The 2020 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San José State University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans were led by fourth-year head coach Brent Brennan and played their home games at CEFCU Stadium and Sam Boyd Stadium as members of the Mountain West Conference. They finished the regular season 6–0 in Mountain West play and defeated Boise State in the Mountain West championship game. This was the Spartans' first Mountain West championship win and 17th overall conference title. The championship victory also marked San Jose State's first win over Boise State in program history. In addition, this was their first bowl game since 2015 and first winning season since 2012.
Schedule San Jose State had non-conference games scheduled against Central Michigan, UC Davis, Penn State and UConn, but all of these games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 10, 2020, the Mountain West Conference suspended all fall sports competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, MWC officials announced on Sept. 24 the conference would host a shortened fall football schedule.
The Oct. 31 game originally scheduled at University Stadium in Albuquerque was relocated to San Jose due to COVID-19 cases related to contact tracing in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
On November 19, the game at Fresno State scheduled for Nov. 21 was canceled because of a positive COVID-19 test and contact tracing within the Fresno State program.
Nearly four and a half hours before kickoff, the Nov. 28 game at Boise State was canceled because of "an upward trend of COVID-19 cases and contact tracing within the Boise State football program."
The home game against Hawaii scheduled for Dec. 5 was moved to Aloha Stadium in Honolulu after new COVID-19 restrictions were released in Santa Clara County, where CEFCU Stadium is located.
The Dec. 11 home game against Nevada, originally scheduled to be played at CEFCU Stadium, was moved to Sam Boyd Stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Santa Clara County.
The Mountain West conference championship game was to be hosted by San Jose at CEFCU Stadium, but was moved to Sam Boyd Stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Santa Clara County.
Game summaries
Air Force
New Mexico
At San Diego State
UNLV
At Fresno State (No contest)
At Boise State (No contest)
At Hawaii
Vs. Nevada
Vs. Boise State (MWC Championship game)
Vs. Ball State (Arizona Bowl)
Rankings
On November 8, San Jose State received votes in the Coaches Poll for the first time since Week 2 of 2013. Then on November 15, San Jose State received votes in the AP Poll for the first time since being ranked no. 21 in the final 2012 season poll. This led to the Spartans cracking the College Football Playoff Top 25 for the first time, ranking no. 24 on Dec. 15, 2020.
Depth chart † As of November 28, 2020
Awards and honors
Individual Honors Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year Brent Brennan
Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year Cade Hall, DL
All-American Selections Cade Hall, DL (TSN, USAT)
All-Mountain West Conference Team Selections All-Conference HonorsPlayerPositionHonorBailey GaitherWR1st TeamJack SnyderOL1st TeamCade HallDL1st TeamViliami FehokoDL1st TeamKyle HarmonLB1st TeamNick StarkelQB2nd TeamTre WalkerWR2nd TeamTre JenkinsDB2nd TeamDerrick Deese Jr.TEHonorable MentionMatt MercurioPKHonorable MentionTre WebbDBHonorable Mention
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References