Sept. 25, 2006

San Diego State Game Notes at San Jose State (Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006) in PDF Format
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San Diego State (0-3) at San Jose State (2-1)

Television
Channel 4 San Diego. Steve Quis (play-by-play), Lon Sheriff (analysis), Jason Bott (producer).

Aztecs Travel North to Face Upstart San Jose State on Day Claude Gilbert Enters Spartan Ring of Honor

San Diego State (0-3 overall; 0-1 Mountain West Conference), which has faced the nation's 28th most difficult schedule to date according to the Sagarin Ratings, plays a San Jose State (2-1 overall; 0-0 Western Athletic Conference) squad, which has won four of its last five games dating back to last season on Saturday in San Jose.

The 34th meeting between the teams is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and the contest will be carried live in the San Diego market on Channel 4 San Diego.

The Aztecs dropped their conference opener last Saturday at home to Utah, 38-7. San Diego State was tied 7-7 at the end of one quarter, but the Utes picked off five Aztec passes - returning two for touchdowns - en route to the victory. San Diego State rushed for a season-high 204 yards and limited the Utes to 359 yards of offense (41 yards below their season average).

San Diego State has faced some stiff competition in trying to provide head coach Chuck Long with his first collegiate victory. All three of SDSU's opponents thus far went to a bowl game last season and received votes in the Associated Press presesason poll. In fact, the Aztecs first four opponents (includes this week's opposition San Jose State), are a combined 9-5, including a 6-1 mark at home. The only teams to defeat SDSU's first four opponents includes some of college football's royalty. The five teams to hand SDSU's first four opponents a loss this season are Michigan, Washington, UCLA, Texas Tech and New Mexico.

San Jose State has jumped out to a 2-1 start, following a 35-29 loss at Washington in the opener with home wins over Stanford (35-34) and future SDSU opponent Cal Poly (17-7). The Spartans have won four of their last five games dating back to last season and own a four-game winning streak at Spartan Stadium. San Jose State leads the country in turnover margin at +2.00 per game and sport the nation's 25th leading rusher in junior Yonus Davis (99.33 yards per game) and the 26th ranked passer in junior Adam Tafralis (146.76 rating).

On Saturday, San Jose State will induct former San Diego State head coach Claude Gilbert into the Spartan Stadium Ring of Honor. Gilbert, who served as the Aztecs' head coach from 1973-80, compiled a 61-26-2 record (69.7 percent)and claimed three conference titles. He ranks second in Aztec history in victories and winning percentage trailing only Don Coryell. Gilbert was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame in 2004.

Gilbert, who played football at San Jose State, was the head coach at his alma mater from 1984-89. He compiled a 38-30-1 record while at the Spartan helm.

San Diego State has won seven straight in the series dating back to a 31-7 Spartan victory in 1975. The games have typically been high scoring, with the teams combining to average 62.4 points in the last seven meetings. Last season, the teams tallied 72 points as the Aztecs claimed a 51-21 victory at Qualcomm Stadium.