SAN JOSE, Calif. - San José State football (2–1, 0–0 Mountain West) hosts Fresno State (1-1, 0-0 Pac-12) at CEFCU Stadium, presented by Habbas Law, on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. on FS1 and the Spartans Sports Media Network.
Battle for the Valley & Bay Area Sports Night presented by Habbas Law – The rivalry returns! Join us as we celebrate with some of the Bay Area’s favorite local professional franchises; the night also serves as a massive youth sports celebration. Plus, local high schools join us for Band Day, and we honor Pacific Islander Heritage Night.
Purchase MW+ for six SJSU football games this season. MW+ offers annual ($79.99/year) and monthly ($10.99/month) options for flexibility. Fans who subscribe by September 30 can get 15% off annual subscriptions using the promo code WELCOME15.
Listen to KNBR (104.5 FM/680 AM) every Thursday at 6:30 a.m. for the Coach Ken Show with Murph & Markus.
SEASON TICKETS | 2026 SCHEDULE
- The Spartans look to bring the Valley Trophy back home in the Battle for the Valley.
- This is the second straight season the Battle for the Valley will be played at CEFCU Stadium and the first time since 2019 and 2021 that back-to-back Battle for the Valley games will be played at the same site and both were at CEFCU stadium then. There was no game in 2020.
- This is the first non-conference matchup between the schools since Sept. 3, 1994. SJSU was in the Big West and FS was in the WAC. This is also the earliest the two have played since Sept. 26, 2015.
- Fresno State played Sac State last week, and that is the second time this season that an upcoming opponent for the Spartans played Sac State in the previous game (Eastern Michigan).
- Fresno State opened their season against No. 14 USC in week one, and so did the Spartans a week earlier in week zero.
- Last week the Spartans played against Fresno State's old interim head coach, Tim Skipper, who is now the head coach at Cal Poly. Last week Fresno State played against the Spartans' old running backs coach and now the head coach at Sac State, Alonzo Carter.
- The Spartans have won six of their last eight home openers following their 30-20 win over Cal Poly (09/12/26).
- This is the first time since 2011 that the Spartans have started the season with two road games.
- The Spartans beat Eastern Michigan 27-21 (09/04/26), snapping a three-game losing streak to MAC schools and marking their first win ever at a MAC school.
- Eastern Michigan was 3-for-16 on third downs against the Spartans (09/04/26).
- The win at Eastern Michigan (09/04/26) was the Spartans' first road win since Nov. 9, 2024, at Oregon State.
- According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Luke Weaver was the No. 2-graded quarterback in week zero with a 90.4 grade, and after two weeks, he is the No. 42-ranked FBS quarterback in the country with a 78.3 rating.
- Weaver leads the MW and is third in the country with eight passing touchdowns, and is second in the MW and fifth in the country with 788 passing yards.
- Against Eastern Michigan (09/04/26), Cooper Hoch had a career day, posting his first two touchdown receptions and 115 receiving yards on five catches. Hoch also had a career-best 51-yard reception. Hoch had his third touchdown catch of the season against Cal Poly (09/12/26).
- According to PFF, Hoch is the 64th highest-graded FBS receiver in the country with a 74.7.
- Jeremiah Tuiileila was named to the PFF Group of Six defensive team after his three tackles, one tackle for loss, and three quarterback hurries at Eastern Michigan (09/04/26).
- Tuiileila is the 31st highest-rated edge defender in the FBS according to PFF with an 83.5 grade.
- Justin Stearns is the 32nd highest-rated edge defender in the FBS according to PFF with an 83.0 grade.
- Caleb Womack was the No. 4 graded cornerback with a 75.1 grade and was No.1 in defensive tackling with an 84.7 grade in week zero, according to PFF. Womack had his first career interception against Cal Poly (09/12/26).
- Womack has eight or more tackles in every game this season. The last Spartan to do that was Nehemiah Shelton in 2021.
- As a team, the Spartans have run for 100 yards in each of their first three games of the season and six straight going back to last season. Last season, it took until the third game for the Spartans to reach 100 or more yards rushing in a game, and they did it seven times overall a year ago.
- Jabari Bates ran for a career-high 163 yards on 27 carries vs. Cal Poly (09/12/26). It was his third career game going over 100 yards, and he has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for the first time in his career.
- Bates became the first Spartan to have back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Kairee Robinson in 2023.
- The Spartans rushed for 255 yards vs. Cal Poly (09/12/26), the most in a game since they rushed for 313 yards against Fresno State on Nov. 11, 2023.
- Against Cal Poly (09/12/26), it was the first time the Spartans recorded more rushing yards than receiving yards since they defeated San Diego State 24-13 on Nov. 18, 2023, and the first time under head coach Ken Niumatalolo.
- Bates is the 11th highest-rated FBS running back in the country, according to PFF, with an 80.9 grade.
- Through three games, the Spartans are 10th in the country with 104 rushing attempts. Last season, the Spartans ran the ball a total of 317 times, which was the third fewest in the country.
- The Spartans only allowed 13 sacks last season, the fewest in the Mountain West and the 10th fewest in the country. They only allowed one each at No. 14 USC (08/29/26) and at Eastern Michigan (09/04/26), and zero against Cal Poly (09/12/26).
- SJSU had 490 passing attempts in 12 games last season, which was the fifth most out of teams that only played in 12 games, and Maryland (nine sacks) was the only team to have fewer sacks with more passing attempts (491) in the country. In 2026, over three games, the Spartans have 107 passing attempts, which is good for second in the MW and the country.
- True freshman Carson Clark had six catches for 74 yards and the No. 8 play on SportsCenter in his FBS debut at No. 14 USC (08/29/26). The last SJSU true freshman to have 100 or more receiving yards was Tre Walker with 104 receiving yards on Sept. 30, 2017, against UNLV. Clark had 81 receiving yards on eight catches and his first two career touchdowns against Cal Poly (09/12/26).
- Clark was the No. 3 graded wide receiver in week zero with an 83.5, according to PFF.
- The Spartans have recorded a takeaway in 23 of 28 games under Niumatalolo.
- Through three games in 2026, the Spartans have 107 passing attempts and 104 rushing attempts.
UP NEXT: The Spartans head to Hawai‘i on Oct. 3 with a 9:00 p.m. (PT) kickoff on MW+.
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