View source for San Jose State Spartans football

{{Short description|Football team of San Jose State University}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{Infobox NCAA football school
| CurrentSeason    = 2024 San Jose State Spartans football team
| TeamName         = San Jose State Spartans
| Image            = San Jose State Athletics wordmark.svg
| ImageSize        = 200
| HeadCoach        = [[Ken Niumatalolo]]
| HeadCoachYear    =
| HCWins           =
| HCLosses         =
| Stadium          = [[CEFCU Stadium]]
| StadCapacity     = 18,203
| StadSurface      = [[FieldTurf]]
| Location         = [[San Jose, California]]
| NCAAdivision     = I FBS
| Conference       = [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| ConfDivision     =
| PastAffiliations =
| FirstYear        = [[1892 San Jose State Spartans football team|1892]]; {{Years or months ago|1892}}<ref name="1stSeason">{{Cite web|date=2015-09-05|title=San Jose State Game by Game Results|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/san_jose_state/yearly_results.php?year=1892|access-date=2020-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905171938/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/s/san_jose_state/yearly_results.php?year=1892|archive-date=2015-09-05}}</ref>
| WebsiteName      = sjsuspartans.com
| WebsiteURL       = https://sjsuspartans.com/sports/football
| ATWins           = 517
| ATLosses         = 538
| ATTies           = 38
| BowlWins         = 7
| BowlLosses       = 6
| BowlTies         =
| NatlTitles       = 0
| ConfTitles       = 17
| Heismans         = 0
| MascotDisplay = Sammy the Spartan
| PagFreeLabel = Outfitter
| PagFreeValue = [[Under Armour]]
| uniform          = [[File:San jose state football unif.png|250px]]
| Rivalries = [[Fresno State Bulldogs football|Fresno State]]<br>([[Fresno State–San Jose State football rivalry|Battle for the Valley]])<br>[[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]<br>([[Bill Walsh Legacy Game]])<br>[[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football|Hawai'i]]<br>([[Dick Tomey Legacy Game]])<br>[[San Diego State Aztecs football|San Diego State]]<br>(El Camino Real Rivalry)<br>[[Nevada Wolf Pack football|Nevada]]<br>[[Pacific Tigers football|Pacific]]<br>([[Victory Bell (Pacific–San Jose State)|Victory Bell]])
}}
The '''San Jose State Spartans football''' team represents [[San Jose State University|San José State University]] in [[NCAA Division I]] [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|FBS]] [[college football]] as a member of the [[Mountain West Conference]]. Since its first regular season in 1898, the team has produced over 90 All-America team members, won 18 conference championships, and sent 139 players to the NFL, including [[List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees|Pro Football Hall of Fame]] inductees [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] and [[Dick Vermeil]].<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide" /> The Spartans head coach is [[Ken Niumatalolo]].
San Jose State plays their home games in [[CEFCU Stadium]] (built in 1933 as Spartan Stadium), and regional rivalries include Fresno State, Stanford, Hawai'i, and San Diego State.
==History==
{{See also|List of San Jose State Spartans football seasons}}
===Early history (1892–1970)===
[[File:-California- SNS football 1910.jpg|250px|thumb|left|The State Normal School at San Jose football team in 1910. Jerseys display a large "N" for "Normal"]]
San Jose State first fielded a football team in 1892 which did not have a coach. In their first year fielding an American football team, the Spartans lost in their sole contest against the local YMCA team of San Jose. The game technically occurred during 1893, but it represented the 1892 academic year and so that is the season it is counted.<ref name="1stSeason"/> In 1983, [[James E. Addicott]] started to serve as the head coach. Addicott also served as a math professor at the California State Normal School (now San José State University). The team played a local [[YMCA]] club in 1893 and 1894 and garnered its first tie in 1896, a 6–6 decision against nearby rival [[University of the Pacific (United States)|College of the Pacific]].
The first regular football seasons began in 1898 and mostly consisted of games against local high schools and some colleges and junior colleges.<ref name="Football Data"/>
During the 1920s the football program began playing home games at "Spartan Field," future home of Spartan Stadium. In the 1930s and 1940s, the Spartan football program was considered a powerhouse, posting 12 consecutive winning seasons and earning eight conference championship titles over an 18-year span. The 1932 and 1939 teams went 7–0–2 and 13–0 respectively, the only undefeated seasons in school history.<ref name="Football Data">{{Cite web|title=Football Data Warehouse |url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/mountainwest/san_jose_state/index.php|year=2015|access-date=January 5, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328060350/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/mountainwest/san_jose_state/index.php|archive-date=March 28, 2014}}</ref><ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide"/>
San Jose State first appeared in the national rankings in 1939 when the [[AP Poll]] ranked the Spartans No. 19 in week seven. The team would climb to No. 18 in week eight. Lloyd Thomas was the first San Jose State player to receive first-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-America]] honors. Thomas played as a [[defensive end]] on the 1936, 1937 and 1938 teams that fielded a combined win-loss record of 27–7–1. As of 2022, SJSU has produced over 90 [[All-America]] team members, including seven first-team selections.<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
Spartan Stadium (now known as [[CEFCU Stadium]]) was built on the original Spartan Field site and completed in 1933 with a capacity of 18,000. The Spartans won the first football game played in the stadium 44–6 over [[San Francisco State University|San Francisco State]] on October 7, 1933.
The San Jose State Spartans football team served unexpectedly with the [[Honolulu Police Department]] during World War II. The team had just arrived in Hawaii to play a series of post-season bowl games against [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football|Hawaii]] and the [[Willamette Bearcats|Willamette University Bearcats]] when the U.S. Navy base at [[Pearl Harbor]] was [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked]] on December 7, 1941. The team was stranded on the islands for a number of weeks following the attack, and players were employed by the local police department to help improve island defenses against a possible Japanese amphibious assault and as guards for military bases on the island.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide">{{Cite web|title=SJSU Spartans Media Guide |url=http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a171d2bd#/a171d2bd/1 |publisher=sjsuspartans.com |year=2014 |access-date=December 5, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Marqua 1">{{cite news|last=Marqua|first=Frank|title=Seventy years ago, teams from San Jose State and Willamette were in Hawaii for fun and football. Then the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.|url=http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2300442-181/seventy-years-ago-teams-from?page=1|newspaper=The Press Democrat|date=December 6, 2011|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref>
The Spartan football program posted just six winning seasons in the 1950s and 1960s, but the 1970s would usher in a string of successful seasons spanning 20 years.
===Winning era (1971–1992)===
From 1971 to 1992, San Jose State posted 15 winning seasons, won eight conference titles, appeared in four bowl games and sent nearly 50 players to the [[National Football League|NFL]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Miedema|first=Lawrence|title=All about perseverance |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2007/04/28/all-about-perseverance/|newspaper=San Jose Mercury News|date=April 29, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070501113750/http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5779138|archive-date=May 1, 2007|access-date=May 28, 2019}}</ref>
SJSU's first win over a nationally ranked opponent occurred in 1971 when the Spartans defeated No. 10 [[Stanford University|Stanford]] 13–12 on November 13. Stanford would go on to defeat [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]] in the [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowl]] that season.<ref name="2013 Stanford media guide">''[http://www.gostanford.com/pdf9/2428589.pdf Stanford 2013 Football Media Guide]'', p. 156.</ref> SJSU's second win over a ranked opponent occurred four years later in 1975, when the Spartans defeated No. 15 Stanford 36–34 in a nationally televised game on September 27.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide"/> San Jose State also had victories over No. 10 [[Baylor University|Baylor]] in 1980, No. 19 [[Fresno State Bulldogs|Fresno State]] in 1986, and No. 23 Fresno State in 1990.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide"/>
From 1971 to 1992, SJSU garnered 23 victories over current [[Power Five conferences|Power Five conference]] opponents. These victories included eight wins over Stanford, five wins over [[University of California, Berkeley|Cal]] and three over [[University of Oregon|Oregon]].<ref>{{cite web|title=San Jose State Spartans Head-to-Head Results|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/san-jose-state/head-to-head.html|publisher=SR/CFB|access-date=September 21, 2022}}</ref>
In 1975, San Jose State appeared in the national rankings for the first time in over 30 years when the team was ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll in week 13.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=San Jose State Spartans AP Poll History|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/san-jose-state/polls.html|publisher=SR/CFB|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> SJSU later earned its first post-season national ranking in 1990 when the Spartans finished No. 20 in the [[Coaches Poll]].<ref name="Football Data"/>
Two stadium expansions and renovations in the 1980s increased the Spartan Stadium seating capacity from 18,000 to 31,218.
===Decline (1993–2004)===
From 1993 to 2004, San Jose State had just one winning season when the team finished 7–5 in 2000; however, the team did earn two wins over ranked opponents during this period. The Spartans claimed a 25–22 victory over No. 24 [[1997 Air Force Falcons football team|Air Force]] in 1997 and a 27–24 win over No. 9 [[2000 TCU Horned Frogs football team|TCU]] in a nationally televised game in 2000.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide"/> The Spartans also defeated rival Stanford three consecutive years from 1998 to 2000.
By the spring of 2004, the combination of rising costs for the football program and budget cuts from the state led some San Jose State faculty members to advocate dropping football.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bartindale|first=Becky|title=SJSU football targeted |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/8302737.htm|newspaper=San Jose Mercury News|date=March 29, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205125009/http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/8302737.htm|archive-date=December 5, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040531051155/http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/8473035.htm?1c |archive-date=May 31, 2004|title=SJSU senate targets football|author=Bartindale, Becky |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/8473035.htm?1c|work=San Jose Mercury News|date=April 20, 2004 |access-date=May 30, 2017}}</ref>
In 2004, San Jose State defeated the [[Rice Owls football|Rice Owls]] 70–63 in a game that set the [[NCAA Division I]] record for total points scored and total touchdowns in a non-overtime game.<ref>{{cite web|title=Teams set D-I regulation scoring record|url=http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242760023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203035341/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242760023|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 3, 2013|publisher=ESPN|agency=Associated Press|access-date=October 27, 2011|date=October 2, 2004}}</ref>
===Dick Tomey era (2005–2009)===
Coach [[Dick Tomey]] took over the program in 2005 amid [[Academic Progress Rate]] (APR) shortcomings that would result in severe penalties imposed by the NCAA.<ref name="Wilner"/> After showing moderate improvement that year, the Spartans had a breakout season in 2006. It was the team's best season since joining the [[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]] ten years prior. Tomey guided the Spartans to a 9–4 record, a win over rival [[Fresno State Bulldogs football|Fresno State]], and a win over [[New Mexico Lobos football|New Mexico]] in the 2006 [[New Mexico Bowl]], thus ending the team's 16-year bowl drought.  The 2006 Spartan squad produced two [[2007 NFL draft]] picks in wide receivers [[James Jones (wide receiver)|James Jones]] and [[John Broussard]].
