Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

The San Jose State Spartans are set to host the Army Black Knights at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 pm PT on ESPNU and Watch ESPN.

In case you missed it, check out head coach Brent Brennan’s most recent press conference regarding the Spartans.

Here’s what you should know coming into Saturday’s matinee:

San Jose State’s record
0-5, 0-2 Mountain West. Most recently, the Spartans lost to Colorado State, 42-30, on October 6th.

Army West Point’s record
3-2. Most recently, the Black Knights defeated the Buffalo Bulls, 42-13, on September 29th.

What channels will the game be on?
ESPNU and WatchESPN will provide play-by-play coverage of the SJSU-Army game.  The live telecast is scheduled for 12:30 pm PT.

What stations will the game be broadcasted?
KLIV (1590 AM, San Jose) originates SJSU football broadcasts. Justin Allegri calls the play-by-play. Kevin Richardson provides commentary.

The Army broadcast begins at 12:00 pm PT with a pregame show.

SJSU’s network affiliate is KION (1460 AM/101.1 FM, Salinas).

For the first time
This will be the first meeting between the two teams. SJSU and Army are slated to play a home-and-home series through the 2021 season. The Black Knights would be the home team in 2019 and 2021.

38th school
SJSU will become the 38th school to play the three FBS service academy teams (Air Force, Army and Navy) with the completion of the Army game.

30 points
SJSU’s one of at least two teams to score 30 points in a quarter this season with its 30-point third quarter in its recent 42-30 loss to Colorado State.

North Texas scored 31 points in the second quarter of a 58-16 win over Incarnate Word on September 8th.

The last time SJSU scored 30 or more points in a quarter was a 35-point second quarter in a 69-41 win at UTEP on November 3, 2003.

Safety first
For the first time since playing in the 2012 Military Bowl, SJSU was credited with a two-point safety when Boogie Roberts tackled Colorado State running back Izzy Matthews in the Rams’ end zone on a first-down rushing attempt that started at the two-yard line.

National leader
Dakari Monroe’s the FBS national leader in passes defended with his 2.4 average. Monroe was credited with a personal single-game best four pass break-ups in the Colorado State game on October 6th.

For the season, Monroe has two pass interceptions and 10 pass break-ups.

The Josh Oliver factor
For the fifth consecutive week, Josh Oliver is the leading pass receiver among FBS tight ends. Oliver is averaging 6.20 receptions a game and has 31 catches for the season.

Oliver’s the only tight end listed among the FBS’ top-50 pass receivers in games played through October 6.

22 of Oliver’s 31 receptions this season resulted in a SJSU first down.

Oliver and Stanford’s Kaden Smith share the national lead for receiving yards by a listed tight end at 382 in games played through October 6th.

#22 is #2 again
For the second consecutive week, Thai Cottrell ranks second nationally in kickoff return average at 33.9 per return.

This season, Cottrell has returns of 96 at Oregon, 72 versus Hawaii and 44 yards versus Colorado State. Cottrell’s previous long return was 28 yards during the 2017 season.

Five-game streak in 2018
For the first time since the 2013 season, SJSU has a pass interception in five consecutive games in the same season.  With a pair of interceptions in the final game of the 2017 season, the Spartans have a six-game streak going intercepting a pass.

SJSU added two interceptions to its total versus Colorado State on October 6th. The Spartans have nine for the season–three more than in 2017–to rank seventh nationally among FBS schools.

Spartan nation, keep in mind that the Spartans have the heart, grit and energy. All the Spartans need to top off their actions is to put more than two wins in the win column this season.