What to know before San Jose State kicks off against Colorado State
SAN JOSE STATE AT COLORADO STATE
Records: San Jose State (4-1, 2-0 Mountain West); Colorado State (2-3, 0-0 Mountain West)
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m., Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins, Colo.
TV: TruTV/Max
Radio: KRTB (860 AM)
Series history: Colorado State leads the series 7-5 and has won four of the last five meetings. San Jose State won the most recent game 28-16 in 2022 at CEFCU Stadium.
Storylines: Head coach Ken Niumatalolo won’t reveal his starting quarterback until kickoff after Walker Eget replaced Emmett Brown last week. … San Jose State has not won a matchup in Fort Collins since 2013 when it won 34-27. … This is the Rams’ first conference game of the season making them the last in the Mountain West to begin their conference schedule. … Tory Horton and Nick Nash are two receivers on the Biletnikoff Award watch list featured in this game. … San Jose State has won its last eight conference games dating back to last season. … Colorado State center Jacob Gardner is in line to start his 51st straight game and currently leads all active Mountain West players in career starts.
Matchup to watch: San Jose State wide receiver Justin Lockhart vs. Colorado State cornerback Dom Jones. Opponents have begun to double-team Nick Nash which has given Lockhart 1-on-1 matchups with opposing corners. He has been good for one catch of at least 35 yards in SJSU’s last three games. Jones is one of the best boundary corners in the Mountain West with five pass deflections. Both stand at 6-foot-3 and just one pound separates the two in build.
Injuries: Spartans defensive lineman Quincy Likio has been ruled out for the season with a hand injury Niumatalolo revealed at Tuesday’s press conference.
Cornerback Michael Dansby has been going through concussion protocol all week and will be a game-time decision.
Stats that matter: Nick Nash leads the nation with 55 catches but has just 12 in two conference games so far. … Colorado State is an incredibly balanced team with 880 passing yards and 873 rushing yards this season. … San Jose State ranks as the eighth-best passing offense in the nation averaging 328.6 yards per game. … The Rams are tied for 130th in all of FBS at defending the red zone, allowing a touchdown 92.9% of the time from that area. … The Spartans have forced 13 turnovers this season, good enough for fifth in the nation. … Colorado State’s Tory Horton is a threat as a returner as he has fielded four punts for 103 yards and a touchdown.