From 2007 through the 2009 seasons, the program was hit with heavy [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] sanctions for failing to meet APR standards. By the start of the 2009 season, the Spartans had lost 57 scholarships over a four-year period. By the spring of 2010, the NCAA penalties were lifted and a full complement of 85 scholarships was restored.<ref name="Wilner">{{cite news|last=Wilner|first=Jon|title=How classroom success saved San Jose State football|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/08/15/how-classroom-success-saved-san-jose-state-football/|newspaper=San Jose Mercury News|date=August 15, 2011|access-date=May 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060044/http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_18689135|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
The [[2007 San Jose State Spartans football team|2007 team]] was not as successful as the previous year's team, with the Spartans finishing 5–7 and fifth in the WAC. The post-season showed a positive result, however, with several players being named to all-star games including [[Dwight Lowery]], Marcus Teland, [[Matt Castelo]] and [[Adam Tafralis]]. The Spartans produced another draft pick in the [[2008 NFL draft]], in defensive back [[Dwight Lowery]]. Lowery was named a 1st-team All-America winner in 2007.
The [[2008 San Jose State Spartans football team|2008 roster]] gave the school its best start since joining the WAC. The Spartans jumped to 5–2 and led the WAC for three weeks until losing to [[Boise State Broncos football|Boise State]]. The Spartans finished the season in sixth place in the WAC with a conference record of 4–4 and a 6–6 overall record. Three players were picked in the [[2009 NFL draft]], those being defensive tackle [[Jarron Gilbert]], defensive back [[Chris Owens (American football)|Christopher Owens]] and defensive back [[Coye Francies]]
After playing an unusually tough non-conference schedule, the 2009 Spartans finished 2–10 with wins over [[California Polytechnic State University|Cal Poly]] and [[New Mexico State University|New Mexico State]]. Head Coach Dick Tomey announced in November he would retire at the close of the season, thus ending his legendary coaching career. Tomey's record at SJSU was 25–35.
===Mike MacIntyre era (2010–2012)===
On December 17, 2009, [[Mike MacIntyre]] was formally introduced as Tomey's replacement. MacIntyre was previously the defensive coordinator at [[Duke University]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sjsuspartans.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5600&ATCLID=204859170 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-12-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109061327/http://www.sjsuspartans.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5600&ATCLID=204859170 |archive-date=2010-01-09}}</ref>
San Jose State finished 1–12 in 2010 and 5–7 in 2011 under MacIntyre. In MacIntyre's third season, the [[2012 San Jose State Spartans football team]] finished 11–2 including a win over [[2012 Bowling Green Falcons football team|Bowling Green]] in the [[2012 Military Bowl]]. The 2012 team earned top-25 post-season rankings in the [[Associated Press]] (AP), Coaches and [[Bowl Championship Series|BCS]] polls. [[Kent Baer]] served as interim head coach for the Military Bowl because MacIntyre resigned to accept the head coach position at [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]].
===Ron Caragher era (2013–2016)===
[[Ron Caragher]], previously the head coach at the [[San Diego Toreros football|University of San Diego]], became the SJSU head coach following the conclusion of the 2012 football season. Caragher's team finished a disappointing [[2013 San Jose State Spartans football team|6–6 in 2013]], however, that season did include a 62–52 upset win over No. 16 Fresno State to close out the year. The team finished 3–9 in 2014, 6–7 in 2015 and 4–8 in 2016.  On November 27, 2016, Caragher was relieved of his duties as head coach after compiling a 19–30 (.388) win-loss record and only one bowl appearance over four seasons.
===Brent Brennan era (2017–2023)===
[[File:USAFA Football vs San Jose State University (48838885052).jpg|thumb|249x249px|San Jose State facing off against Air Force in 2019]]
[[Oregon State Beavers football|Oregon State]] wide receivers coach [[Brent Brennan]], who was a San Jose State assistant under Tomey and MacIntyre from 2005 to 2010, took over as head coach in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sjsuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120716aaa.html|title=Brent Brennan named San Jose State University head football coach|publisher=San Jose State Athletics|date=December 7, 2016|access-date=December 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210154754/http://www.sjsuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120716aaa.html|archive-date=December 10, 2016|url-status=dead}}
</ref>
In Brennan's first two years as head coach, the Spartans won just three games. This included a 1–11 season in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2018 San Jose State Spartans Stats|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/san-jose-state/2018.html|access-date=2024-03-19|website=www.sports-reference.com|language=en}}</ref> Despite the poor record, five of the team's losses in 2018 were by fewer than nine points. Three of those losses were by a field goal, including a 5 overtime 44-41 loss to the [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors]] on September 29, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Multiple Overtime College Football Games and Team Records|url=https://www.sportsbetting3.com/ncaafb/multiple-overtime-college-football-games-and-team-records|access-date=2024-03-19|website=www.sportsbetting3.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Pashelka|first=Curtis|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/11/10/trust-the-process-how-san-jose-states-brent-brennan-is-turning-doubters-into-believers/|title=Trust the process: How San Jose State's Brent Brennan is turning doubters into believers|newspaper=[[The Mercury News]]|date=November 10, 2020|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref>
The 2019 team improved to 5–7, missing [[bowl eligibility]] by one win.<ref>{{cite news|last=Peterson|first=C. J.|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/13/san-jose-state-football-coach-brent-brennan-accepts-three-year-extension-raise/|title=San Jose State football coach: "I want to be here the next 15 years"|newspaper=[[The Mercury News]]|date=December 13, 2019|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref> The Spartans also showed promise by defeating [[2019 Arkansas Razorbacks football team|Arkansas]] on the road in 2019 for the program's first win over a [[Southeastern Conference]] team. Additionally, the 2019 Spartan team defeated [[2019 Army Black Knights football team|Army]], making the Spartans one of only 20 teams in college football to defeat all three FBS [[United States service academies|service academies]] (Army, [[Air Force Falcons football|Air Force]], and [[Navy Midshipmen football|Navy]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2020/10/19/football-spartans-open-2020-season-hosting-air-force.aspx|title=Spartans Open 2020 Season Hosting Air Force|work=|date=|access-date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> Brennan received a contract extension at the close of the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2019/12/13/spartans-sign-brennan-to-contract-extension.aspx|title=Spartans Sign Brennan to Contract Extension|work=[[San Jose State Spartans]]|date=December 13, 2019|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref>
The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] impacted the 2020 season, with restrictions imposed by [[Santa Clara County]] prompting the team to conduct preseason practice at [[Humboldt State University]]. The pandemic also resulted in the cancellation of all four non-conference games and two games against Mountain West Conference opponents. Santa Clara County public health orders also forced the Spartans' last two home games to be relocated to [[Aloha Stadium]] in Hawaii and [[Sam Boyd Stadium]] in Las Vegas.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kroner|first=Steve|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/Let-s-win-em-all-Unbeaten-San-Jose-15797250.php|title='Let's win 'em all': Unbeaten San Jose State earns spot in Mountain West title game|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=December 12, 2020|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref>
The abbreviated 2020 campaign would be a breakout year for the Spartans, who won each of their six regular season games for their first 6–0 start since 1939. The Spartans also cracked the AP Poll top-25 for the first time since 2012 and debuted in the [[College Football Playoff]] ranking at No. 24.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/San-Jose-State-football-ranked-in-Top-25-for-15799210.php|title=San Jose State football ranked in Top 25 for first time since end of 2012 season|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=December 13, 2020|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref><ref name="MWC COTY">{{cite news|last=Sabedra|first=Darren|url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/12/15/san-jose-states-brent-brennan-named-mountain-west-coach-of-the-year/|title=Brent Brennan named Mountain West coach of the year as San Jose State moves into CFP Top 25|date=December 15, 2020|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref>
The Spartans qualified for the [[2020 Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game|Mountain West Conference championship game]] for the first time, where they defeated [[2020 Boise State Broncos football team|Boise State]] 34–20. In addition to giving San Jose State its maiden win over Boise State, the victory gave the Spartans their first conference championship title since 1991.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kroner|first=Steve|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/Unbeaten-San-Jose-State-dusts-Boise-State-in-15816862.php|title=Unbeaten San Jose State dusts Boise State in Mountain West title game|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=December 19, 2020|access-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref> Brennan was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year and also received the 2020 Lombardi Foundation national Coach of the Year award.<ref name="MWC COTY" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Kroner|first=Steve|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/San-Jose-State-s-Brent-Brennan-named-Lombardi-15958047.php|title=San Jose State's Brent Brennan named Lombardi Foundation's Coach of the Year|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=February 17, 2021|access-date=March 17, 2021}}</ref>
In 2023, the Spartans, along with Boise State and UNLV, finished tied for first in the conference standings.<ref>{{cite web |title=San Jose State beats UNLV 37-31; Mountain West ends in 3-way tie for first |date=November 25, 2023 |url=https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-state-spartans-unlv-rebels-17d4275ebc0404a9a857e10e7fe01774 |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> All three teams finished 6–2 in conference play, but the Spartans were left out of the MWC championship game after a computer tiebreaker placed UNLV and Boise State higher in the rankings.
