Date/Time: Friday, October 17, 2025 – 6 PM PDT
Location: Maverik Stadium, Logan, UT
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 860 KTRB AM (SF Bay Area)
Head-to-Head: SJSU leads the series 21-1-20
Spread: SJSU +3.5
underdog, O/U 64.5
San Jose State (2-4, 1-1 MW) is on the road again this week with little room for error when they face Utah State (3-3, 1-1 MW), considering two Spartan offensive stalwarts are trying to recuperate quickly from injuries suffered in the Wyoming game.
Both teams suffered agonizing losses on the road last week and both are in near-desperation to correct the ship seven games into the season with five games remaining.
Last week, Hawaii defeated USU by scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. It was the Rainbow Warriors first victory over after eight straight losses to the Aggies.
Against SJS, Wyoming scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter after the Spartans started lightening fast and held a 14-point lead late before fading.
“You have to give Wyoming credit. They got after us upfront,” said San Jose head coach Ken Niumatalolo after admitting the defeat was one of the most brutal in his 36-years of coaching. “Because it wasn’t like their stats and numbers were any different than anyone else.”
For San Jose State, it’s perhaps telling that so much of their anguish is about mental discipline and execution.
DC Derrick Odum explains these intangibles in terms of experience and know-how, “Two things happen in a close game: either you’re trying too hard and you’re getting out of character because you really want to win or you start doing things you weren’t doing before in the game.”
Odum went on to describe in particular how hitting a wrong gap or edge and being too cautious because you’re overly concerned of getting beat can start a downhill chain of events.
“This week we did show them the difference in what happened last week and we also told them this week to take a deep breath, calm down, slow your heart rate and let’s go perform.”
The state of Utah State
In what could be a mirror-like defensive comparison, the Aggies’ defense has struggled to contain big plays.
Against Hawaii, there were numerous explosive passing and run plays that led to 546 yards of total offense on USU that conversely kept the defense on the field far longer than desired.
It’s a familiar story for the Aggies being vulnerable playing from behind in situational defense.
San Jose’s offense would seemingly have the edge here, except for the fact that QB Walker Eget is nursing some kind of arm or shoulder injury from the Wyoming game that kept Eget out for several series.
“We also talked about resetting, refocusing after Walker went out,” said Niumatololo. “We have to find a way to reset and stay the course.”
This week in Sparta, QB two and three have been taking heavy reps preparing for all options without QB one.
The ever-optimistic and relentless OC Craig Stutzmann is constantly eating, breathing, sleeping on all possible contingencies and options, “I have a lot of appreciation for coach Ken, who’ll say, ‘Stutz it doesn’t matter — run the stuff we can run and continue to be on the attack with whoever is available this week if Walker can’t go.‘”
“For me personally, it’s the nature of the business, you have to plan and if you’re not worried, you’re not passionate enough, if it’s not always on your mind,” said Stutzmann. “My job is to make sure the guys are prepared, the game plan is solid, and after that you sit back and let the players play.”
It all means in the QB room this week, Tama Amisone and Xavier Ward are obviously the next men up, as we’ll know quickly if Eget is not himself Friday night. We’ll certainly see how Stutzmann earns his money, considering Eget, Ward and Amisone are vastly different from each other.
Utah State on offense centers around quarterback Bryson Barnes.
Niumatalolo first saw Barnes with the Utah Utes when Niumatalolo’s son played there, “I’m looking forward to meeting the guy after the game. He’s one of the toughest guys playing football right now. He’s a really, really good quarterback. He can throw and run and they utilize his skills well.”
Considering Eget isn’t chopped liver, San Jose State is leading the conference in passing with 309 yards per game to Utah State’s fourth-best 255 yards.
Because of Barnes, Utah State always has a chance regardless.
“Barnes is tough as nails and highly competitive,” said Spartan DC Derrick Odum. “His competitiveness reminds me of a Baker Mayfield, a very competitive player and leader where his whole team rallies around him because of it. That’s what Barnes is for them.”
By the numbers last week, the Aggies struggled mightily on third down; converting on only two of 12. Penalties (11 for 73 yards) were also an issue that fed into their third down woes — all leading to a sputtering fourth quarter.
And behind that Aggie offense is a very familiar face with OC Kevin McGiven, who was the offensive mind behind the Spartans for seven years. With many staff and family often interchanging between any team or sport, coaches and players typically brush off any advantage or disadvantage.
The Spartan defense could have the edge on USU.
But it depends if they can sustain and maintain.
“Our defense was crushed by the loss last week — I mean really crushed,” said Odum. “But they’ve rebounded this week and that’s a wrap.”
Redemption is on the menu this week and if served in its entirety, the Spartan defense can certainly regain dignity through totality.
“It’s constant learning and it’s really close,” said Odum. “It’s not like we’re getting blown out. We just have to finish. That’s the biggest part.”
Each game is a complete entity, a season and unique story to itself, especially with the unpredictability.
“We just have to finish better. That’s all it is. Collectively, we have to finish better,” said Niumatalolo. “It’s just playing clean football and not overthink things.”
The other Spartan weaponry
The leading receiver in the country is also nursing an injury from Laramie last week.
Via an inside route last week, Danny Scudero was clobbered by the inside-out pursuit from a Cowboy linebacker; similar to an inside route vs. Texas that saw Scudero literally get a vicious boxer’s overhand right by another inside-out pursuing backer.
It might be time to adjust Scudero going to the inside for longevity’s sake or employing the self-preservation tactics of a similar dynamic, smaller-statured NFL receiver Tyler Lockett of the Tennessee Titans.
The hope for both Scudero and Eget is for the “nicked-up” kind of injury you can play through.
In the running back room, all can find relief if Stutzmann can help scheme Lamar Radcliffe and Steven Chavez-Soto into a run groove.
A healthy running game is usually always the magic elixir.
Typically, SJSU tests the waters for only so long with the run game and if there isn’t enough of a breakthrough, the Spartans can become more sparing with it in tight games.
Like any game at this point, Friday night’s game is a must win to start to salvage the season, recover it or maybe accept a subpar outcome in 2025.
