San Jose State's last victory against a nationally-ranked football team was at the end of the 2013 season when the Spartans upended #16-Fresno State, 62-52. The Bulldogs had quarterback Derek Carr, the Oakland Raiders' starting signal caller, and wide receiver Davante Adams, now starring with the Green Bay Packers.
This week when San Jose State faces #20-Oregon on September 15, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Kickoff is at 2:02 p.m. with the Pac-12 Network providing television coverage. Justin Allegri and Kevin Richardson will call the action locally on KLIV (1590 AM, San Jose).
San Jose State safety Jonathan Lenard, Jr., and center Trevor Robbins realize the stakes are high this week against a team that is averaging 60 points a game in its first two contests.
"Oregon is talented, big and athletic," said Robbins, the Spartans' starting center the first two games of the season. "(On offense) We need to be assignment sound. If everybody does their assignments right, we can do big things."
For Lenard, Jr., big things on defense has been the team's four interceptions the first two games. It's part of San Jose State's concentrated effort to win the turnover battle statistically.
"We've been harping on turnovers since the spring. We've got to win the turnover battle," Lenard, Jr., said about the team's present position of an equal number of turnovers and takeaways.
One of the big takeaways from the Spartans' September 11 was the guest appearance by former Stanford, Washington and Notre Dame football head coach Tyrone Willingham. The former College Football Playoff committee member visited football practice and spoke to the team briefly afterwards on the themes of conducting oneself like a champion and the virtues of hard work.
San Jose State practices daily before heading to Oregon on September 14.