The San José State football team will attempt to do something that it’s never done in school history: win a game at Boise State.
The Spartans (1-4, 0-1 MWC) are coming off a bye week and most recently lost to Air Force 45-20 on Sep. 22, their fourth loss in the last five games.
“We’re going on the road again to play another challenging opponent,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan about facing Boise State.
SJSU’s history against Boise State (2-3, 1-1 MWC) has not been good as the Spartans have an all-time record of 1-13 against Boise State. But this game could be very different for SJSU.
The Broncos have not shown that they are the same perennial conference powerhouse that they have presented themselves to be in the last decade.
Boise State is coming off a 35-32 loss to the University of Memphis last Saturday. The Broncos held a 17-0 lead in the second quarter, but collapsed down the stretch.
In many ways, Boise State’s season has somewhat mirrored SJSU in that it has been blown out by top-25 teams and has lost games where it was in control.
The Broncos are also dealing with a quarterback controversy that has dominated headlines in Idaho. Sophomore Quarterback and 2022 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, Taylen Green, was pulled late in the third quarter against Memphis in favor of freshman Maddux Madsen.
Madsen plays an entirely different style than Green as he is a pure pocket passer while Green is a dual-threat quarterback. Boise State head coach Andy Avalos said Monday the quarterback position will be evaluated throughout the week.
SJSU coaches said they are preparing to play both quarterbacks on Saturday.
“You don't have one guy that you gotta deal with,” said SJSU defensive coordinator Derrick Odum. “They both are very efficient in what they do. They both have a little different skill set, but they both generate a lot of offense when they're in.”
On the offensive side of the ball, SJSU could have an advantage in the passing game. Boise State is the eighth worst passing defense in the country, allowing 289.2 passing yards per game.
Wide receivers Nick Nash, Charles Ross and Malikhi Miller could all have big games against a softer Broncos’ secondary.
“I feel good about where we are as a wide receiver group,” Nash said. “I feel like we've been putting in a lot of work as a wide receiver group and hopefully we can go out and show it.”
The Spartans have some familiarity playing on Albertsons Stadium’s blue turf, as SJSU played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, losing to Eastern Michigan 41-27.
“I think it's always good to know where you're playing,” said SJSU safety Tre Jenkins. “You can envision the field and that's why it's important for us before we play in the game.”
SJSU’s matchup with Boise State is scheduled for 5 p.m. PDT Saturday at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho.
