The next 3 games are going to be about Texas. Steve Sarkisian said so himself during his Monday media availability. The Longhorns have a lot to clean up ahead of the SEC opener a month from now against Florida. San Jose State comes to Austin as 36.5-point underdogs and lost their opener to Central Michigan, 16-14.
Former Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo is in his second season at San Jose State and led the Spartans to a bowl game in 2024, but faces a rebuilding year after losing most of his key players to the portal or NFL.
Offense
QB Walker Eget took over as the starter halfway through the 2024 season and performed okay, throwing for over 2,500 yards with 13 touchdowns. He struggles with accuracy (56.1% passer for his career) and interceptions (12 in 380 career attempts). Eget threw 2 interceptions in the opener against Central Michigan before regaining his composure and throwing a pair of touchdowns.
The Spartans are going to throw the ball a lot. They led all FBS teams in pass attempts per game in 2024 and let Eget throw it 43 times last weekend. The few times San Jose State does choose to run the ball, senior Floyd Chalk IV will see the carries (11 carries for 44 yards against Central Michigan)
San Jose State lost star WR Nick Nash to the NFL after last season, and Sacramento State transfer Danny Scudero appears to have taken over the #1 role. Scudero had a breakout in the season opener, catching 9 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.
The Spartans only allowed 12 sacks last season and rely on getting the ball out quickly, so do not expect a crazy day for the Texas pass rush. But the Longhorns should be getting plenty of pressure and push against an undersized offensive line.
Defense
SJSU was one of the better teams in the country at defending the run last year (22nd nationally in yards per rush allowed), but the Spartans allowed Central Michigan to rush for 247 yards last weekend. Middle linebacker Jordan Pollard is the straw that stirs the drink and registered 15 tackles in week 1.
In the secondary, the Spartans are breaking in 4 new starters and were not tested much in week 1, considering their vulnerability on the ground. Central Michigan completed 8 passes for 113 yards. Former Texas player Larry Turner Gooden could see some time at safety.
The Spartans suffered a lot of turnover on defense and are likely to still be settling into roles, so expect to see a lot of players.
Final Thoughts
San Jose State will present some interesting challenges for the Texas secondary, but aside from that, this doesn’t feel like a game where the Longhorns should be tested much. All eyes will be on the Longhorns’ offense as they try to rebound from a 7-point output in Columbus. Arch Manning should have a much easier time getting through his progressions on Saturday.
