Congratulations to my alma mater San Jose State University (SJSU) Spartans football team for winning their first conference championship title defeating the Boise State Broncos 34-20 on Sat Dec 19. It was their first appearance in the Mountain West Conference Championship game. The team takes their undefeated 7-0 record to the Arizona Bowl against the Ball State Cardinals on Thur Dec 31. Ball State is the 2020 Mid-American Conference champions. I summarize their global pandemic shorten season and the highlights below.
*The 6-0 record entering the championship game was their first 6-0 since 1939.
*Quarterback Nick Starkel is a graduate transfer from Arkansas. He passed for 453 yards and threw for three touchdowns. The 453 years is a championship game record. The offense averaged 6.5 yards per play.
*Boise State's offense scored 36.2 points per game which was the highest in 2020. Their defense gave up 169 passing yards per game which was the lowest in 2020.
*SJSU defense held Boise State to 12 yards rushing and 233 yards total.
*The game was televised nationally on FOX. Good national exposure.
*SJSU place kicker Matt Mercurio made four fields goals in the second quarter. He tied an NCAA record and became the fifth player to kick four field goals in one quarter.
*SJSU all-time record against Boise State was 0-15 entering the championship game. One can say getting the first win in a championship game was good timing.
*SJSU practiced at Humboldt State University 300 miles north because of the COVID-19 county restrictions in the middle of the Fall 2020 semester. The county prohibited sport teams from practicing. Also, SJSU practiced in Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium as their temporary home for the championship game. The team with the best record hosts the championship game.
The time away from home the Spartans bounded. Special connections were formed. They became tight knit. The team focused more on football because they had little free time.
*The team slogan is "Climb The Mountain."
*The teams defeated Air Force, San Diego State, and Hawaii. These three are well known in the conference.
*Boise State and rivalry Fresno State games were cancelled due to COVID-19.
*Boise State has the most wins, most rankings in the AP Top 25, and most conference championships.
*SJSU's record in 2018 was 1-11 and in 2019 was 5-7.
*SJSU was picked to finished 10 out of 12 in the shorten season which started in late Oct.
*Head coach Brent Brennan said one scrimmage in 2019 the players clicked. They got it. They understood it. The players combined speed, physicality, and precision he never saw. Physical maturity displayed. Mental focus established.
*The SJSU football team released a video on their Twitter account @SanJoseStateFB singing Lean On Me. The viewer watches family closeness, trust, and genuine teamwork.
*Brennan agreed to a contract extension through 2023. He is the 2020 Mountain West Football Coach of the Year and a finalist for multiple national Coach of the Year honors.
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