schools. This makes it more incentive-laden for students to choose a DI school in order for them to be able to keep themselves afloat financially.
Being a higher division school benefits fans of the football team and
student-athletes alike.
Allowing SJSU to keep themselves in the mix for big games is a must in the college sports world. Although the outcomes don’t always result in wins, the opportunity and possibility is always there.
