Ken Niumatalolo proved last fall that he can do more than coach the triple option. The longtime head coach at Navy led San Jose State to seven wins and a bowl game in his first season with the Spartans.
Niumatalolo navigated a quarterback controversy, watched his leading receiver put up historic numbers, and had the Spartans in the Mountain West title race late into the season.
San Jose State has some pretty big holes to fill thanks to graduation and the transfer portal, especially on defense, but the Spartans return their starting quarterback, their leading rusher in Floyd Chalk IV, and one of the best linebackers in the conference.
Add to that a schedule that doesn’t include Boise State or UNLV, and it’s easy to see why the Spartans are a trendy pick to win their second Mountain West title in program history. They won their first conference title during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
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San Jose State Football’s Mountain West Title Betting Odds
San Jose State’s odds to win the Mountain West are +850, via BetMGM.
San Jose State Football’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
- San Jose State’s win total Over/Under is 7.5.
- Under 7.5 is at -120.
- Over 7.5 is at +100.
San Jose State Football’s 2025 Schedule
Aug. 29 vs. Central Michigan
Sept. 6 @ Texas
Sept. 20 vs. Idaho
Sept. 27 @ Stanford
Oct. 3 vs. New Mexico
Oct. 11 @ Wyoming
Oct. 17 @ Utah State
Nov. 1 vs. Hawaii
Nov. 8 vs. Air Force
Nov. 15 @ Nevada
Nov. 22 @ San Diego State
Nov. 29 vs. Fresno State
Bold indicates Mountain West games
Key San Jose State Football Returners
2024 All-Mountain West 1st Team
LB Jordan Pollard
Honorable Mention
DL Gafa Faga
LB Taniela Latu
DB Isiah Revis
San Jose State Football Preview
San Jose State was an afterthought in the Mountain West not too long ago. The Spartans won a combined three games in 2017 and 2018, and their only championship season was sandwiched between 5-7 campaigns in 2019 and 2021. But the Spartans are a serious contender for the conference crown this year. Any team not taking them seriously will do so at its own peril.
The Eget Show
Emmett Brown opened last season as the Spartans’ starting quarterback, and he threw 15 touchdown passes through the first five games. That didn’t stop Niumatalolo from making a change and putting Walker Eget under center midway through the season. The move paid off as Eget finished the year with 2,504 passing yards and 13 touchdowns.
Brown transferred to Coastal Carolina, meaning the job is Eget’s to lose this year. The 6-foot-3, 223-pounder has a strong and accurate arm, and he’s shown a willingness to take a hit if it means completing a pass. He does need to cut down on the interceptions – he threw 10 last year – but experienced quarterbacks are not to be taken for granted in the transfer portal era.
Life After Nash
There may not have been a better story in college football last year than former San Jose State star Nick Nash’s ascension from under-recruited quarterback to the most productive receiver in the country. He finished the season No. 1 in the FBS with 16 touchdown catches and No. 2 with 104 catches and 1,382 receiving yards.
It’s highly unlikely that there’s another Nash on the Spartans’ roster, and unfortunately for them, they also have to replace second-leading receiver Justin Lockhart, who signed with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and third-leading receiver Treyshun Hurry, who transferred to Louisville.
Wide receiver Matthew Coleman is back after catching 34 passes last season, and tight end Jackson Canaan is back after hauling in 28. San Jose State turned to the transfer portal to fill the other holes.
The Spartans added 6-4 receiver Leland Smith from Purdue, Malachi Riley from Arizona, and Danny Scudero from Sacramento State. Smith caught six passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns last fall. Riley appeared in 14 games the past two seasons at Arizona, and Scudero hauled in 53 passes for 667 yards and five touchdowns last fall at Sacramento State.
It’s Pollard’s Time To Shine
Jordan Pollard was one of the most active linebackers in the Mountain West last season. He earned first-team all-conference honors after leading the Spartans with 115 tackles and 14 tackles for loss. He also added two sacks, an interception, and three pass breakups.
Pollard is strong and instinctual against the run. He also has solid coverage skills and a knack for rushing the passer. He not only has a chance to emerge as the best linebacker in the conference this season, he has a chance to give the likes of San Diego State’s Trey White, Boise State’s Jayden Virgin-Morgan, and Utah State’s Ike Larsen a run for their money as defensive player of the year.
Rebuilding The Secondary
A large part of San Jose State’s success last season was that it snagged an eye-popping 21 interceptions. That’s also a big part of why the Spartans have to rebuild their secondary.
Safety Robert Rahimi led the team with five interceptions and was second with 82 tackles. He transferred to SMU. Cornerback DJ Harvey finished with four interceptions and then transferred to USC. Fellow defensive back Michael Dansby broke up a team-high seven passes and intercepted two before transferring to Arizona.
The Spartans return veteran defensive back Isiah Revis, who was an all-conference honorable mention after racking up 72 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass breakups last season. The team also added to its group of cornerbacks with a pair of former four-star recruits from the transfer portal in Caleb Preasely (Washington) and Maliki Crawford (USC).
San Jose State Football Season Prediction
I don’t predict that San Jose State will win the Mountain West Championship, but I think the Spartans’ returning talent and their easy schedule make them one of the favorites to play in the title game. Remember, the conference got rid of its divisions, so the teams with the best winning percentages in league play will meet for the championship.
Not playing Boise State or UNLV and getting Hawaii, Air Force, and Fresno State at home should be huge for the Spartans. I predict San Jose State will win more than 7.5 games.