In January 2024, Brennan left San Jose State to join the [[Arizona Wildcats football|Arizona Wildcats]] as head coach.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=Arizona hires Brent Brennan: San Jose State coach will lead Wildcats as Jedd Fisch departs for Washington |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/arizona-hires-brent-brennan-san-jose-state-coach-will-lead-wildcats-as-jedd-fisch-departs-for-washington/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Ken Niumatalolo era (2024–present)===
[[Ken Niumatalolo]] took over as head coach on January 21, 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |title=SJSU Chooses Ken Niumatalolo to Lead Football Program |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2024/01/21/sjsu-selects-ken-niumatalolo-as-head-football-coach |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=SJSU Athletics - Official Athletics Website - San Jose State Spartans |language=en-US}}</ref> becoming the 30th head football coach in the program's history. Niumatalolo was previously the head coach at [[Navy Midshipmen football|Navy]] and won a program-best 109 games, appeared in ten bowl games over 15 seasons, and was a three-time [[American Athletic Conference]] (AAC) Coach of the Year (2015, 2016, 2019).[[File:SPStaSJ.jpg|thumb|right|250px|SJSU home football game at Spartan Stadium]]
==Conference affiliations==
The San Jose State football team has been affiliated with six different athletics conferences since joining the [[California Coast Conference]] in 1922.<ref>{{cite web |title=San Jose State Spartans |url=https://sites.google.com/site/ncaahistory/schools/schools-by-division/ncaa-division-i-schools/san-jose-state-spartans |website=NCAA History |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
*Independent (1893–1921)
*California Coast Conference (1922–1928)
*[[Northern California Athletic Conference]] (Also known as the Far West Conference) (1929–1935)
*Independent (1936–1938)
*[[California Collegiate Athletic Association]] (1939–1949)
*Independent (1950–1968)
*[[Big West Conference]] (Also known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association) (1969–1995)
*[[Western Athletic Conference]] (1996–2012)
*[[Mountain West Conference]] (2013–present)
==Conference championships==
San Jose State has won 17 conference championships. From 1969 to 1995, San Jose State earned more [[Big West Conference]] football championship titles than any other team in the history of the Big West Conference.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide" /> The Spartans moved to the WAC in 1996 and later moved to the Mountain West Conference in 2013.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Year|Conference|Coach|Overall Record|Conference Record}}
|-
| [[1932 San Jose State Spartans football team|1932]]† || [[Northern California Athletic Conference|Far West Conference]] || [[Dudley DeGroot]] || 7–0–2 || 3–0–2
|-
| [[1934 San Jose State Spartans football team|1934]]† || Far West Conference || Dudley DeGroot || 3–3–4 || 2–0–3
|-
| [[1939 San Jose State Spartans football team|1939]] || [[California Collegiate Athletic Association]] || Dudley DeGroot || 	13–0 || 3–0
|-
| [[1940 San Jose State Spartans football team|1940]] || California Collegiate Athletic Association || [[Ben Winkelman]] || 11–1 || 3–0
|-
| [[1941 San Jose State Spartans football team|1941]]† || California Collegiate Athletic Association || Ben Winkelman || 5–3–3 || 2–0–1
|-
| [[1946 San Jose State Spartans football team|1946]] || California Collegiate Athletic Association || Bill Hubbard || 9–1–1 || 4–0
|-
| [[1948 San Jose State Spartans football team|1948]] || California Collegiate Athletic Association || Bill Hubbard || 9–3 || 5–0
|-
| [[1949 San Jose State Spartans football team|1949]] || California Collegiate Athletic Association || Bill Hubbard || 	9–4 || 4–0
|-
| [[1975 San Jose State Spartans football team|1975]] || [[Pacific Coast Athletic Association]] || [[Darryl Rogers]] || 9–2 || 5–0
|-
| [[1976 San Jose State Spartans football team|1976]] || Pacific Coast Athletic Association || [[Lynn Stiles]] || 7–4 || 4–0
|-
| [[1978 San Jose State Spartans football team|1978]]† || Pacific Coast Athletic Association || Lynn Stiles || 7–5 || 4–1
|-
| [[1981 San Jose State Spartans football team|1981]] || [[Big West Conference]] || [[Jack Elway]] || 9–3 || 5–0
|-
| [[1986 San Jose State Spartans football team|1986]] || Big West Conference || [[Claude Gilbert]] || 10–2 || 7–0
|-
| [[1987 San Jose State Spartans football team|1987]] || Big West Conference || Claude Gilbert || 10–2 || 7–0
|-
| [[1990 San Jose State Spartans football team|1990]] || Big West Conference || [[Terry Shea]] || 9–2–1 || 7–0
|-
| [[1991 San Jose State Spartans football team|1991]]† || Big West Conference || Terry Shea || 6–4–1 || 6–1
|-
| [[2020 San Jose State Spartans football team|2020]] || [[Mountain West Conference]] || [[Brent Brennan]] || 7–1 || 7–0
|}
† Co–champions
==Bowl games==
{{Main|List of San Jose State Spartans bowl games}}
San Jose State has made 13 bowl appearances and has an overall bowl game record of 7–6.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide" /> Their most recent bowl appearance was on December 23, 2023, when they faced [[Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football|Coastal Carolina]] in the [[Hawaii Bowl|2023 Hawaii Bowl]] in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]]. Their next bowl appearance will be at the [[2024 Hawaii Bowl]], where San Jose State will face the [[2024 South Florida Bulls football team|South Florida Bulls]].
[[File:San_Jose_State_players_with_2012_Military_Bowl_trophy.jpg|right|thumb|300x300px|The Spartans pose with the trophy at the [[2012 Military Bowl]]]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Season|Coach|Bowl|Opponent|Result}}
|-
|[[1946 San Jose State Spartans football team|1946]] ||Bill Hubbard|| [[1947 Raisin Bowl|Raisin Bowl]] |||[[1946 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]|| '''W''' 20–0
|-
||[[1949 San Jose State Spartans football team|1949]] ||Bill Hubbard|| [[1949 Raisin Bowl (December)|Raisin Bowl]] ||[[1949 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team|Texas Tech]]||'''W''' 20–13
|-
|[[1971 San Jose State Spartans football team|1971]]|| [[Dewey King]] || [[1971 Pasadena Bowl|Pasadena Bowl]] || [[Memphis Tigers football|Memphis]] || L 9–28
|-
|[[1981 San Jose State Spartans football team|1981]] || [[Jack Elway]] || [[1981 California Bowl|California Bowl]] ||[[1981 Toledo Rockets football team|Toledo]] || L 25–27
|-
|[[1986 San Jose State Spartans football team|1986]] || [[Claude Gilbert]] || [[1986 California Bowl|California Bowl]]||[[1986 Miami Redskins football team|Miami (OH)]] || '''W''' 37–7
|-
|[[1987 San Jose State Spartans football team|1987]] || [[Claude Gilbert]] || [[1987 California Bowl|California Bowl]] ||[[1987 Eastern Michigan Hurons football team|Eastern Michigan]] || L 27–30
|-
|[[1990 San Jose State Spartans football team|1990]]|| [[Terry Shea]] || [[1990 California Bowl|California Bowl]] || [[1990 Central Michigan Chippewas football team|Central Michigan]] || '''W''' 48–24
|-
|[[2006 San Jose State Spartans football team|2006]] || [[Dick Tomey]] || [[2006 New Mexico Bowl|New Mexico Bowl]]||[[2006 New Mexico Lobos football team|New Mexico]] || '''W''' 20–12
|-
|[[2012 San Jose State Spartans football team|2012]]|| [[Kent Baer]] || [[2012 Military Bowl|Military Bowl]]||[[2012 Bowling Green Falcons football team|Bowling Green]] || '''W''' 29–20
|-
|[[2015 San Jose State Spartans football team|2015]] || [[Ron Caragher]] || [[2015 Cure Bowl|Cure Bowl]]||[[2015 Georgia State Panthers football team|Georgia State]] || '''W''' 27–16
|-
|[[2020 San Jose State Spartans football team|2020]] || [[Brent Brennan]] || [[2020 Arizona Bowl|Arizona Bowl]]||[[2020 Ball State Cardinals football team|Ball State]] || L 13–34
|-
|[[2022 San Jose State Spartans football team|2022]] ||[[Brent Brennan]] || [[2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl|Famous Idaho Potato Bowl]]||[[2022 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team|Eastern Michigan]] ||L 27–41
|-
|[[2023 San Jose State Spartans football team|2023]]
|[[Brent Brennan]]
|[[2023 Hawaii Bowl|Hawaii Bowl]]
|[[2023 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team|Coastal Carolina]]
|L 14–24
|-
|[[2024 San Jose State Spartans football team|2024]]
|[[Ken Niumatalolo]]
|[[2024 Hawaii Bowl|Hawaii Bowl]]
|[[2024 South Florida Bulls football team|South Florida]]
|
|}
==Home stadium==
{{Main|CEFCU Stadium}}
[[File:Spartan Stadium San Jose.jpg|thumb|left|Spartan Stadium, 1950s]]
Known as Spartan Stadium for over eight decades, CEFCU stadium officially opened in 1933 as a 4,000-seat facility. The stadium featured large berms on the east, west, north and south sides of the field, which gave the stadium a "sunken bowl" appearance. The stadium's seating capacity was increased to 8,500 in 1936, and later expanded incrementally to a total seating capacity of just over 18,000 by 1948. The most recent additions came in the 1980s when the capacity of the stadium was expanded from approximately 18,000 to just over 31,000 by adding end zone bleachers, an upper deck and boxes on the west side.
In 1998, the field was widened and other renovations were carried out for the [[MLS]] [[San Jose Earthquakes]] soccer team in accordance with official [[FIFA]] regulations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/18357/mls-three-clash-home-games-moved-to-stanford-stad.html |title=MLS: Three Clash Home Games Moved to Stanford Stadium |first= |last= |newspaper=Soccer America |date=February 24, 1998 |access-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref> As a result of these renovations, parts of the stands closest to the playing field were removed, thus lowering available seating for all sports to 30,456.
In August 2016, [[Citizens Equity First Credit Union]] purchased sole naming rights to Spartan Stadium for $8.7 million. The deal between CEFCU and San José State University will last for 15 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://watchstadium.com/is-your-school-receiving-top-money-for-its-football-stadium-naming-rights-08-14-2019/ |title=Is Your School Receiving Top Money for Its Football Stadium Naming Rights? |first=Andy |last=Wittry |newspaper=Watch Stadium |date=August 15, 2019 |access-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref>
In 2019, seating capacity was temporarily reduced to 21,520 as part of a massive east-side stadium renovation project. Phase I of the project, which included construction of the $70 million Spartan Athletic Center, was completed in August 2023. Phase II, which is tentatively slated to include installation of premium spectator seating on the stadium's east side, remains in the planning stages as of 2023.
