(Game #12)
Upcoming game: San José State at #RV/#23-Fresno State
Saturday, November 24, 2018,
Bulldog Stadium, Fresno, Calif., 4:00 p.m. (PT)
ESPNU
San José State record: 1-10, 1-6 Mountain West. Most recently, the Spartans lost to Nevada, 21-12,, on November 17.
Fresno State record: 9-2, 6-1 Mountain West. The Bulldogs won for the eighth time in their last nine contests defeating San Diego State, 23-14, on November 17.
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 provides commentary. The Fresno State broadcast begins at 3:30 p.m. (PT) with a pregame show.
Television: ESPNU will provide play-by-play coverage of the San José State-Fresno State game. Jay Alter calls the play-by-play. Ray Bentley offers analysis. The live telecast is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. (PT).
Series history: Fresno State leads the series, 41-37-3. The two teams first played in 1921 and San José State went home with a 14-2 victory. The Spartans' have played more games against the Bulldogs (81) than any other opponent.
Fresno State won last year's game, 27-10, ending San José State's two-game win streak in the series. The last Spartan win in the series was a 16-13 decision at Bulldog Stadium to close out the 2016 season.
San José State and Fresno State still hold the NCAA record for most penalties in a game by two teams, 36 (24 by the Spartans and 12 by the Bulldogs), during the 1986 contest won by San Jose State, 45-41. The Spartans' 24 penalties for 199 yards also remains a Football Bowl Subdivision record for most penalties in a game by one team.
Valley Trophy: Since 2013, San José State and Fresno State play for the Valley Trophy. San José State is the metropolitan capital of the high-tech Silicon Valley. Fresno State is the largest city in the agriculturally-rich San Joaquin Valley. The two schools are separated by approximately 150 driving miles.
Returning to Fresno: San José State offensive line coach Joe Bernardi played for Fresno State during the 2006 through 2010 seasons and was the Bulldogs' tight ends coach in 2016.
Closing out a season: San José State is 5-2 in its last seven regular-season finales. Three of those wins are against Fresno State - 2011, 27-24, at Fresno State; 2013, 62-52, in San José; and 2016, 16-13, in Fresno.
Top-20 in pass interceptions: San Jose State has 13 interceptions for the season and is tied for 17th nationally in the category. The last time the Spartans had more than 13 interceptions in a season was in 2012 with 15 in a 13-game season. San José State has a season-high three interceptions in its Washington State and UNLV games.
Tops at his position: Since the beginning of the season, Josh Oliver is the leading pass receiver among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) tight ends.
36 of Oliver's 54 receptions this season resulted in a San José State first down.
Oliver also is third in receiving yards by a listed tight end at 667 yards in games played through November 17.
Sharing a 2018 Mountain West best: Linebacker Ethan Aguayo became the first Mountain West player this season to be credited with 20 tackles in a game with his November 17 afternoon performance against Nevada. Aguayo also added a 27-yard pass interception return that set up San Jose State's first touchdown of the game. His 20 tackles match the 12th best single-game total by a Football Bowl Subdivision player this season.
Defense contains Nevada: San Jose State kept Nevada scoreless longer than any 2018 opponent from the opening kickoff to the Wolf Pack's first score of the game. Nevada's first score was a 2-yard run by quarterback Ty Gangi with 1:48 to go in the second quarter. Earlier in the season, Nevada did not register its first points in its loss at Vanderbilt until the 5:41 mark of the second quarter.
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