Sept. 6, 2015
(GAME #2 - Air Force)
Upcoming game:
San José State at Air Force
Saturday, September 12, 2015,
Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colo., 8:15 p.m. (MT)/7:15 p.m. (PT)
ESPNU
San José State record: 1-0, 0-0 Mountain West. The Spartans opened the season with a 43-13 win over New Hampshire.
Air Force record: 1-0, 0-0 Mountain West. The Falcons defeated Morgan State, 63-7, in their first game of the season.
Series history: The series is tied, 1-1. Each team has a home field conference victory. The teams are facing each other for the first time since October 25, 1997 when the Spartans outlasted the Falcons, 25-22, in San José. Air Force spoiled San José State's Western Athletic Conference debut with a 45-0 triumph on August 31, 1996.
Play-by-Play Radio Coverage: KLIV (1590 AM, San José) originates San José State football broadcasts. Justin Allegri calls the play-by-play. Kevin Richardson offered commentary. Air time for the KLIV broadcast is 6:30 p.m. (PT).
Television: ESPNU will originate the San Jose State-Air Force game. Mark Neely calls the play-by-play. David Diaz-Infante serves as the game analyst. The live telecast begins at 8:15 p.m. (MT)/7:15 p.m. (PT)
Aiming for 2-0: A win at Air Force would give San José State its first 2-0 record since 1987 when the Spartans finished with a 10-2 overall mark. Since committing to a major college program philosophy beginning with the 1950 season, San José State has 2-0 starts 11 times (1950, 1953, 1955, 1961, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1987).
Starting Mountain West action: Since joining the Mountain West in 2013, San José State opened conference action with a 37-27 win at Hawai'i in 2013 and a 33-10 victory over UNLV in 2014.
First conference road contests: In each of the last three seasons, San José State won its first conference road encounter. In 2014, the Spartans won at Wyoming, 27-20, in overtime. In 2013, San José State was victorious at Hawai'i. In 2012, left UTSA with a 52-24 win.
High-scoring opener: San José State's 43 points in the New Hampshire win are the most points San José State scored in a season-opening game since a 51-0 victory at New Mexico State on September 3, 1988. The school record for most points in a season-opening victory is the 103-0 triumph over the University of Mexico on September 10, 1949.
Five rushing touchdowns in opener: For the first time since a 35-10 win over San Diego State on September 13, 2008, San José State rushed for five touchdowns in a game. In the New Hampshire win, running back Tyler Ervin accounted for three of the five scores and running back Thomas Tucker scored the other two.
Offensive outburst at start of the season: San José State was credited with 707 yards of total offense in its win over New Hampshire. The total is the fifth best single-game figure in school history and the sixth time the Spartans gained at least 700 yards in a game. The 707 yards against New Hampshire marked the first time San José State gained at least 600 yards of total offense in a game played in the first half of a season's schedule.
Sharing the load: Of the 23 times San José State gained at least 400 passing yards in a game, the 422 yards in the New Hampshire win marked the first time two quarterbacks accounted for at least one-third of the passing yardage output. Starter Joe Gray passed for 253 yards (59.9 percent); Kenny Potter, 167 yards (39.6 percent); and Malik Watson 2 yards (0.5 percent) against New Hampshire.
Less than 200 yards allowed: With four players making their first start for San José State, the Spartan defense had a solid night forcing New Hampshire to give up the football on six possessions without gaining a first down and yielding just 186 yards of total offense. The last time San José State kept an opponent under 200 yards of total offense was a 2012 win at Navy when the Midshipmen gained 144 yards.
Pass defense stays stingy: In 2014, San José State's pass defense was tops in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for fewest passing yards allowed per game at 117.8. With three returning starters in the defensive backfield, there was optimism more of the same could continue. The Spartans began 2015 limiting New Hampshire to 60 passing yards, the first time since the 2010 season a New Hampshire failed to pass for at least 100 yards in a game.
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