Other distinctive and unique features of the stadium include the original 1933 Romanesque balustrade spanning the entire east and west sidelines, and the CEFCU Stadium "Ring of Honor" displayed along the west side upper deck.[[File:Spartan stadium DSC0768-Edit.jpg|500px|right|thumb|Utah at San Jose State at Spartan Stadium in 2009]]
== Rivalries ==
===Fresno State===
'''The Battle for the Valley'''
{{Main|Battle for the Valley}}
San Jose State's biggest rival is [[California State University, Fresno]], due in large part to the two schools' geographic proximity and long history of competing in the same conferences.<ref>{{cite web|title=For San Jose State and Fresno State, not just a game on the line|last=Durkin|first=Jimmy|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/11/05/for-san-jose-state-and-fresno-state-not-just-a-game-on-the-line/|work=San Jose Mercury News|date=November 5, 2014|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref>
[[Fresno]] is the largest city in the agriculturally rich [[San Joaquin Valley]]. [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] is the largest city in the metropolitan capital of the high-tech [[Silicon Valley]]. The two schools are separated by approximately 150 driving miles. Beginning in 2013, the winner of the game is awarded the Valley Trophy.<ref>{{cite web|author=San Jose State Athletics|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WheCqGXths|title=Spartan Football Weekly presented by Una Mas 1.12|publisher=YouTube|access-date=June 1, 2014|date=December 6, 2013}} The trophy is shown at the 0:30 mark.</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Durkin|first1=Jimmy|title=Clearing up some Valley Trophy questions|url=http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sjsu/2014/11/06/clearing-valley-trophy-questions/|website=Spartan Central|date=6 November 2014 |publisher=Mercurynews.com|access-date=November 6, 2014}}</ref>
San Jose State led the series from 1949 to 2001, but Fresno State tied it at 32–32–3 with a victory in 2002 and recaptured the lead in 2003. The Bulldogs and Spartans first played each other in 1921.
As of 2023, Fresno State leads the football series 44–39–3. The two schools have met on the gridiron 86 times.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/fresno-state/vs/san-jose-state|title=Winsipedia - Fresno State Bulldogs vs. San Jose State Spartans football series history|website=Winsipedia}}</ref>
===Stanford===
'''Bill Walsh Legacy Game'''
{{Main|Bill Walsh Legacy Game}}
[[File:James_jones_touchdown_catch.jpg|right|thumb|260x260px|[[James Jones (wide receiver)|James Jones]] catches a touchdown pass against [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]] in 2006 in the [[Bill Walsh Legacy Game]]]]
The [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] Legacy Game is the name given to the rivalry between the Spartans and the [[Stanford Cardinal football]] team of [[Stanford University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/256327-week-three-in-sparta-the-bill-walsh-legacy-game|title=Week Three in Sparta: The Bill Walsh Legacy Game|first=D.|last=Miller|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910061052if_/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/256327-week-three-in-sparta-the-bill-walsh-legacy-game|archive-date=2018-09-10|language=en|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/09/04/bill-walsh-legacy-game-holds-special-significance-for-shaw/|title=Bill Walsh Legacy Game holds special significance for Shaw|website=[[Stanford Daily|The Stanford Daily]]|date=2013-09-04|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910060958if_/https://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/09/04/bill-walsh-legacy-game-holds-special-significance-for-shaw/|archive-date=2018-09-10|language=en|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2007, following the death of San Jose State alumnus and former Stanford coach [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]], the near-annual game played between the two schools was renamed the Bill Walsh Legacy Game.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Michelle|title=Walsh's legacy all over this game|url=https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Walsh-s-legacy-all-over-this-game-2541347.php|website=[[SFGate]]|date=September 12, 2007|access-date=June 1, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922183655if_/https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Walsh-s-legacy-all-over-this-game-2541347.php|archive-date=September 22, 2020|language=en}}</ref>
The rivalry is rooted in the two schools' close geographical proximity to one another, with the Stanford University campus being located just 23 driving miles northwest of the San Jose State campus on [[Interstate 280 (California)|Interstate 280]]. The two teams have played each other 67 times since 1900. The rivalry is currently on hiatus due to non-conference scheduling conflicts, however, on June 22, 2022, Stanford and San Jose State announced an agreement to renew the rivalry with a six game home-and-home series beginning in 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://gostanford.com/news/2022/6/22/football-bill-walsh-legacy-game-returns.aspx | title=Bill Walsh Legacy Game Returns}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2022/6/22/football-returns-bill-walsh-legacy-game-1.aspx | title=SJSU Announces Return of Bill Walsh Legacy Game Against Stanford}}</ref>
Stanford currently leads the series 52–14–1.
===Hawai'i===
'''Dick Tomey Legacy Game'''
{{Main|Dick Tomey Legacy Game}}
The two schools first met in 1936, and each team was previously led by legendary coach [[Dick Tomey]]. Tomey was a successful head coach at [[University of Hawaiʻi|Hawaii]] from 1977 to 1986 and was a successful head coach at San Jose State from 2005 to 2009. The winner of the rivalry game each year takes possession of the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy. The [[Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors football|Rainbow Warriors]] and Spartans have played each other 46 times as of the 2023 season.
In 1941, the San Jose State Spartans football team served unexpectedly with the [[Honolulu Police Department]] during World War II. The team had just arrived in Hawaii to play a series of postseason bowl games against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and the [[Willamette Bearcats|Willamette University Bearcats]] when the U.S. Navy base at [[Pearl Harbor]] was [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked]] on December 7, 1941. The team was stranded on the islands for a number of weeks following the attack, and players were employed by the local police department to help improve island defenses against a possible Japanese amphibious assault and as guards for military bases on the island.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide" /><ref name="Marqua 1" />
As of 2023, the Spartans lead the series 23–22–1.
=== San Diego State ===
'''El Camino Real Rivalry'''
[[File:HammerDownSportsSJSUvsSDSU2019.jpg|thumb|right|260px|alt=San Jose State in 2019|San Jose State battles [[San Diego State Aztecs football|San Diego State]] at CEFCU Stadium in 2019.]]
The rivalry between the two [[California State University System|Cal State]] schools dates back to 1935. The matchup is named after the historic 600-mile [[El Camino Real (California)|Camino Real]] that connects the 21 [[List of Spanish missions in California|Spanish missions]] in [[California]], stretching from [[San Diego Bay]] in the south to [[San Francisco Bay Area|San Francisco Bay]] in the north. The [[San Diego State Aztecs]] and San Jose State Spartans have played each other 47 times as of the 2023 season.
In 2014, there were conversations between the two programs about creating a trophy using an old mission bell or a replica of an old Spanish mission bell to be awarded to the winner of the rivalry game, but no trophy ever materialized.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blogs.mercurynews.com/sjsu/2014/11/06/clearing-valley-trophy-questions/ | title=Cleaning up some Valley Trophy questions | work=Spartan Central | first=Jimmy | last=Durkin | date=6 November 2014}}</ref>
The Spartans currently have the longest win streak in the series with 11 consecutive wins from 1938 to 1952.
As of 2023, [[San Diego State Aztecs football|San Diego State]] leads the series 24–22–2.
===Nevada===
The [[University of Nevada, Reno]] and San Jose State first played each other in 1899. The [[Nevada Wolf Pack football|Wolf Pack]] won the first meeting 6–0 in [[Reno, Nevada|Reno]] on [[Thanksgiving Day]]. Bob Brule scored the game’s only touchdown and fell into an irrigation ditch behind the end zone, followed by three [[San Jose State University|Cal State Normal School]] players.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}
The series was tied at seven wins apiece at the close of the 2001 season, but SJSU fell to 4–16 against Nevada over the following 20 seasons (2002–2022). The two schools did not play each other from 1901 to 1930 and again from 1949 to 1991.
The SJSU and Nevada campuses are located approximately 250 miles apart. The football teams have competed in the same conferences since 1992, first in the [[Big West Conference]] in the 1990s and then in the 2000s as members of the [[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]]. Since 2013, the two teams are West Division rivals in the [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]].
Both schools are the oldest public institutions of higher education in their respective states of [[California]] and [[Nevada]]. SJSU was founded in 1857 while UNR was founded in 1874.
As of 2024 Nevada leads the series 23–12–2.
===University of the Pacific===
'''Victory Bell'''
{{Main article|Victory Bell (Pacific–San Jose State)|l1 = Victory Bell}}
[[File:'Pacific-San Jose Victory Bell'.png|thumb|The Pacific-San Jose 'Victory Bell']]
The now defunct, 100-year rivalry matchup between the [[San Jose State Spartans|SJSU Spartans]] and the [[Pacific Tigers football|Pacific Tigers]] began in 1895 and ended in 1995 when Pacific dropped its football program. The Spartan-Tiger football game was played 72 times between 1895 and 1995.
Due to the "private vs. public" institutional competitiveness and the close geographical proximity of the two schools, a natural "cross-town" rivalry was born. [[University of the Pacific (United States)|University of the Pacific]] was founded in 1851 in [[Santa Clara, California]], and claims to be the first institution of higher education in California.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pacific.edu/Admission/Pacifics-Mission.html | title=Pacific's Mission | website=University of the Pacific | access-date=October 13, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014062629/http://www.pacific.edu/Admission/Pacifics-Mission.html | archive-date=October 14, 2016 | url-status=dead}}</ref> San José State University was founded in 1857 and is California's first public institution of higher education.
In 1949, in a game which drew national attention, the "Victory Bell" was unveiled.<ref>{{cite book|date=2021|first=Nicole Grady|last=Mountjoy|title=The Campus History Series: The University of the Pacific|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cUE6EAAAQBAJ&dq=university+of+the+pacific+tiger-spartan+san+jose+state+football+rivalry+victory+bell&pg=PA117|work=Arcadia publishing|publisher=Arcadia |isbn=9781467107068}}</ref> The Victory Bell would go to the winner of subsequent Tiger-Spartan games. The bell was two feet tall and waist-high on a rolling cart. The bell was half black with an orange "P" for Pacific and half blue with a gold "SJ" for San Jose.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2051&context=pacifican | title=Spear the Spartans}}</ref>
The Spartans led the series 43–23–6 when the rivalry ended at the close of the 1995 season.
==National poll rankings==
San Jose State earned its first national ranking in 1939, reaching the 18th spot in the [[AP Poll|Associated Press college football poll]]. Since then, the school has spent eight weeks ranked among the top–25 college football teams in the AP poll, including two post–season top–25 rankings. In 2020, the team received a postseason ranking in the AP Poll (24), Coaches Poll (24), and the College Football Playoff Rankings (22).
{| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Year|Weeks|Low|High|Final|Record}}
|-
| 1939 ||2||19||18||NR||13–0
|-
| 1975 ||1||20||20||NR||9–2
|-
| 2012 ||2||24||21||21||11–2
|-
| 2020 ||3||25||19||24||7–1
|}
==Head coaches==
{{Main|List of San Jose State Spartans head football coaches}}
San Jose State has had 29 head football coaches. There have been four periods in which the Spartans did not host a team (1894, 1896–1897, 1901–1920, 1943–1945).<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 San Jose State Football Record Book |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sjsuspartans.com/documents/2020/12/30/Football_Record_Book.pdf |publisher=SJSU |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Year|Coach|Pct.}} <!--Coach|Record|Bowl|Result-->
|-
| 1893 || [[James E. Addicott]] || .000
|-
| 1894 || ''No Team'' || n/a
|-
| 1895–1896 || James E. Addicott || .500
|-
| 1897 || ''No Team'' || n/a
|-
| 1898 || James E. Addicott || .750
|-
| 1899 || Jess Woods || .688
|-
| 1900 || James E. Addicott || .417
|-
| 1900 || [[Fielding H. Yost]] ''(Interim)'' || 1.000
|-
| 1901–1920 || ''No Team'' || n/a
|-
| 1921–1922 || David Wooster || .250
|-
| 1923 || H.C. McDonald ''(Interim)''|| .000
|-
| 1924–1928 || E.R. Knollin || .378
|-
| 1929–1931 || Walter Crawford || .348
|-
| 1932–1939 || [[Dudley DeGroot]] || .736
|-
| 1940–1941 || Ben Winkleman || .761
|-
| 1942 || [[Glenn Hartranft]] || .778
|-
| 1943–1945 || ''No Team'' || n/a
|-
| 1946–1949 || Bill Hubbard || .761
|-
| 1950–1956 || Robert T. Bronzan || .515
|-
| 1957–1964 || [[Bob Titchenal]] || .424
|-
| 1965–1968 || Harry Anderson || .333
|-
| 1969–1970 || [[Joe McMullen]] || .231
|-
| 1970–1972 || Dewey King || .339
|-
| 1973–1975 || [[Darryl Rogers]] || .691
|-
| 1976–1978 || Lynn Stiles || .529
|-
| 1979–1983 || [[Jack Elway]] || .634
|-
| 1984–1989 || [[Claude Gilbert]] || .558
|-
| 1990–1991 || [[Terry Shea]] || .696
|-
| 1992 || [[Ron Turner (American football)|Ron Turner]] || .636
|-
| 1993–1996 || [[John Ralston (coach)|John Ralston]] || .244
|-
| 1997–2000 || [[Dave Baldwin (American football)|Dave Baldwin]] || .400
|-
| 2001–2004 || [[Fitz Hill]] || .298
|-
| 2005–2009 || [[Dick Tomey]] || .479
|-
| 2010–2012 || [[Mike MacIntyre]] || .432
|-
| 2012 || [[Kent Baer]] ''(Interim)'' || 1.000
|-
| 2013–2016 || [[Ron Caragher]] || .388
|-
| 2017–2023 || [[Brent Brennan]] || .413
|-
|2024–present
|[[Ken Niumatalolo]]
|
|}
==Individual awards and honors==
===National awards===
====Coaches====
*'''[[American Football Coaches Association]] Region 5 Coach of the Year'''
:Brent Brennan (2020)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fan |first1=Lawrence |title=Brent Brennan Named Werner Ladder AFCA Region 5 Coach Of The Year |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/story.aspx?filename=football-brent-brennan-named-werner-ladder-afca-region-5-coach-of-the-year&file_date=12/15/2020 |website=sjsuspartans.com |publisher=SJSU |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>
*'''[[Amos Alonzo Stagg Award]]'''
:[[Pop Warner]] (1948)<ref name="AFCA">{{cite web |title=Amos Alonzo Stagg Award Past Award Winners |url=https://www.afca.com/awards/ |publisher=AFCA |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
:[[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] (2008)<ref name="AFCA"/>
:[[Dick Tomey]] (2020)<ref>{{cite web |title=LONGTIME COLLEGE HEAD COACH DICK TOMEY TO RECEIVE 2020 AMOS ALONZO STAGG AWARD |url=https://www.afca.com/longtime-college-head-coach-dick-tomey-to-receive-2020-amos-alonzo-stagg-award/ |publisher=AFCA |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
*'''[[Corbett Award]]'''
:[[Bob Bronzan]] (2005)<ref>{{cite web |title=James J. Corbett Memorial Award Winners |url=https://nacda.com/sports/2018/7/17/nacda-nacda-awards-corbett-html.aspx |publisher=NACDA |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
*'''Lombardi Foundation Coach of the Year'''
:[[Brent Brennan]] (2020)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fan |first1=Lawrence |title=Brent Brennan Named Lombardi Foundation's Coach Of The Year |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2021/2/17/football-brent-brennan-named-lombardi-foundations-coach-of-the-year.aspx |website=sjsuspartans.com |publisher=SJSU |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>
*'''[[Walter Camp Distinguished American Award]]'''
:[[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] (2003)<ref name="Walter Camp Football Foundation">{{cite web |title=The Walter Camp Distinguished American |url=https://waltercamp.org/distinguished-american/ |website=waltercamp.org |publisher=Walter Camp Football Foundation |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
:[[Dick Vermeil]] (2006)<ref name="Walter Camp Football Foundation"/>
*'''[[Reds Bagnell Award]]'''
:[[Dick Vermeil]] (2013)<ref>{{cite web |title=Dick Vermeil wins Francis "Reds" Bagnell Award |url=https://www.chiefs.com/news/dick-vermeil-wins-francis-reds-bagnell-award-12685032 |publisher=Kansas City Chiefs |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
====Players====
*'''[[Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award]]'''
:Neil Parry, KR/ PR (2003)<ref>{{cite web |title=Neil Parry receives Disney's "Spirit Award" at ESPN College Football Awards show |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2003/12/4/neil_parry_receives_disney_s_spirit_award_at_espn_college_football_awards_show.aspx |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
*'''[[National Football Foundation]] James J. Campbell National Scholar-Athlete Award'''
:Tim Crawley, WR, RB, KR (2016)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_scholars.aspx?hof=916|title=NFF HOF Scholars}}</ref>
*'''[[Pop Warner Trophy|Pop Warner Memorial Trophy]]'''
:[[Chon Gallegos]], QB (1961)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kroichick |first1=Ron |title=PORTRAITS IN PRIDE / A Cinco De Mayo look at the Bay Area's most storied Mexican American athletes -- Kapp, Flores and Plunkett |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/PORTRAITS-IN-PRIDE-A-Cinco-De-Mayo-look-at-the-2932549.php |website=SFGate |date=5 May 1999 |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
:[[Mike Perez (American football)|Mike Perez]], QB (1987)<ref>{{cite news |title=Names in the News |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-25-sp-21154-story.html |access-date=13 January 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 25, 1987}}</ref>
*'''UPI Offensive Player of the Year'''
:[[Mike Perez (American football)|Mike Perez]], QB (1986)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sjsuspartans.com/documents/2020/12/30/Football_Record_Book.pdf|title=Football Record Book}}</ref>
===Conference awards===
====Mountain West Conference awards====
*'''MWC Coach of the Year'''
:[[Brent Brennan]] (2020)<ref name="MWC COTY" />
*'''MWC Player of the Year'''
:Jack Snyder, LT (2020)
*'''MWC Defensive Player of the Year'''
:[[Cade Hall]], DL (2020)<ref>{{cite news|last=Kroner|first=Steve|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/San-Jose-State-s-Cade-Hall-son-of-ex-49er-15812178.php|title=San Jose State's Cade Hall, son of ex-49er Rhett Hall, thriving in unbeaten season|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=December 18, 2020|access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref>
:[[Viliami Fehoko]], DL (2022)<ref>{{cite news|last=Nowels|first=Michael|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/11/29/san-jose-state-fehoko-named-mountain-wests-best-defender/|title=Fehoko named Mountain West's best defender|newspaper=[[San Jose Mercury News]]|date=November 29, 2022|access-date=November 29, 2022}}</ref>
*'''MWC Offensive Player of the Year'''
:[[Josh Love]], QB (2019)<ref>{{cite news|last=Pang|first=Andrew|url=https://247sports.com/college/san-jose-state/Article/Josh-Love-first-Mountain-West-Offensive-Player-of-the-Year-San-Jose-State-Spartans-139825858/|title=Josh Love is SJSU's first MW Offensive Player of the Year|publisher=[[247Sports.com]]|date=December 4, 2019|access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref>
:[[Chevan Cordeiro]], QB (2023) (*Pre-season award)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://themw.com/news/2023/7/19/boise-state-picked-to-win-2023-mountain-west-football-title.aspx|title=Boise State Picked to Win 2023 Mountain West Football Title|date=July 19, 2023|accessdate=July 19, 2023|website=themw.com|publisher=The Mountain West Conference}}</ref>
====Western Athletic Conference awards====
*'''WAC Defensive Player of the Year'''<ref name="sports-reference.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/wac-dpoy.html|title=WAC Defensive Player of the Year Winners|website=[[Sports Reference]]|access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref>
:[[Travis Johnson (linebacker)|Travis Johnson]] (2012)
*'''WAC Defensive Player of the Year'''
:[[Jarron Gilbert]] (2008) (Co-DPOY with Hawaii's [[Solomon Elimimian]])
====Big West Conference awards====
*'''Big West Coach of the Year'''
:[[Terry Shea]] (1990)
*'''Big West Defensive Player of the Year'''
:Lyneil Mayo, OLB (1990)
*'''Big West Offensive Player of the Year'''
:[[Mike Perez (American football)|Mike Perez]], QB (1987)
:Sheldon Canley, TB (1990)
==Retired numbers==
{{see also|List of NCAA football retired numbers}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|No.|Player|Pos.|Career|Year Ret.|Ref.}}
|-
|'''52'''|| Dave Chaney || [[Linebacker|LB]]|| 1969–1971 || 2019 || <ref>{{cite web | url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2019/10/17/feature-story-dave-chaney | title=2020 Football Record Book}}</ref>
|}
In 2019, Dave Chaney was the first and thus far only Spartan to have his number retired. Chaney was a two-time All America linebacker who played for the Spartans from 1969 to 1971. In his three seasons, he established school career records for tackles, interception return yardage and interceptions returned for a touchdown. His 527 career tackles in just three seasons remains a San Jose State record. Although Chaney was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1972, he turned down the offer to pursue a career in education.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2019/10/17/feature-story-dave-chaney | title=2020 Football Record Book}}</ref>
==All-Americans==
As of 2022, SJSU has produced over 90 [[All-America]] team members, including seven first-team selections, 22 second- and third-team selections, and over 65 honorable mentions.<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
