SAN JOSE, Calif. - San José State football (5-2, 3-1 Mountain West) heads to Fresno State (4-3, 2-1 Mountain West) in the Battle for the Valley on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. on TruTV/MAX and KTRB 860 AM.
SEASON TICKETS | 2024 SCHEDULE
- The defending co-regular season Mountain West champions look for their fourth bowl game in the last five years and a third bowl game in a row for the first time in SJSU history.
- With a win, the Spartans would be bowl-eligible for the third season in a row for the first time since having four straight seasons with winning records from 1989-92.
- The Spartans are looking to keep the Valley Trophy in San Jose as the series is tied 5-5.
- The Spartans are 11-3 in their last 14 games overall and are 9-1 in their last 10 conference games.
- At 5-2, the Spartans have the best record out of every California FBS school.
- The Spartans have won seven bowl games ever, new head coach Ken Niumatalolo has six bowl wins as a head coach.
- The Spartans had 11 first-time FBS starters in their game vs. Sac State (8/29/24), which was the fifth most in the country. The Spartans have started 20 first-time FBS starters through six games, the country's third-most.
- The Spartans have seven home games for the first time since 2006 and are 14-2 in their last 16 games at CEFCU Stadium and 20-5 at CEFCU Stadium since 2020.
- SJSU has forced 18 turnovers this season, which is good for second in the nation. The Spartans' 13 interceptions are good for second in the nation and first in the Mountain West.
- The Spartans' +3 turnover margin is good for third in the conference and 38th in the nation.
- According to Stats Perform, Nick Nash has a receiving touchdown in seven consecutive games, the longest active streak in FBS and an SJSU record. It’s also tied for the longest such streak to start a season in MW history, joining Fresno State’s Jalen Cropper in 2021.
- This season, Nash leads all FBS players outright in receptions (72), receptions per game (10.3) and receiving touchdowns (11). Nash is the third FBS player since 1996 to have 50+ receptions and 8+ touchdown receptions through the team's first four games of the season (Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree in 2007 and Louisiana Tech's Troy Edwards in 1998).
- Nash is second in FBS in receiving yards per game (129.1) and second in the country with 904 receiving yards.
- Nash was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week (9/16/24) following his career-high 17 receptions for a career-best 225 yards with three touchdown catches in the game. It was the second time in his career Nash has caught three touchdown passes in a game (8/26/23 at No. 6 USC).
- Nash is second in SJSU history with 20 receiving touchdowns and has only been a true wide receiver for 21 games. He is nine away from the record by Chandler Jones from 2010-13 and his 11 touchdowns are four away from the SJSU single-season record of 15 by Jones in 2013.
- Nash broke the SJSU regular-season reception record of 15 against Kennesaw State with 17 receptions (9/14/24) set by Tuati Wooden (vs. Tulsa, 2003), Steven Pulley (vs. Stanford, 1999), and Guy Liggins (vs. Fresno State, 1986).
- Nash had 17 (9/14/24 vs. Kennesaw State) and 16 receptions (9/20/24 at WSU). The 17 receptions are tied for the most for an FBS wide receiver in a single game this season.
- Nash has 10 or more receptions in four games this season, which ties an SJSU record (Evan Jurovich, 2007).
- Pro Football Focus (PFF) has Nash ranked as the second-best wide receiver in the country with a grade of 89.3 and he's rated as the top slot receiver in the country.
- Nash also threw his first touchdown pass since Oct. 30, 2021, and the 11th of his career when he found Jacob Stewart for a 26-yard score (8/29/24 vs. Sac State). Nash is the first non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass for the Spartans since Tre Walker threw a 54-yard touchdown pass in 2017 against San Diego State.
- Nash is only the third FBS player in the last three years to throw a passing touchdown and have two receiving touchdowns in the same game (KJ Concepcion of NC State in 2023 and Xavier Worthy of Texas in 2022).
- Nash threw his second touchdown pass of the season against Nevada (10/5/24).
- Nash's 72 catches this season are only 17 away from the SJSU single-season record of 89 in 2011 by Noel Grigsby. Zay Jones has the FBS single-season record of 158 in 2016 for ECU.
- According to Stats Perform, Nash is the first Mountain West player to have at least 10 receiving touchdowns and two passing touchdowns in a season. The last FBS player to have such a season was North Carolina’s Quinshad Davis in 2013.
- The Spartans have the best passing offense in the Mountain West and are sixth in the country with 2,312 yards, which is 330.3 yards per game.
- Only one game this season the Spartans haven't hit 320 or more yards passing.
- The Spartans' most passing yards in a game last year was 325 and the most this season is 375 yards (Washington St., 09/20/24).
- SJSU had a season-high 498 yards of offense against Wyoming (10/19/24). This was the most since the Spartans had 531 yards of total offense at New Mexico on Oct. 14, 2023.
- Jordan Pollard has 67 total tackles this season to lead the Mountain West and 13th in the country.
NEXT GAME: The Spartans head to Oregon State on Nov. 9th on the CW.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: (Practices are closed to the public, media following practice)
- Tuesday: Practice 9:40 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Ken Niumatalolo Weekly Press Conference: 1:00 p.m. (SAC)
- Wednesday: Practice 9:40 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Thursday: Practice 9:40 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
- Friday: No media availability
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