The San José State football team looks to bounce back from its bye week with a home win after dropping two straight road games.
The Spartans (2-5, 1-2 MWC) are scheduled to host the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (6-2, 3-1 MWC) on Saturday night in the Dick Tomey Legacy Game, which honors the late coach who led both programs during his career.
Both offenses are almost evenly matched, as SJSU averages 427.6 yards per game while Hawai‘i averages 399.3.
For the Spartans, they allow 425.4 yards per game, making it a tough test for the defense.
Hawai‘i’s defense, meanwhile, gives up 323.6 yards per game, according to a team stats page.
The Rainbow Warriors are led by freshman quarterback Micah Alejado, who has thrown for 1,757 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Spartans are led by senior quarterback Walker Eget, who has totaled 2,149 yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Both offenses feature a pass-first approach, as Hawai‘i has recorded just five rushing touchdowns this season, while SJSU has seven.
SJSU’s defense needs to keep an eye on Hawai‘i’s wide receiver duo of junior Pofele Ashlock and sophomore Jackson Harris.
Ashlock leads the team with 494 receiving yards and six touchdowns, while Harris is close behind with 467 yards and five scores.
Junior receivers Kyri Shoels and Leland Smith are each coming off games with more than 100 receiving yards.
Spartan’s head coach Ken Niumatalolo highlighted the parallels between the two offenses, noting how the Rainbow Warriors have handled close-game situations.
“You have to give them credit, conversely to us, they’ve been doing things in close games to win, so that’s a testament to them,” Niumatalolo said. “We just have to get ready. Having a similar offense helps, but we’re not totally identical, there are some similar concepts.”
Spartans sophomore receiver Danny Scudero continues to be the standout in the receiving room, leading the nation in receiving yards with 870 and totaling eight touchdowns on 56 receptions.
Scudero, however, is coming off a game against Utah State in which he recorded six receptions for 25 yards, his lowest output of the season.
Niumatalolo confirmed that Scudero was not 100% but praised his effort to compete despite the injury.
“He definitely wasn’t 100%, neither was Walker (Eget),” Niumatalolo said. “Danny’s been banged up last week, but it shows you how tough he is. He still played, I don’t know how many other guys would have played in that situation.”
This is also a homecoming game for Niumatalolo, who played quarterback for the Rainbow Warriors from 1987 to 1989.
SJSU’s defense must also pay extra attention to Hawai‘i’s special teams, as senior kicker Kansei Matsuzawa has yet to miss this season, going 20 for 20 on field goals and 23 for 23 on extra points.
For the Spartans, however, the story is different. Senior kicker Denis Lynch and sophomore Mathias Brown, who are currently splitting kicking duties, are a combined 6-for-14 on field goals.
SJSU defensive coordinator Derrick Odum praised Hawai‘i’s offense and said his team needs to be ready for a mix of passing and running plays from the quarterback.
“They throw the ball a lot and are very efficient with it,” Odum said. “Their quarterback makes everything go, extends plays well with his feet. That dual threat, being able to run and scramble while also being accurate with his throws, makes it especially tough.”
SJSU offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann encouraged his players to stay optimistic despite the season’s ups and downs.
“Taking care of the football and just playing confidently, don’t worry about it being fourth down or trying to run the clock out,” Stutzmann said. “Some of those things are good to talk to the offense and the players about, but at the same time, you never want to make it bigger than it is. It’s just a play.”
SJSU last faced Hawai‘i on Oct. 28, 2023, earning a 35-0 victory.
The Rainbow Warriors are currently on a four-game losing streak against the Spartans, with their last win in the series coming on Nov.9, 2019.
Despite San José State’s recent success, the all-time series remains close, with SJSU leading 23-22-1.
The Spartans are scheduled to face the Rainbow Warriors at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Dick Tomey Legacy Game.