''Note: List below does not include honorable mention selections.''<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Year|Name|Position|Team|Ref}}
|-
| 1938
| Lloyd Thomas
| [[End (gridiron football)|E]]
| AP 1st
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
|-
| 1939
| [[Roy Zimmerman (American football)|Leroy Zimmerman]]
| [[Fullback (gridiron football)|FB]]
| AP 1st
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
|-
| 1970, 1971
| Dave Chaney
| [[Linebacker|LB]]
| AP 1st, NEA 1st, UPI 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
|-
| 1974
| [[Louis Wright (American football)|Louie Wright]]
| [[Cornerback|CB]]
| AP 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU}}</ref>
|-
| 1975
| [[Kim Bokamper]]
|[[Defensive end|DE]]
| NEA-2nd
|<ref>{{cite news|title=Sciarra heads NEA team|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4497233/sciarra-hads-nea-team/ |author=Murray Olderman |newspaper=Kingsport News |date=December 5, 1975 |page=23 |publisher=Kingsport (TN) News |access-date=14 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 1976
| [[Wilson Faumuina]]
| [[defensive tackle|DT]]
| AP 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1976
| Vic Rakhshani
| [[tight end|TE]]
| FBN 1st
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1978
| [[Frank Manumaleuga]]
| LB
| AP 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1981
| [[Ken Thomas (American football)|Ken Thomas]]
| [[defensive back|DB]]
| NEA 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1983
| [[Eric Richardson (American football)|Eric Richardson]]
| [[wide receiver|WR]]
| NEA 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1987
| Guy Liggins
| WR
| UPI 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1990
| [[Sheldon Canley]]
| [[Halfback (American football)|TB]]
| AP 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1991
| [[Joe Nedney]]
| [[placekicker|PK]]
| FBN 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1992
| Brian Lundy
| WR
| FBN 1st
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 1995
| [[Brian Roche (American football)|Brian Roche]]
| TE
| AP 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2000
| [[Deonce Whitaker|Deoncé Whitaker]]
| TB
| TSN 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2002
| Charles Pauley
| [[Return specialist|Returns]]
| CFBN 1st, AP 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2006, 2007
| [[Dwight Lowery]]
| CB
| AFCA 1st, FWAA 1st, AP 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| Vince Buhagiar
| LB
| Phil Steele 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| [[Noel Grigsby]]
| WR
| Phil Steele 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| [[Keith Smith (fullback)|Keith Smith]]
| LB
| FWAA, CFBN 2nd, Phil Steele 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| Harrison Waid
| P
| Phil Steele 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2012
| [[Travis Johnson (linebacker)|Travis Johnson]]
| [[defensive end|DE]]
| CBS 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2012
| Austin Lopez
| PK
| FWAA, CFBN 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2013
| Tyler Winston
| WR
| Athlon 3rd, Phil Steele 3rd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2015
| Michael Carrizosa
| [[punter (gridiron football)|P]]
| FWAA 2nd, WCFF 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2015
| [[Tyler Ervin]]
| [[Running back|RB]]
| Athlon 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2020
| [[Cade Hall]]
| [[lineman (gridiron football)|DL]]
| USA Today 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/football-record-book-2022 |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2022
| [[Viliami Fehoko]]
| DL
| PFF 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=Fehoko Named to PFF All-America Second Team |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2022/11/29/football-fehoko-named-to-pff-all-america-second-team.aspx |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=14 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
|-
| 2023
| [[Kairee Robinson]]
| HB
| Hero Sports 2nd
| <ref>{{cite web |title=Kairee Robinson Named 2023 Hero Sports Group of Five All-American |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2023/12/14/sjsus-kairee-robinson-named-2023-hero-sports-group-of-five-all-american |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=SJSU |access-date=14 December 2023}}</ref>
|}
==Pro Football Hall of Fame==
[[File:Walsh and tomey.jpg|right|thumb|250px|SJSU Alumnus [[Bill Walsh (football coach)|Bill Walsh]] and former Spartans Head Football Coach [[Dick Tomey]]]]
Two former SJSU players have been inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]. [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] attended San Jose State, where he played quarterback from 1953 to 1955. He went on to win three [[Super Bowl]]s as the head coach of the [[San Francisco 49ers]].
[[Dick Vermeil]] played for San Jose State as a backup quarterback before graduating in 1959 with a [[Master of Arts|master's]] degree.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dick Vermeil To Receive Maxwell Football Club Honor |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2014/2/26/Dick_Vermeil_To_Receive_Maxwell_Football_Club_Honor.aspx |website=sjsupspartans.com |access-date=10 August 2019}}</ref> Vermeil later won [[Super Bowl XXXIV]] in 1999 as the head coach of the [[St. Louis Rams]].
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Name|Years|Position|Inducted|Ref}}
|-
| [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]]
| 1953–1955
| Head Coach
| 1993
| <ref>{{cite web |title=HC Bill Walsh Class of 1993 |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/bill-walsh/ |website=profootballhof.com |publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dick Vermeil]]
| 1956–1959
| Head Coach
| 2022
| <ref>{{cite web |title=HC Dick Vermeil Class of 2022 |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/dick-vermeil/ |website=profootballhof.com |publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
|}
==College Football Hall of Fame==
Two former SJSU players have been inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]]. [[Willie Heston]] attended San Jose State, where he played halfback from 1898 to 1900 before transferring to the [[University of Michigan]]. Heston has been named one of the greatest halfbacks in college football history.<ref>{{cite news | first = Greg | last = Dooley | title = In photos: Is Denard Robinson among Michigan's 25 greatest players? | date = 20 Nov 2012 | publisher = [[MediaNews Group]] | url = http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121120/SPORTS0201/211200302/1131/sports0201/In-photos-Denard-Robinson-among-Michigan-s-25-greatest-players- | work = [[The Detroit News]] | access-date = 2012-11-20}}</ref>
[[Terry Donahue]] was a freshman walk-on [[defensive tackle]] for one year at San Jose State before transferring to [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]]. Donahue was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for his contributions as the head coach at UCLA.
Two former San Jose State coaches are also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, mostly for their contributions while coaching at other schools. [[Pop Warner]] led his teams to a combined four national championships while serving as the head coach at [[University of Pittsburgh|Pitt]] and Stanford.
[[John Ralston (American football)|John Ralston]] led Stanford to multiple [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowl]] victories before taking over as the head coach at SJSU from 1993 to 1996. Ralston was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1992.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Name|Years|Position|Inducted|Ref}}
|-
| [[Pop Warner|Glenn "Pop" Warner]]
| 1939–1940
| [[Assistant Coach|Associate Coach]]
| 1951
| <ref>{{cite web |title=GLENN SCOBEY WARNER BIO |url=https://www.cfbhall.com/about/inductees/inductee/pop-warner-1951/ |website=cfbhall.com |publisher=College Football Hall of Fame |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[Willie Heston]]
| 1898–1900
| [[Halfback (American football)|HB]]
| 1954
|<ref name="CFHOF">{{cite web|title=Willie Heston|publisher=National Football Foundation|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1241|access-date=2020-12-22}}</ref>
|-
| [[John Ralston (American football)|John Ralston]]
| 1993–1996
| [[Head Coach]]
| 1992
| <ref>{{cite web |title=JOHN R. RALSTON BIO |url=https://www.cfbhall.com/about/inductees/inductee/john-ralston-1992/ |website=cfbhall.com |publisher=College Football Hall of Fame |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[Terry Donahue]]
| 1963
| [[Defensive tackle|DT]] / [[Head Coach]]
| 2000
| <ref>{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Luca |title=Terry Donahue's legacy lives on with the California Showcase for overlooked recruits |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/story/2022-01-31/california-showcase-terry-donahue-ucla-football-coach |access-date=13 January 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 31, 2022}}</ref>
|-
|}
==San Jose State players in the NFL==
As of December 2022, 139 San Jose State players have gone on to play in the [[National Football League|NFL]],<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite news| url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/colleges/ | title=College Football Encyclopedias | work= Pro-Football-REFERENCE.com| year=2022 | access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref> and seven former Spartans are actively playing in the NFL as of August 2023.<ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide" /><ref name="College Football Encyclopedias" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/college/_/letter/s/|title=NFL players by college |access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref> The 139 players include 121 draftees, six NFL [[Pro Bowl]] selections, six first-round draft picks, two MVP award winners, and one NFL Rookie of the Year.<ref name="ReferenceA" /><ref name="College Football Encyclopedias">{{Cite news| url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/colleges/sanjosest/ | title=College Football Encyclopedias | work= Pro-Football-REFERENCE.com| year=2022 | access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref>
Along with Miami (OH), Dayton, Arkansas, Eastern Illinois, and Pacific, SJSU is one of only six programs in the nation to produce more than one alumnus who would go on to coach [[Super Bowl]]-winning teams.
