College Football Predictions – San Jose St Spartans 2020 College Football Preview
July 2020
OCTOBER 2020 – Schedule notes updated.
2019 Recap
Record – 5-7
ATS – 6-5-1
After winning just three games in the previous two seasons COMBINED the Spartans showed some SPARK and just about became bowl eligible. They managed to SHOCK the WORLD with a seemingly impossible SEC road win (Arkansas, W 31-24) and gave Boise St and Hawaii all they could handle in back-to-back weeks.
Can the Spartans do the unthinkable and get to a bowl game without their star QB?
2020 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating
West Division – TBD
Mountain West – TBD
San Jose St Spartans 2020 Outlook
OFFENSE
The Spartans had one of the premier passing attacks in college football a season ago behind the arm of QB Josh Love who had a phenomenal campaign. Love threw for almost 4,000 yards with a 22-8 TD to INT ratio. It’s unclear who will get the keys to the offense this year but it’s likely that last year’s back-up Nick Nash or Texas A&M transfer Nick Starkel will get the call. Nash was 12/17 in limited duty LY but note that he rushed for 255 yards (6.4) and 3 TDs. The WR unit is one of the best in college football and will be a HOT HANDFUL for opposing secondaries to defend. The top-three receivers are all back (Tre Walker, Isaiah Hamilton, Bailey Gardner) and those three men combined for over 2,600 yards and 12 TDs LY. Each of them also bagged a reception of 50+ yards. They’ll have to reload at RB with the departure of #1 RB DeJon Packer (567, 4.5, 11 TD) but it’s possible that freshman Shamar Garrett provides the spark that they need. The offensive line brings back three starters including LT Jack Snyder and note that the Spartans allowed just 14 (!) sacks in 498 attempts LY. The run blocking was MEH but it’s clearly more important to protect the passer in this offense.
The Spartans put up 30 PPG LY for the first time since 2013 and we think they can get there again in 2020, even with a new QB under center.
DEFENSE
As well as the Spartans’ offense performed a season ago, the defense was the polar opposite. They had no ability to stop the run (232 YPG, #125 FBS) and allowed 32 PPG (#9 MW). The pass defense was pretty good LY (#2 MW pass defense, #5 pass efficiency D, 16-16 TD to INT) and the secondary will be the strength of the defense this year with three returning starters, including a pair of senior safeties (Jay Lenard, Tre Webb). Hopefully they can create more havoc up front as they tallied just 17 sacks a season ago. That marked the third straight year in which they totaled fewer than 20 of those bad boys. Three of four starters are back at LB but they will Ethan Aguayo who led the team in stops in each of the last two years. The DL should improve with more experience and size on board.
We look for a slight to moderate improvement in run defense. Anything better than an “average” defense from an overall perspective is tough to call given the apparent lack of pass rushing talent.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Matt Mercurio was a fine weapon for the Spartans LY (20/24 FG, 5-9 40+) but they need to find a new punter. They had very limited success returning punts and kickoffs LY.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The Spartans draw a road game with Boise in crossover play and somehow have a stretch of four road games in five weeks. They get their final two contests at home (Hawaii, Nevada).
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Boise St (November 28)
This will be their fourth roadie in five weeks and it’s never easy to play on the SMURF TURF. <also – see amazing tidbit below>
Season Win Total
TBD
MEGALOCKS says:
TBD
MEGAmazing Tidbits
The Spartans haven’t appeared in a bowl game since 2015 but they’re on a four-game postseason winning streak dating back to the 1990 Terry Shea-led squad that crushed Central Michigan in the California Bowl (W 48-24).
San Jose St is 0-14 vs Boise St.
MEGALOCKS Outlook:
This just might be the year that the Spartans get back to a bowl game. It won’t be easy, and there’s not much room for error, but we definitely see a path to four or five wins. They’ll just need to pull an upset or two along the way to get to six wins. They are sure to SCORE THE FOOTBALL, it’ll but up to the defense to come up with a few big stops with games on the line.
Want more San Jose St Football ?
WEBSITE
https://sjsuspartans.com/sports/football
FORUM
https://247sports.com/college/san-jose-state/Board/Football-102442/
NEWS
http://www.mercurynews.com/tag/san-jose-state-spartans/
http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/23/san-jose-state-spartans
TWITTER
Hashtag – #SpartanUp
Accounts to follow