SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 1: San Jose State Spartans' Jordan Cobbs (44) and Tre Jenkins (20) stop Portland State Vikings' Andrew van Buren (21) behind the scrimmage line in the first half of their season opener at San Jose State Spartan Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE STATE VS. UNLV
Records: San Jose State (3-1, 1-0 Mountain West); UNLV (4-1, 2-0 MW)
Friday’s kickoff: 7:30 p.m., CEFCU Stadium, San Jose
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: KTRB (860 AM)
Series history: San Jose State leads the all-time series 18-7-1 and has won two in a row. The Spartans are 10-2-1 against the Rebels in San Jose. San Jose State rallied for a wild 27-20 win in Las Vegas a year ago, taking its first lead with 7:06 left and overcoming a 17-3 deficit. The Spartans went ahead on QB Nick Nash’s 15-yard run on a drive that was set up by a blocked field goal attempt, and then the SJSU defense kept the Rebels out of the end zone on a 19-play drive that ended on Kyle Harmon’s sack as time expired.
Storylines: It’s early, but this is for first place in the West Division standings (Fresno State and Hawaii have yet to play a conference game, Hawaii and San Diego State already have a loss). The Spartans are on a roll, following up a close loss at Auburn by dismantling Western Michigan at home and then blowing out Wyoming on the road. … UNLV has already doubled its win total from the previous two seasons combined, and has won three straight conference games for the first time since 1994. Leading the revival is someone SJSU fans are familiar with: former Spartans QB and assistant coach Marcus Arroyo, who is in his third season as the Rebels’ head coach. Arroyo played at SJSU from 1998-2002, leading the 2000 team to seven wins, and spent his first six seasons as a coach with the Spartans.
Matchup to watch: SJSU secondary vs. UNLV quarterback Doug Brumfield. Brumfield spent eight days in the transfer portal, then had to fend off reigning MW offensive freshman of the year Cameron Friel and Tennessee transfer Harrison Bailey for the starting job, but the sophomore has been one of the conference’s most exciting players. His passer rating of 154.5 leads the MW, as do his 1,223 passing yards. He’s thrown eight TD passes with two interceptions and is completing more than 70 percent of his attempts. And the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Brumfield isn’t a one-dimensional threat: he rushed for 100 yards in a win over North Texas. The Spartans have allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards per game (154.8) among FBS schools, and have intercepted at least one pass in each of the first four games (six in all).
Stats that matter: San Jose State transfer QB Chevan Cordeiro is second in the Mountain West in passing yards (1,078 yards) and has accounted for eight touchdowns (four passing and four rushing) without throwing an interception. Cordeiro threw for a season-high 314 yards last week against Wyoming. … SJSU is one of five teams that has yet to throw an interception and has lost one fumble; the Rebels have intercepted 11 passes and recovered one fumble and are tied for second in the nation in turnover margin at plus-nine. Spartans are ninth at plus-six. … UNLV senior linebacker Austin Ajiake, a product of Bellarmine Prep, ranks third in the Mountain West with 8.75 tackles per game (42nd in the nation). … San Jose State’s defense ranks in the Top 25 nationally in several defensive categories, including ranking 23rd in total defense (allowing 306.8 yards per game) and 20th in scoring defense (15.8 points per game.)
— Bay Area News Group
Originally published at Laurence Miedema