<ref>{{Cite news|last = Clark | first = Michael D. |title = Rams coach Sean McVay will join Miami University's 'Cradle of Coaches' | newspaper = Journal-News | pages =1 | date = February 18, 2022| url =  https://www.journal-news.com/news/rams-coach-sean-mcvay-will-join-miami-universitys-cradle-of-coaches/OW77TYQL7ZGPLBCFP65UZHYWHM/}}</ref><ref name="SJSU Spartans Media Guide" />
===Current athletes in the NFL===
As of May 2024, there are nine former SJSU players in the NFL.<ref name="NFL Players by College – S">{{cite web|title=NFL Players by College – S|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/college/_/letter/s|publisher=ESPN|access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Player|Team|Position|Round|Year}}
|-
| [[Andre Chachere]] || [[Philadelphia Eagles]] || [[Safety (gridiron football position)|S]] || align="left" | UDFA || 2018
|-
| [[Josh Oliver]] || [[Minnesota Vikings]]|| [[Tight end|TE]] || align="left" | 3 || [[2019 NFL draft|2019]]
|-
| [[David Quessenberry]] || [[Minnesota Vikings]] || [[Guard (American and Canadian football)|G]] || align="left" | 6 || [[2013 NFL draft|2013]]
|-
| [[Wes Schweitzer]] || [[Washington Commanders]]|| [[Guard (American and Canadian football)|G]] || align="left" | 6 || [[2016 NFL draft|2016]]
|-
|[[Viliami Fehoko]]
|[[Dallas Cowboys]]
|[[Defensive end|DE]]
|4
|[[2023 NFL draft|2023]]
|-
|[[Elijah Cooks]]
|[[Jacksonville Jaguars]]
|[[Wide receiver|WR]]
|UDFA
|2023
|-
|[[Chevan Cordeiro]]
|[[Seattle Seahawks]]
|[[Quarterback|QB]]
|UDFA
|[[2024 NFL draft|2024]]
|-
|Tre Jenkins
|[[New York Jets]]
|[[Linebacker|LB]]
|UDFA
|2024
|-
|Jay Kavika
|[[Seattle Seahawks]]
|[[Lineman (gridiron football)|DL]]
|UDFA
|2024
|}
==All-time record vs. current Mountain West teams==
Record at the conclusion of the [[2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Winsipedia – San Jose State|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/san-jose-state|publisher=Winsipedia|access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|Opponent|Won|Lost|Tied|Percentage|Streak|First meeting}}
|-
| [[Air Force Falcons football|Air Force]] || 2 || 5 || 0 || {{winpct|2|5}} || Lost 1 || 1996
|-
| [[Boise State Broncos football|Boise State]] || 1 || 15 || 0 || {{winpct|1|15}} || Lost 1 || 1978
|-
| [[Colorado State Rams football|Colorado State]] || 5 || 7 || 0 || {{winpct|5|7}} || Won 1 || 1961
|-
| [[Fresno State Bulldogs football|Fresno State]] || 39 || 44 || 3 || {{winpct|39|44|3}} || Won 1 || 1921
|-
| [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football|Hawaii]] || 23 || 22 || 1 || {{winpct|23|22|1}} || Won 4 || 1936
|-
| [[Nevada Wolf Pack football|Nevada]] || 11 || 23 || 2 || {{winpct|11|23|2}} || Won 1 || 1899
|-
| [[New Mexico Lobos football|New Mexico]] || 15 || 5 || 1 || {{winpct|15|5|1}} || Won 3 || 1954
|-
| [[San Diego State Aztecs football|San Diego State]] || 21 || 24 || 2 || {{winpct|21|24|2}} || Won 1 || 1935
|-
| [[UNLV Rebels football|UNLV]] || 21 || 6 || 1 || {{winpct|21|6|1}} || Won 4 || 1981
|-
| [[Utah State Aggies football|Utah State]] || 21 || 20 || 1 || {{winpct|21|20|1}} || Won 1 || 1940
|-
| [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]] || 6 || 7 || 0 || {{winpct|6|7}} || Won 2 || 1959
|-
| '''Totals''' || 165 || 178 || 11 || {{winpct|165|178|11}} || ||
|}
==Notable players and alumni==
* [[Courtney Anderson]] — former [[National Football League|NFL]] [[tight end]], [[Atlanta Falcons]] and [[Oakland Raiders]]<ref name="Pro Football Reference">{{cite web |title=Pro Football Reference |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/colleges/sanjosest/ |publisher=pro-football-reference |year=2009 |access-date=February 18, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Marcus Arroyo]] — former head football coach, [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas|UNLV]]
* [[Stacey Bailey]] — former NFL [[wide receiver]], [[Atlanta Falcons]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com">{{cite web |title=Pro Football Reference |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/colleges/sanjosest/ |publisher=pro-football-reference |year=2009 |access-date=February 5, 2010}}</ref>
*Brent Berry — 1964 MVP and former tackle drafted as junior by [[Oakland Raiders]], [[Los Angeles Rams]]; played in CFL for the [[Edmonton Eskimos]] (CFL)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/sanjosest/drafted.htm|title=San Jose St. Drafted Players/Alumni – Pro-Football-Reference.com|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}</ref>
*[[Kim Bokamper]] — former NFL [[linebacker]], [[Miami Dolphins]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[John Broussard]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Jacksonville Jaguars]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Gill Byrd]] — former NFL [[defensive back]], [[San Diego Chargers]]; two NFL [[Pro Bowl]] appearances<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Jim Cadile]] — former NFL guard, [[Chicago Bears]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Matt Castelo]] — former NFL [[linebacker]], [[Seattle Seahawks]]; former [[Canadian Football League|CFL]] linebacker, [[Hamilton Tiger-cats]]<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Players |url=http://www.nfl.com/players/mattcastelo/profile?id=CAS672792 |publisher=NFL Enterprises, Inc.|year=2010 |access-date=February 18, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Andre Chachere]] — NFL [[Safety (gridiron football position)|safety]], [[Philadelphia Eagles]]<ref name="NFL Players by College – S"/>
*[[Steve Clarkson]] — nationally renowned quarterbacks coach; founder of Steve Clarkson Dreammaker quarterback camp<ref>{{cite web |title=Renowned Quarterback Coach Steve Clarkson Joins DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment to Head the New DeBartolo Sports University |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Renowned+Quarterback+Coach+Steve+Clarkson+Joins+DeBartolo+Sports+and...-a0172288801 |publisher=Business Wire|year=2007 |access-date=August 12, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Sherman Cocroft]] — former NFL defensive back, [[Kansas City Chiefs]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*Clarence Cunningham — former [[Arena Football League|AFL]] wide receiver, defensive back, running back, and kick returner; former [[AF2]] starter, [[Stockton Lightning]]; [[Italian Football League|IFL]] [[safety (American football position)|free safety]], [[Catania Elephants]]<ref>{{cite web |title=fanbase.com |url=http://www.fanbase.com/Clarence-Cunningham |publisher=Fan-base |year=2009 |access-date=May 15, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626223045/http://www.fanbase.com/clarence-cunningham/ |archive-date=June 26, 2015}}</ref>
*[[Neal Dahlen]] — former SJSU quarterback, NFL manager and scout; holds the record for the most earned [[Super Bowl]] rings at seven.<ref>{{cite web |title=ProFootballWeekly.com |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=pfw-20110126_lord_of_the_rings |publisher=Pro Football Weekly |year=2011|access-date=February 7, 2011}}</ref>
*[[Rashied Davis]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Chicago Bears]]<ref name="http">{{cite web |title=Pro Football Reference |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/colleges/sanjosest/ |publisher=pro-football-reference |year=2009 |access-date=February 8, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Yonus Davis]] — former CFL running back, [[BC Lions]]
*[[Steve DeBerg]] — former NFL [[quarterback]], [[Dallas Cowboys]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[David Diaz-Infante]] — former NFL and CFL [[offensive guard]], [[San Diego Chargers]], [[Denver Broncos]], [[Philadelphia Eagles]], and [[Sacramento Gold Miners]]<ref name="Pro Football Reference"/>
*[[Terry Donahue]] — former [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] head football coach; [[College Football Hall of Fame]] inductee ''(attended SJSU for one year)''<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Donahue |url=http://www.nndb.com/people/545/000170035/ |publisher=NNDB |year=2010 |access-date=June 4, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Leon Donohue]] — former NFL guard, [[Dallas Cowboys]] and [[San Francisco 49ers]]; 1962 NLF All-Rookie team
*[[Carl Ekern]] — former NFL linebacker, [[Los Angeles Rams]]; one [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearance<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Tyler Ervin]] — former NFL running back, [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] and [[Houston Texans]]
*[[David Fales]] — former NFL quarterback, [[New York Jets]], [[Miami Dolphins]] and [[Chicago Bears]]
*[[2011 San Jose State Spartans football team|Matt Faulkner]] — former CFL quarterback For [[Ottawa RedBlacks]]
*[[Wilson Faumuina]] — former NFL defensive tackle, [[Atlanta Falcons]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Mervyn Fernandez]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Los Angeles Raiders]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Coye Francies]]  — former NFL defensive back, [[Cleveland Browns]]<ref name="Pro Football Reference"/>
* Robert Frasco - former NFL and [[Italian Football League]] quarterback, [[Oakland Raiders]], [[Los Angeles Rams]], [[Legnano Frogs]], [[Bergamo Lions]]
*[[Chon Gallegos]]  — former NFL quarterback with the [[Oakland Raiders]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Chon Gallegos |url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/gall01600.html |website=Pro Football Archives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909101605/http://www.profootballarchives.com/gall01600.html |archive-date=2015-09-09}}</ref>
*[[Jeff Garcia]] — former NFL quarterback, [[San Francisco 49ers]], [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], [[Philadelphia Eagles]], et al.; four [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearances<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Trestin George]] — former AFL and CFL wide receiver, [[San Jose Sabercats]] and [[BC Lions]]
*[[Jarron Gilbert]] – former NFL defensive tackle, [[Chicago Bears]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/> Named 2008 [[Western Athletic Conference]] Co-Defensive Player of the Year.<ref name="sports-reference.com"/>
*[[Charley Harraway]] — former NFL running back, [[Washington Redskins]] and [[Cleveland Browns]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*Jelani Hawkins — former NFL tackle, [[Houston Texans]]
*[[Paul Held]] — former NFL quarterback, [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] and [[Green Bay Packers]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Willie Heston]] — former SJSU [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]];  [[College Football Hall of Fame]] inductee ''(attended SJSU from 1898 to 1900; graduated from [[University of Michigan]])''<ref>{{College Football HoF|id=1241|name=Willie Heston|accessdate=April 21, 2010}}</ref>
*[[James Hodgins]] — former NFL fullback, [[St. Louis Rams]] et al.<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Duke Ihenacho]] — former NFL safety, [[Washington Redskins]] and [[Denver Broncos]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Randy Johnson (third baseman)|Randy Johnson]] — former MLB Baseball Player, [[Atlanta Braves]]
*[[Johnny Johnson (American football)|Johnny Johnson]] — former NFL running back, [[Phoenix Cardinals]], [[New York Jets]] and [[San Francisco 49ers]]; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance; consensus choice for Rookie of the Year (1990)<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Travis Johnson (linebacker)|Travis Johnson]] - former [[NFL]] linebacker [[San Francisco 49ers]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Inman|first=Cam|title=SJSU product Travis Johnson gets chance with 49ers|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_23760044/sjsu-product-travis-johnson-gets-chance-49ers|work=San Jose Mercury News|date=July 31, 2013}}</ref> Named 2012 [[Western Athletic Conference]] Defensive Player of the Year.<ref name="sports-reference.com"/>
*[[Cody Jones]] — former NFL defensive tackle, [[Los Angeles Rams]]; one [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearance<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[James Jones (wide receiver)|James Jones]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Oakland Raiders]] and [[Green Bay Packers]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Kevin Jurovich]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Philadelphia Eagles]]; [[San Francisco 49ers]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Rick Kane]] — former NFL running back, [[Detroit Lions]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Keala Keanaaina]] — former American football [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=2968&pageview=career | title=Keala Keanaaina – Career Stats | publisher=arenafan.com | access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>
