By Ernie Gonzalez (@superego1012)
For the first time since joining the Mountain West conference, the Spartans will play 13 games. Being 1-0 before most teams kickoff would sure be precious, but to get there will be quite a challenge.
Game one of a blockbuster 2017 season features a tough matchup against possible Heisman Trophy nominee Quinton Flowers and the University of South Florida. Flowers is coming off his best season as a Bull and is well on his way to playing at the next level.
The Spartan defense will have probably its toughest test of the year as it lines up against 2016’s number two leading rushing QB in Flowers, second only to last year’s Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.
ESPN’s power index gives the South Florida a 79.3 percent chance of beating the Spartans, but Maurice McKnight and his squad doesn’t seem to care.
“… We’re always going to be the underdog,” Mcknight told The Spear back in April. He’s right. As long as the Spartans are underdogs, they aren’t the ones facing all the pressure. That is huge, especially for a team trying to stay under the radar.
Let’s be clear here, give a thumbs up to San Jose State athletic department for governing and lining up a schedule that would give SJSU a golden opportunity to put itself on the map this coming year.
San Jose State football is trending without a doubt. New director, new coaching, a boatload of new players, and soon to be new turf, but it doesn’t stand alone.
South Florida is just as hyped and has also made some changes up front. In other words, the beginning of the Charlie Strong era.
Strong, most known for his reign with Louisville, took the Cardinals to four straight bowl games between 2010 and 2013, winning three of them.
He will begin his first year on the headset for South Florida and the Strong/Flowers duo will certainly steal sleep time from Spartan coordinators.
Whether it’s a seven point loss and a moral victory for SJSU, or if they end up shocking the world and pull off an upset, a true color will emerge after the game and everyone will begin to ask:
“Are the Spartans for real?”