Aug. 13, 2018
The ties between San José State University and the San Francisco 49ers are far and wide, yet closer than ever before. With the 49ers headquartered in nearby Santa Clara, Calif., less than 10 driving miles from the university campus and playing their home games in Levi's Stadium since 2014, the two programs are embarking on several joint firsts this football season.
San José State will relocate its October 13 non-conference home football game vs. Army West Point to Levi's Stadium. Game time will be announced at a later date. ESPN Networks will be providing the play-by-play telecast. Marie Tuite, the Spartans' director of athletics, made the announcement for the university.
SAN JOSÉ STATE TO PLAY 1ST FOOTBALL GAME IN LEVI'S STADIUM
"Playing Army West Point, one of the storied programs in college football, at Levi's Stadium, home of the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, is a unique and distinctive opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, university and fans," said Tuite who also serves on the Bay Area Host Committee executive board for the national championship game.
"San José State's partnership with the 49ers is well-established through the years. It's easy to point to Bill Walsh's days as a Spartan and going on to coaching the 49ers to Super Bowl victories. There's more on a number of fronts from our players pursuing NFL pro careers and alums like world-renowned sports sociologist Dr. Harry Edwards that work or have worked for one of the NFL's best organizations. We've also hosted satellite individual workouts and team practices at our South Campus facilities."
The San José State-Army West Point game now becomes the first of four premier college football contests this season at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers' home also is hosting the Pac-12 Football Championship game on November 30, the San Francisco Bowl on December 31 and the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 7, 2019. Levi's Stadium previously hosted three college games in 2014, including a regular season meeting between Cal and Oregon and has staged two college football games in each of the last three seasons.
"It's going to be an awesome experience for our team. Any chance you get to play in an NFL venue like that, be in an NFL locker room, play of an NFL surface, it will be an incredible experience for our fans and our football team," said San José State head coach Brent Brennan.
"Just knowing the Pac-12 Championship is played there every year and having the College Football Championship there, it doesn't get any bigger than that. I think it's a great lineup of college football in the stadium this season and we're excited to be a part of it."
TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
The San José State Athletics Ticket Office will provide, at no additional cost, an equal number of replacement ticket(s) and parking, as applicable, for the Army West Point game now at Levi's Stadium to anyone who had previously purchased ticket(s) and/or parking as of Friday, August 10, 2018.
San José State football season tickets are being mailed starting August 13. Season ticket holders as of Friday, August 10, 2018, will receive season ticket booklets containing tickets for the five home games that will be played in CEFCU Stadium, starting with the August 30 season opener vs. UC Davis. Tickets for the October 13, 2018 game vs. Army West Point will be mailed separately.
Additional ticket and parking information specifically for San José State University students, faculty, and staff and CEFCU Stadium suite holders will be coming soon.
The Spartans will be playing the Black Knights for the first time in the first of a four-game home-and-home series. Army West Point will make its first trip to the Bay Area since a 2014 game at Stanford.
This year's Army West Point game completes the Spartans' triumvirate of playing the three Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) military service academies - Air Force, Army West Point and Navy in their football history. Heading into the season, 37 other football-playing schools played football against all three teams.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE SAN JOSÉ STATE-49ERS CONNECTION
For football history buffs, the San José State-Army West Point game will be the first time the Spartans are playing in a 49ers home stadium since the 1951 University of San Francisco-San José State contest in San Francisco's Kezar Stadium. That legendary Dons team featured future Pro Football Hall of Famers Ollie Matson, Gino Marchetti and Bob St. Clair who would go on to a lengthy career with the 49ers.
"The historical connections between the 49ers and San José State run so deep that it's fitting to have the Spartans play at Levi's Stadium and help us celebrate Bay Area college football ahead of this year's CFP National Championship," said Al Guido, 49ers president. "San José State is a valued partner and we look forward to hosting the team and their alumni for this marquee game. Army West Point is the perfect team to have on the opposing sideline and our organization appreciates the opportunity to honor the men and women who serve in this country's armed forces."
Besides Coach Walsh, quarterbacks Jeff Garcia and Steve DeBerg, 1962 Len Eshmont Award winner Dan Colchico, kicker Joe Nedney, six-time NFL All-Pro end Billy Wilson are among the most visible Spartans to take field for the 49ers.
Former San José State All-America center and 1939 team captain Bob Titchenal was the first Spartan to play for the 49ers in 1946 when the franchise was a member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Presently, offensive lineman Chris Gonzalez, a four-year starter for the 2014-17 Spartans, is on San Francisco's team roster as an undrafted rookie free agent.