*[[Bob Ladouceur]] — among winningest high school football coaches in U.S. history; coached [[De La Salle High School (Concord, California)|De La Salle High Spartans]] to 151 consecutive wins from 1992 to 2003<ref>{{cite news |title=Sweat and spirituality -- a winning combo
|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/nevius/article/CHRONICLE-PROFILE-Bob-Ladouceur-Sweat-and-2778412.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=January 22, 2021 | first=C.W. | last=Nevius | date=August 26, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021029192619/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/08/26/MN57818.DTL|archive-date=October 29, 2002|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Bill Leavy]] — former NFL referee; officiated [[Super Bowl XL]]
*[[Josh Love]] — former [[NFL]] quarterback for the [[Los Angeles Rams]] and the [[Cleveland Browns]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Josh Love: Signing with Rams |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/josh-love-signing-with-rams/ |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=[[CBSSports.com]] |publisher=[[RotoWire]]}}</ref>
*[[Dwight Lowery]] — former NFL defensive back, [[New York Jets]] and two-time All-American at SJSU<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Ken Lutz]] — former [[Arena Football League]] quarterback, [[Columbus Thunderbolts]], [[San Antonio Force]],  player<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-29-sp-6013-story.html |title=A Spartan Life Style : Ken Lutz Gave Up Carousing in College to Uphold Tradition at San Jose State as One of Nation's Top-Ranked Passers |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |agency=September 29, 1988 |access-date=December 30, 2014 |author=Hiserman, Mike |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230190507/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-29/sports/sp-6013_1_san-jose-state |archive-date=December 30, 2014}}</ref>
*[[Frank Manumaleuga]] — former NFL linebacker, [[Kansas City Chiefs]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/manu00600.html | title=FRANK MANUMALEUGA | publisher=profootballarchives.com | access-date=November 20, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909012701/http://www.profootballarchives.com/manu00600.html | archive-date=September 9, 2015}}</ref>
*Lyneil Mayo — former [[NFL Europe]] linebacker, [[Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe)|Frankfurt Galaxy]]; 1990 [[Big West Conference]] Defensive Player of the Year
*[[Frank Minini]] — former NFL halfback, [[Chicago Bears]], [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/mini00600.html | title=FRANK MININI | publisher=profootballarchives.com | access-date=September 21, 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908212339/http://www.profootballarchives.com/mini00600.html | archive-date=September 8, 2015}}</ref>
*[[Joe Nedney]] — former kicker for eight [[National Football League|NFL]] teams including the [[San Francisco 49ers]]<ref name="http"/>
*[[William Yaw Obeng]] — former [[Arena Football League]] lineman, [[San Jose Sabercats]]
*[[Josh Oliver]] — NFL [[tight end]], [[Baltimore Ravens]]<ref name="NFL Players by College – S"/>
*[[Chris Owens (American football)|Chris Owens]] — former NFL defensive back, [[Atlanta Falcons]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Pro Football Reference |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/colleges/sanjosest/ |publisher=Pro Football Reference |year=2010 |access-date=February 19, 2010}}</ref>
*Neil Parry — former SJSU football safety; Most Courageous Athlete Award winner ([[Philadelphia Sports Writers Association]], 2003)<ref>The winners of the Most Courageous Award for 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007 are listed in the cited article with the incorrect year, i.e., the year that follows the award year. (The awards dinner and presentation occur in January or February of the year following the award year.) [http://pswadinner.com/?p=330 More 'Most Courageous' memories from PSWA dinners]. PSWA Dinner website. January 17, 2009. Retrieved 2011-01-04.</ref>
*[[Mike Perez (American football)|Mike Perez]] — former NFL [[quarterback]], [[New York Giants]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/> Named 1987 [[Big West Conference]] Offensive Player of the year, 1987 Pop Warner Trophy recipient and 1986 National UPI Player of the Year.
*[[Tom Petithomme]] — former [[Arena Football League]] player, [[San Jose Sabercats]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Arena Fan |url=http://www.arenafan.com/teams/San_Jose_SaberCats-25/history/1995/|publisher=arenafan.com |year=2010 |access-date=February 19, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Art Powell (wide receiver)|Art Powell]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Oakland Raiders]]; Raiders' 7th all-time leading receiver<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Waylon Prather]] — former NFL [[Punter (football)|punter]], [[New Orleans Saints]], [[New York Jets]] and [[Arizona Cardinals]]<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Players |url=http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=PRA631374 |publisher=NFL Enterprises, Inc.|year=2010 |access-date=February 18, 2010}}</ref>
*[[David Quessenberry]] — NFL offensive tackle, [[Buffalo Bills]], [[Tennessee Titans]] and [[Houston Texans]]; Cancer survivor
*[[Jerry Reese (American football)|Jerry Reese]] — Arena League Wide Receiver, San Jose Sabercats
*[[David Richmond (American football)|David Richmond]] — former NFL wide receiver, [[Cincinnati Bengals]]<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Players |url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/david-richmond?id=81867 |publisher=NFL Enterprises, Inc|year=2010 |access-date=February 19, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Scott Rislov]] — former [[Arena Football League]] quarterback, [[San Jose Sabercats]]
*[[Saint Saffold]] — former NFL player, [[Cincinnati Bengals]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/saff00200.html | title=SAINT SAFFOLD | publisher=profootballarchives.com | access-date=February 9, 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324165722/http://www.profootballarchives.com/saff00200.html | archive-date=March 24, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Al Saunders]] — former NFL head coach for the [[San Diego Chargers]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Al Saunders |url=http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Al_Saunders |publisher=Serving History|year=2010 |access-date=August 12, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Wes Schweitzer]] — NFL offensive guard, [[Atlanta Falcons]]
*[[Rufus Skillern]] — former CFL and NFL wide receiver, [[BC Lions]] and [[Baltimore Ravens]]
*[[Gerald Small]] — former NFL defensive back, [[Miami Dolphins]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Keith Smith (fullback)|Keith Smith]] — NFL fullback and former linebacker, [[Atlanta Falcons]], [[Oakland Raiders]] and [[Dallas Cowboys]]
*[[Shane Smith (American football)|Shane Smith]] — former NFL fullback, [[New York Giants]] and [[New Orleans Saints]]
*[[Carl Sullivan]] — former NFL defensive end, [[Green Bay Packers]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Adam Tafralis]] — former CFL quarterback, [[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]]<ref>{{cite web |title=CFL Players |url=https://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/2007 |publisher=Canadian Football League |year=2010 |access-date=February 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100629005110/http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/2007 |archive-date=June 29, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Tyson Thompson]] — former NFL kick returner, [[Dallas Cowboys]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Bob Titchenal]] — former NFL linebacker, [[Washington Redskins]] and [[Los Angeles Dons]]; one [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearance; former head football coach, [[New Mexico Lobos football|New Mexico]] and SJSU<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Dick Vermeil]] — former NFL head coach; winning coach, [[Super Bowl XXXIV]]; [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] inductee.<ref name="distinguished">{{Cite web|title=Distinguished Alumni |url=http://www.sjsu.edu/about_sjsu/history/alumni/ |publisher=SJSU |year=2009 |access-date=Feb 8, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kcchiefs.com/front_office/dick_vermeil/ |title=Dick Vermeil, Head Coach |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221145623/http://www.kcchiefs.com/front_office/dick_vermeil/ |archive-date=2009-02-21 |url-status=dead |publisher=[[Kansas City Chiefs]]}}</ref>
*[[Bill Walsh (football coach)|Bill Walsh]] — NFL head coach; winning coach, [[Super Bowl XVI]], [[Super Bowl XIX]], and [[Super Bowl XXIII]]; [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] inductee<ref name="distinguished"/><ref>[http://www.calstate.edu/newsline/Archive/00-01/010417-SJ.shtml Bill Walsh Of The 49ers Is Named SJSU's 2001 Tower Award Winner] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821183146/http://www.calstate.edu/newsline/Archive/00-01/010417-SJ.shtml |date=2009-08-21}}, 2001, ''CSU Newsline''</ref>
*[[Gerald Willhite]] — former NFL running back, [[Denver Broncos]]<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Billy Wilson (wide receiver)|Billy Wilson]] — former NFL receiver, [[San Francisco 49ers]]; six [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearances<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
*[[Louis Wright (American football)|Louis Wright]] — former NFL defensive back, [[Denver Broncos]]; 1st round [[NFL draft]] pick; five [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearances<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
* [[Roy Zimmerman (American football)|Roy Zimmerman]] — former NFL quarterback, [[Washington Redskins]]; one [[NFL Pro Bowl]] appearance<ref name="pro-football-reference.com"/>
==Future non-conference opponents==
Announced schedules as of August 11, 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/san-jose-state/|title=San Jose State Spartans Football Future Schedules|website=fbschedules.com|access-date=March 23, 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=San Jose State Spartans|2024|2025|2026|2027|2028|2029|2030|2031|2032|2033|2034|2035}}
|-
| [[Sacramento State Hornets football|Sacramento State]]
| [[Idaho Vandals football|Idaho]]
| at [[Eastern Michigan Eagles football|Eastern Michigan]]
| at [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]]
| [[Howard Bison football|Howard]]
| [[Holy Cross Crusaders football|Holy Cross]]
| at [[UTSA Roadrunners football|UTSA]]
| [[Chattanooga Mocs football|Chattanooga]]
| [[Akron Zips football|Akron]]
| [[UTSA Roadrunners football|UTSA]]
| at [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]
| [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]
|-
| [[Kennesaw State Owls football|Kennesaw State]]
| [[Central Michigan Chippewas football|Central Michigan]]
| [[Cal Poly Mustangs football|Cal Poly]]
| [[Portland State Vikings football|Portland State]]
| [[Toledo Rockets football|Toledo]]
| [[Eastern Michigan Eagles football|Eastern Michigan]]
| [[Oregon State Beavers football|Oregon State]]
| [[Washington State Cougars football|Washington State]]
| at [[North Texas Mean Green football|North Texas]]
| at [[Akron Zips football|Akron]]
|
|
|-
| at [[Washington State Cougars football|Washington State]]
| at [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]]
| [[UTEP Miners football|UTEP]]
| at [[UTEP Miners football|UTEP]]
| at [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]
| at [[Oregon State Beavers football|Oregon State]]
| at [[Rice Owls football|Rice]]
| [[Rice Owls football|Rice]]
|
|
|
|
|-
| at [[Oregon State Beavers football|Oregon State]]
| at [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]
| [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]
| [[North Texas Mean Green football|North Texas]]
|
| at [[Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks football|ULM]]
| [[Cal Poly Mustangs football|Cal Poly]]
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|San José State Spartans football}}
*{{Official website}}
{{San Jose State Spartans football navbox}}
{{San Jose State University}}
{{Mountain West Conference football navbox}}
[[Category:1892 establishments in California]]
[[Category:San Jose State Spartans football| ]]
[[Category:American football teams established in 1892]]