USU Football Preview: San Jose State
LOGAN — Fans will get to see the 2020 Mountain West Conference Champions versus the 2021 champions when San Jose State and Utah State kick off tonight.
For the Spartans, after losing standout quarterback Nick Starkel they have had a great season from QB Chevan Cordeiro who transferred from Hawai’i to San Jose State after throwing for 2,793 yards and 17 touchdowns last year.
This season, Cordeiro has thrown for 2,419 yards with 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Cordeiro, who already has a solid arm, uses his legs and may be one of the more effective dual-threat quarterbacks the Aggies will face this season. Cordeiro has rushed for 181 yards with eight touchdowns. Last season when the Aggies faced Cordeiro, he threw for 296 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the Aggies’ 51-31 bowl-clinching win over Hawai’i.
Receiving-wise, the Spartans also welcomed in Nevada transfers Elijah Cooks and Justin Lockhart from the transfer portal. Cooks has 737 yards this season, which leads the team, on 46 catches this season with five receiving touchdowns. Lockhart is second on the team with 428 yards on 26 receptions.
On the ground, San Jose State averages 3.0 yards per carry. The Aggie defense gives up 208.6 rushing yards a game on average. A subtle rushing attack from the Spartans could keep the Aggies in the defensive battle which has struggled the last three weeks giving up 215 rushing yards or more in each game. Despite those struggles, the Aggies have won four of the last five games.
“They have the ability to run the ball extremely well. The numbers don’t tell you that, but (Corderio) is never out of a play. He’s got the feet to get out of any kind of mess,” Utah State head coach Blake Anderson said. “He’s taken some sacks that some guys wouldn’t, but you turn right back around and he may be 20 yards down the field. It comes with a silver lining.”
On defense, the Spartans bring back senior linebacker and captain, Kyle Harmon. Harmon leads San Jose State with 74 total tackles after recording 134 tackles last season, which was fourth in the nation.
The Spartans have only had one bowl game appearance since 2015, where they lost in the Arizona Bowl in 2020. It’s been a very up-and-down program as they’ve only had two seasons at .500 or above since 2013 and went 1-11 just four seasons ago in 2018.
Weather may play a factor as the forecast for the game is expected to be in the 20s and dip into the 10s during the game which could impact the passing attack and force teams to run the ball.
San Jose State still technically has a way into the Mountain West Conference championship. They would need to win out and for San Diego State and Fresno State to lose their two remaining games. While that is unlikely, the Spartans will go bowling after clinching bowl eligibility by defeating Colorado State two weeks ago.
In recent history, the Aggies have defeated the Spartans in nine straight games dating back to 2009, including a dominant 48-17 win in San Jose last season. In that contest, USU scored 24 unanswered points in the game twice. The Aggie defense was also impressive in the game, only allowing 12 rushing yards on 22 carries. The defense allowed 150 total yards and forced three interceptions.
The Aggies will be looking to make it 10 in a row and become bowl eligible before taking on the preseason predicted Mountain Division winners Boise State. A win and USU is bowling, a loss and they will have to beat a team that they have only defeated once in 24 years to reach the six-win mark.
Utah State and San Jose State will kick off at 7:55 following the Senior Day ceremony. The Aggies will also sport a No. 6 sticker on their helmets in honor of San Jose State Spartan, Camden McWright who was hit and killed by a school bus while riding a scooter in October, per reports.
The game will be broadcast on Aggie Radio 92.3 FM and on FS1.
Featured image by Paige Johnson from the New Mexico game.